Fluffy Orange Cinnamon Rolls

These fluffy orange cinnamon rolls are soft and gooey, scented with fresh orange flavor, and topped with a tangy orange cream cheese frosting. The sweet orange rolls are filled with spiced orange and brown sugar filling.

About these homemade orange rolls

This orange roll recipe uses a lightly enriched dough that's tender and flavorful. I use this dough in all my homemade cinnamon rolls, except fresh orange juice and orange zest are added this time. The dough can be worked with by hand or in a stand mixer. It's not quite as enriched as brioche dough, but the soft dough still has amazing texture and flavor.

The dough will rise twice, once as a large dough ball and the second as the shaped buns. The first dough rise can happen at room temperature for same-day orange cinnamon rolls or rise slowly in the fridge overnight. Letting the dough have a cold rise will give it extra flavor. It would then have its second rise at room temperature.

Baker's Schedule

Method

The bread dough

In a small saucepan, warm the milk to around 95-104°F / 35-40°C and pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the warm milk. If using active dry yeast, let this sit for around 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy; if using instant yeast, this step can be skipped.

Add the flour, salt, orange zest, orange juice and eggs to the yeast mixture. Fit the stand mixer with a dough hook attachment and mix until a thick dough forms.

Add in the softened butter, a few cubes at a time.

Keep mixing on medium speed for around 10 minutes until the dough is soft and strong and passes the windowpane test. 

Kneading by hand

Alternatively, knead the dough by hand. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon until it forms a shaggy ball. Pull it onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few cubes at a time in the butter.

Knead by hand for around 10 minutes until it becomes an elastic and smooth dough. If you need a break, let the dough rest for 10 minutes and return to it.

First rise

Once kneaded, form the soft dough into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to a large, lightly greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel.

Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, around 1 to 1 ½ hours. The total time will depend on your room temperature.

The dough can also be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 16 hours.

Filling

With an electric mixer, beat softened butter, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon and cardamom in a medium bowl into a creamy paste.

Shaping 

Grease or line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Punch down the risen dough, then pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with some flour.

If the dough has come from the fridge, it will be very stiff. 

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large 12x16-inch rectangle  (30cm x 40 cm).

Add the orange-cinnamon mixture and use an offset spatula to spread it out.

Roll the dough up, starting from the longest side up the top, into a jelly-roll style log.

Cut the log into 12 equal pieces using unflavored dental floss for extra clean cuts or a serrated knife.

Place the rolls into the prepared pan.

Cover the pan and let the orange sweet rolls have their second rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 350°F /180°C.

Bake the rolls in the oven for around 25-28 minutes until golden brown. If they are browning too fast, you can cover the top of the rolls loosely with aluminum foil. 

Orange frosting

While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy.

Add the confectioners' sugar, orange zest, orange juice and salt. Beat on low speed to incorporate the sugar, then switch to high and beat until creamy.

Let the baked buns cool for 20 minutes, then spread on the orange icing. Top with a bit of extra orange zest.  They're perfect for a Christmas morning treat! 

Storing

Leftover orange rolls can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sweet rolls can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Thaw the orange cinnamon rolls overnight in the refrigerator and warm them up in the microwave before serving.

Related Recipes

Did you enjoy this orange rolls recipe? For more cinnamon roll recipes or orange recipes, check out these!

• Coffee cinnamon rolls
• Blueberry cinnamon rolls
• Blackberry sweet rolls
• Chewy Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Orange Brownies
• Creamy Orange Bars

Full Recipe

Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Elien

These fluffy orange cinnamon rolls are soft and gooey, scented with fresh orange flavor, and topped with a tangy orange cream cheese frosting.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Additional Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Bread

Servings 12

Calories 425 kcal

Ingredients

  

Dough

• 180 g (¾ cup) whole milk
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
• 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 530 g (4 ¼ cups*) all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 60 g (¼ cup) fresh orange juice
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons orange zest finely grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 85 g (6 Tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature

Filling

• 55 g (4 Tbsp) softened butter
• 100 g (½ cup) soft brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon orange zest finely grated
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Frosting

• 113 g (4oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 30 g (2 Tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature
• 180 g (1 ½ cups) confectioners sugar
• 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 Tablespoon orange zest finely grated
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

 

• In a small saucepan, warm the milk to around 95-104°F / 35-40°C and pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the warm milk. If using active dry yeast, let this sit for around 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy; if using instant yeast, this step can be skipped.
• Add the flour, orange juice, eggs, zest, and salt to the yeast mixture. Fit the stand mixer with a dough hook attachment and mix until a thick dough forms.
• Add the softened butter, a few cubes at a time.
• Keep mixing on medium speed for around 10 minutes until the dough is soft and strong and passes the windowpane test. 

Kneading by hand

• Alternatively, knead the dough by hand. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon until it forms a shaggy ball. Pull it onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few cubes at a time in the butter.
• Knead by hand for around 10 minutes until it becomes an elastic and smooth dough. If you need a break, let the dough rest for 10 minutes and return to it.

First rise

• Once kneaded, form the soft dough into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to a large, lightly greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel.
• Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, around 1 to 1 ½ hours. The total time will depend on your room temperature.
• The dough can also be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 16 hours.

Filling

• With an electric mixer, beat softened butter, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, and cardamom in a medium bowl into a creamy paste.

Shaping

• Grease or line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
• Punch down the risen dough, then pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with some flour.
• If the dough has come from the fridge, it will be very stiff. 
• Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large 12x16-inch rectangle  (30cm x 40 cm).
• Add the orange-cinnamon mixture and use an offset spatula to spread it out.
• Roll the dough up, starting from the longest side up the top, into a jelly-roll style log.
• Cut the log into 12 equal pieces using unflavored dental floss for extra clean cuts or a serrated knife.
• Place the rolls into the prepared pan.
• Cover the pan and let the orange sweet rolls have their second rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 350°F /180°C.
• Bake the rolls in the oven for 25-28 minutes until golden brown. If they are browning too fast, you can cover the top of the rolls loosely with aluminum foil. 

Orange Frosting

• While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy.
• Add the confectioners' sugar, orange zest, orange juice and salt. Beat on low speed to incorporate the sugar, then switch to high and beat until creamy.
• Let the baked buns cool for 20 minutes, then spread on the orange icing. Top with a bit of extra orange zest. 

Notes

* The cup sizes given are US sized. Note that US-sized cups are smaller than metric cups. For best results, use grams.

Keyword cinnamon, Orange, Rolls