Orange Rolls Recipe - Tastes Better From Scratch (original) (raw)

This post contains affiliate links.

Our soft and fluffy homemade Orange Roll recipe couldn't be more simple or delicious. They're baked in a muffin pan and have a delicious orange glaze on top.

Looking for more bread recipes? Try Chocolate Banana Bread, Cranberry Orange Muffins, or Lemon Blueberry Bread!

Homemade Orange Rolls on a plate, topped with orange glaze and orange zest.

Why I love this recipe:

Family Tradition: This recipe holds a special place in my heart. I make it every year for family parties, special occasions, and especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, just like my mom did for our family growing up.
Muffin Tin: The rolled dough is baked in a muffin pan, making the rolls easier to eat and form. This recipe is SO simple!
Homemade Filling and Glaze: Making the glaze and filling is the easiest part and also the most delicious, with bursts of orange flavor.

How to make Orange Rolls:

Make Dough: Combine water, yeast, and sugar and let rest for 5 minutes, until foamy. Add eggs, butter, salt, flour, and yeast mixture in a mixing bowl with dough hook. Knead for 3 minutes on medium speed, then let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Repeat 2 more times. Divide dough into 3 balls.

Two images showing homemade bread dough in a stainless steel bowl, then the dough divided into 3 balls on a cutting board.

Make Filling: Roll each dough ball into a 15″x8″ rectangle. Mix ½ cup softened butter with ½ cup of sugar and the zest of 2 oranges. Spread mixture evenly over all three rectangles of bread dough.

Two images showing butter, sugar, and orange zest in a bowl, then after it's combined and spread on bread dough to make easy Orange Rolls.

Roll each rectangle lengthwise into a long tube (similar to cinnamon rolls). Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the dough into 1 1/2″ sections.

Two images showing Orange Roll dough rolled up, and after slices are cut.

Bake: Place each small dough roll into a greased muffin tin. You could also lay them in a greased baking dish, like cinnamon rolls, if you prefer. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven.

Two images showing homemade Orange Rolls in a muffin tin, before and after they are baked.

Make Orange Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, orange zest, and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over warm orange rolls.

Homemade orange glaze being drizzled on top of the best orange rolls, warm from the oven.

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

To Store: Orange rolls are best enjoyed fresh, the day they are made. Store leftovers in an air-tight container for 1-3 days, or freeze.

To Freeze: Baked orange rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the microwave for a few seconds.

More Sweet Roll Recipes:

Rolls:

▢ 1 3/4 cups warm water
▢ 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
▢ 1/3 cup granulated sugar
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1/2 cup butter, (1 stick), melted
▢ 1 teaspoon salt
▢ 5 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

▢ 1/2 cup butter, (1 stick), softened
▢ 1/3 cup granulated sugar
▢ zest of 2 large oranges

Orange Glaze:

▢ 2 cups powdered sugar
▢ 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, (from fresh orange)
▢ 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Make dough: In a small bowl, add water, yeast and sugar. Let rest for 5 minutes, until foamy on top. In a large mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, add eggs, butter, salt, flour and yeast mixture.
Knead the dough with your mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Knead dough again for 3 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Knead dough one more time for three minutes. Let rest again for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 3 balls. Lightly flour your counter-top and roll each dough ball out into a 15''x8'' rectangle.
Make filling: Mix ½ cup softened butter with ⅓ cup sugar and the zest of 2 oranges. Spread this mixture evenly over the three rectangles of bread dough.
Roll-up each rectangle lengthwise into a long tube (similar to how you would roll cinnamon rolls). Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the dough into 1 1/2'' sections.
Put each small dough round into a greased muffin tin. (You could also lay them in a greased baking dish, like cinnamon rolls, but we always make them in muffin tins!)
Cover dough lightly with greased piece of plastic wrap and allow dough to rise once more, for 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with glaze.
Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, orange zest and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over warm orange rolls.
Orange rolls are best enjoyed fresh, the day they are made. Store leftoevers in an air-tight container for 1-3 days, or freeze.

To Make Ahead: Make the roll dough and instead of kneading and resting, knead with a mixer for 5-7 minutes, then transfer to a well greased large bowl. Cover bowl with a lid or tightly with greased plastic wrap and refrigerate for several house or overnight. Remove from fridge allow to rest on counter for 1 hour before rolling out dough and adding filling.

To Freeze: Allow the rolls to cool completely after cooking (before topping with glaze). Place in a ziplock freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, microwave the muffins for 15-20 seconds and top with fresh orange glaze.

Calories: 156kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 114mg, Potassium: 25mg, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 175IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Text me new recipe ideas!

Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.

Text Signup

I originally shared this recipe November 2013. Updated August 2019 and December 2023.

Published December 2, 2023

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.