If you love orange flavor, these Fluffy Orange Sweet Rolls need to be on your radar asap! There is a bright + zippy orange-loaded essence in every component of these rolls: in the yeasted dough, in the filling, and in the delightful icing. These supremely soft rolls are full of fragrance and spiced so well, and they make for the perfect treat to brighten up your breakfast/brunch or dessert table!

fluffy orange sweet roll on small plate with fork

I’m a big fan of citrus in general- but I especially go all the way up for it during citrus season. Oranges, lemons, limes…oh my! Let us also not forget about the grapefruit, pomelo, and other citrus varieties. I knew when I saw the popularity of my lemon sweet rolls, an orange-infused version was going to be up next. Friend, I love everything about these orange sweet rolls, and y’all will, too!

frosted orange sweet rolls with orange zest

Orange Sweet Rolls 🍊

If you enjoy yourself some classic cinnamon rolls, well, these sweet rolls are quite similar. Minus the presence of cinnamon and brown sugar, think of these orange sweet rolls as the cousin to the classic form.

These orange rolls are brimming with orange essence all over; they’re so soft and tender, and extra delicious. I believe they’re quite the treat to enjoy for any occasion, but especially with spring season on the horizon. Or whenever you want an edible form of sunshine for those tastebuds!

ingredients for orange sweet rolls in bowls

Ingredients Needed For This Recipe:

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • For the dough: Milk, sugar, yeast, orange juice, eggs, butter, vanilla essence, bread flour, salt, and ground cardamom.
  • For the filling: Sugar, orange zest, salt, and butter.
  • For the icing: Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest.
ingredients for orange yeast dough in mixing bowl
orange yeasted dough in glass bowl with plastic wrap

How To Make These Orange Sweet Rolls:

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

→ Let’s start with the formation of the yeasted dough!

  • Make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl (if you plan to mix/knead by hand), combine the dough ingredients and mix/knead.
  • Work the dough and continue kneading until smooth, elastic, and supple.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased, large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise/proof in a warm environment until it doubles in size, about 1 ½ hours or shorter/longer depending on the temperature of your environment.
orange zest and granulated sugar in bowl
orange citrus sugar in glass bowl
  • Next, let’s make citrus sugar! In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar, orange zest, and salt. Use your fingers to rub/smear the sugar with the zest until well combined. Then set the citrus sugar aside for the orange zest to continue infusing with the sugar.

The oils in the zest infuse in the sugar, which absorbs beautifully, leaving you with super fragrant, deep orange flavored sugar…yummmm 🤌🏾

orange sweet roll dough
orange sweet roll dough rolled up
cut orange rolls with kitchen twine
raw orange rolls in baking pan

Filling & Roll Assembly:

  • Roll, fill, & cut rolls. After the first proof, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle the citrus sugar over the dough.
  • Roll up the dough into a tight log, and then use a sharp knife or unscented dental floss to cut the log crosswise into 12 pieces.
  • Add the cut rolls into the baking pan, leaving a bit of space between each one for expansion. Cover the pan with plastic wrap/clean kitchen towel. Then preheat the oven to 350°F. Let the assembled rolls sit out while the oven is preheating; they’ll get puffy while they rest.
partially frosted orange sweet rolls in baking pan
frosted orange sweet rolls in baking pan with serving spoon

Bake & Ice The Rolls:

  • Baking the rolls. Bake the rolls until lightly golden, about 25-30 minutes. While the rolls bake, prepare the icing.
  • Orange cream cheese icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until the icing is well combined. Then add the orange juice along with the orange zest and continue beating until the icing is silky smooth and free of any lumps.
  • Icing the rolls & serving. When the rolls are done, use a spreading utensil to spread the orange cream cheese icing over the rolls. Garnish the rolls with an extra sprinkling of orange zest to add some flair if you’d like. Gah, go on and devour them thangs! 😛
fluffy orange sweet roll with fork on small plate

Tips + Tricks, FAQs & More:

…A bit more for the most incredible orange sweet rolls:

  • Can I use all-purpose flour? Yes! I love the extra gluten content in bread flour because it makes these rolls chewier, more fluffy, but ap flour works, too.
  • Stick to the written recipe! Following the recipe as written= best results!
  • Use fresh yeast! Make sure your yeast is not expired, fresh is best!
  • Working with yeast: Make sure that your milk is warmed to the appropriate temperature- active dry or instant yeast. If your milk is not warm enough, the dough will not activate. Alternatively, if the milk is too hot, it can kill the yeast, and your dough will be no good, causing you to start over.
  • Best milk to use: I’m partial to whole milk for the richness it brings; it is the best. However, you can use 2% or almond milk, too.
  • Follow rise times: For proper yeast effectiveness, allow the dough to proof until it doubles in size (first rise), and the cut rolls are puffy (second rise) before baking. This will make sure that the rolls’ texture will be on point.
  • Cutting rolls: A super sharp knife or unscented dental floss is clutch for this. I do, however, prefer the floss method because you don’t run the risk of having to press on/flatten the dough as you do with a knife.
orange sweet rolls on small white plates

Make-Ahead Orange Sweet Rolls:

If you want to get a head start on these orange sweet rolls by doing some prep work, you can! This is a great way to break the recipe into parts, saving you some time on the day of baking/serving.

→ Follow the recipe instructions up to step #8 in the recipe card, below, minus the baking. Transfer the assembled rolls to the refrigerator to rest overnight (about 8 hours). The next morning, take the rolls out, let them sit out to reach room temperature for about 1 hour or until puffy, and then follow the remaining steps to bake as directed.

BBR tip: I do not recommend refrigerating the assembled rolls for an extended amount of time as they will dry out.

soft and fluffy orange roll on plate with fork

These Orange Sweet Rolls are sooo delicious, full of orange-forward flavor, and make for such a fun treat to bake up! Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

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fluffy orange sweet roll on small plate with fork

Pillowy Soft & Fluffy Orange Sweet Rolls

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  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: Desserts & Sweets
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

If you love orange flavor, these Fluffy Orange Sweet Rolls need to be on your radar asap! There is a bright + zippy orange-loaded essence in every component of these rolls: in the yeasted dough, in the filling, and in the delightful icing. These supremely soft rolls are full of fragrance and spiced so well, and they make for the perfect treat to brighten up your breakfast/brunch or dessert table!

Ingredients

For the yeasted dough:

  • ¾ cup whole milk, warmed to about 115–120°F
  • ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant or active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted & cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (vanilla bean paste or extract)
  • 4 ½ cups bread flour, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

For the filling:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 large orange, about 1 tablespoon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

For the orange cream cheese icing:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese (block-style), softened
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2–4 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice, divided
  • Zest of 1 large orange, about 1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl (if you plan to mix/knead by hand), combine the warm milk and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Then sprinkle the yeast on top and mix well. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes or until foamy.
  2. Once the mixture is foamy, add in the remaining sugar, orange juice, eggs, butter, vanilla essence, 4 ½ cups flour, salt, and cardamom.
  3. Secure the dough hook attachment to the mixer and mix on low speed until the dough begins to come together, about 1-2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading the dough until smooth, elastic, and supple, about 5-6 minutes. Alternatively,  if you are not using a stand mixer, knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. If the dough feels super sticky, add in a tablespoon of flour, only if needed.
  4. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased, large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise/proof in a warm environment until it doubles in size, about 1 ½ hours or shorter/longer depending on the temperature of your environment.
  5. For the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar, orange zest, and salt. Use your fingers to rub/smear the sugar with the zest until well combined. Then set the citrus sugar aside for the orange zest to continue infusing with the sugar.
  6. Roll, fill, & cut rolls. After the first proof, punch down the dough knocking out the air and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to about 20 x 10 inches. Spread the softened butter over the dough, leaving a slight margin around the edges. Then sprinkle the citrus sugar over the dough, leaving a slight margin around the edges.
  7. Roll up the dough into a tight log starting from the longest side with the seam side down. Pinch the seam to seal in the edges as much as you can. I like to cut off a bit of the ends of the dough because they are not as full in size as the other sections. Use a large sharp knife or unscented dental floss to cut the log crosswise into 12 pieces.
  8. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with a piece of parchment paper (this helps just in case any of the filling leaks out). Add the cut rolls into the baking pan, leaving a bit of space between each one for expansion. Cover the pan with plastic wrap/clean kitchen towel. Then preheat the oven to 350°F. Let the assembled rolls sit out while the oven is preheating, they’ll get puffy while they rest.
  9. Baking the rolls. Remove the plastic wrap/kitchen towel. Bake the rolls at 350°F until lightly golden, about 25-30 minutes. While the rolls bake, prepare the icing.
  10. To make the orange cream cheese icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and continue mixing until the icing is well combined. Then add 2 tablespoons of orange juice along with the orange zest and continue beating until the icing is silky smooth and free of any lumps. If the icing is too thick, add an additional 2 tablespoons of orange juice to thin. And continue beating to fully combine. Set the icing aside until the rolls are done baking.
  11. Serve. When the rolls are done, use a spreading utensil to spread the orange cream cheese icing over the rolls. Garnish the rolls with an extra sprinkling of orange zest, if desired. These orange sweet rolls are best served right away. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready

Photography by: Camera Eats First

frosted orange sweet rolls on small plates with forks