These rolls are super soft, and bursting with fresh orange flavor in every bite. Then, they are topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze that takes the citrus experience to the next level. These are the tried and true sweet rolls that will have everyone asking for the recipe.
For an impressive twist with a beautiful presentation, try this same recipe as an orange star bread.
Why Our Recipe
- Soft and fluffy rolls infused with fresh orange flavor in every layer for the ultimate citrus sweet roll.
- Includes a luscious cream cheese glaze with a little orange extract for even more orange flavor.
- Breakfast, brunch, dessert? These will be a hit for any occasion!
This recipe is based on our famous homemade cinnamon roll recipe which has been tried and true by hundreds of thousands of people over a decade. They stay soft and fresh for up to five days, so you can enjoy them all week long, but don’t be surprised if you never get the chance to test that statement. They always get eaten before that!
Ingredient Notes
- Warm Milk (100-110°F): Aim for a warm, bathwater-like feel. Whole or 2% milk works best, though milk alternatives can also work in a pinch. Use a thermometer if unsure.
- Orange Juice: Bottled orange juice works just fine, or you can go with freshly squeezed since you already need a fresh orange for orange zest.
- Instant Dry Yeast: No need to activate this yeast beforehand. If using active dry yeast, allow an extra 10–15 minutes of rising time.
- Salted Butter: If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt. Ensure it’s softened and spreadable for easy mixing.
- All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour can be substituted if desired for a slightly chewier texture. Add flour gradually until the dough is soft and pulls away from the bowl.
- Orange Zest: Fresh orange zest is essential for that bold citrus flavor in the filling.
- Cream Cheese: Soften cream cheese to ensure a lump-free glaze. Full-fat cream cheese gives the richest flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: Sifted powdered sugar blends easily into the glaze for a smooth finish.
- Orange Extract: A concentrated way to amp up the orange flavor in the glaze. Skip it if you prefer a more natural taste, but we highly recommend the extra.
Feel of the Dough
The amount of flour you use when making bread doughs can vary so it is best to go by how the dough feels. The dough should be slightly sticky, but still very soft and pliable. It should just barely not be sticking to the bowl. If you add too much flour and the dough stiffens, your rolls will also get a little stiff. You can feel a soft roll just by touching the dough. Start with less flour, as you can always add more as necessary.
Butter Tip
The butter should be room temperature and smoosh easily to the touch. If you soften the butter in a microwave, be sure to work in small increments of time so you don’t get any melted pools of butter.
No Stand Mixer? No Problem!
You can knead the dough by hand! Start out by stirring with a spoon until you can’t do it anymore. Then knead by hand. Just keep on kneading until all the flour is incorporated and/or the dough is soft to the touch and only slightly sticky. It’s a bit of a workout, but it’s worth it!
Make Ahead Instructions
OVERNIGHT INSTRUCTIONS: After you’ve rolled and cut your orange rolls and placed them into your lightly greased baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and place in your refrigerator. The next day, remove them from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature (about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the temperature of your house) before baking.
FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: Roll and cut your cinnamon rolls and place them several inches apart on a baking sheet to freeze rolls individually. Once frozen, transfer to a resealable plastic freezer bag. When ready to bake, place in a lightly greased baking dish and allow to come to room temperature before baking.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Just keep in mind that refrigeration can sometimes dry them out, so warming them up before eating will help bring back their soft texture.
Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, or warm them in a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes until heated through.
More tasty sweet roll recipes…
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
2 hrs 20 mins
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
1 hr 18 mins
Strawberries & Cream Rolls
2 hrs 25 mins
Baklava Cinnamon Rolls
2 hrs 5 mins
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
These rolls are easy to make and there delicious. A good change from cinnamon rolls.
Something different.
My family loves these rolls and requests it often. The only thing I did was to add a little orange zest to the glaze because we like a real orangey flavor.
This was my first time making orange rolls and I can’t believe I nailed it! Soooo good! Thanks for a great recipe that’s easy to follow.
I don’t usually leave reviews on things but I love baking and these turned out AMAZING and had all of my roommates raving. I put them in the fridge overnight and baked them in the morning and they came out perfect.
Rachel, you are a treasure! These orange rolls were terrific! Perfect on a relaxing morning with a cup of coffee. Thank you!
Light and perfect for summer. Only change I made was use the juice from the orange and also added peel to the dough. Amazing!
These were perfect–just the result I was looking for. My first ever rolls, as I am not much of a baker. For example, this is the first time I have ever used yeast. But, we are stuck in our home due to COVID 19, and for the most part we are following social distancing guidelines. Thus, this seemed like a great time to expand my repertoire and I was really pleased with how wonderful these tasted. I followed the recipe to the letter, except that I added 2 tablespoons of Grand Mariner to the filling. I will make these again.
As soon as I saw this recipe posted online, I knew I’d have to try it! I love anything Citrus!!! I already make my own Cinnamon Rolls, so this was an easy switch for me. These were so delicious! Absolutely the best recipe, hands down! These will be a staple for many potlucks to come (once this Covid 19 pandemic is over)
Completely true story – BEST orange rolls EVER.
I’m a pretty good baker, my husband gives me “the handshake” frequently. I say this because I modify recipes all the time – I followed this recipe exactly as written and it is perfect.
I want to let some of the commenters know a few things: you can add salt to the yeast, it doesn’t kill it, it just slows it down, which is a good thing, keeping it from over-proofing.
The orange juice is best if it comes from the orange you used to get the orange zest, so it won’t necessarily be cold, but if it is cold, just add it after the yeast has had a chance to “wake up” in the warm milk – once you see it get a little foamy and bubbly, you can add cool ingredients (egg, butter)
I searched and searched for an orange roll recipe that had orange flavor in the dough and not just in the glaze. This one popped up and it is heavenly. The dough is very soft and as it baked, it looked really goopy, but once the rolls were golden brown, it is just perfect!
Oh, and I didn’t make the frosting – don’t need the calories (wink wink!)
These are light and fluffy filled with flavor. I added chopped walnuts and two Tbs of Conintreau liqueur to the filling.