These homemade Orange Rolls are soft, fluffy, and bursting with fresh citrus flavor in every bite. Made with real orange zest, a buttery brown sugar filling, and finished with a smooth orange cream cheese frosting, they're the kind of bakery-style treat that feels special but totally doable at home.
Why This Recipe is the Best
These orange rolls are the best because they use yeast for a truly fluffy texture, real orange zest for bold flavor, and a creamy icing that melts into the warm bread-just like the old fashioned rolls so many of us grew up eating.
This recipe uses real orange zest worked directly into the sugar, which releases the natural oils and creates a bold, fresh orange flavor that isn't overpowering or artificial tasting. These are perfect for holidays like Easter and Christmas!
For more sweet roll recipes, you'll love our Raspberry Rolls, Oreo Rolls, and Classic Cinnamon Rolls.
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Key Ingredients
Unlike frozen Rhodes rolls or Sister Schubert-style shortcuts, this recipe is completely homemade, giving you better flavor, texture, and control over the ingredients.
- Milk- Warm milk activates the yeast and helps create a soft, pillowy dough.
- Oranges- You will need Oranges for fresh squeezed juice, and orange zest.
- Bread Flour- Bread flour helps the rolls stay tender and soft longer. You can also successfully use all-purpose flour.
- Frosting- The frosting combines butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and more orange zest for the perfect flavor.
How to Make Orange Rolls
Use these step-by-step instructions as a guide to get the best results. You'll love how simple this recipe is!
- Combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar and let it proof for about 5 minutes until very foamy; if it doesn't bubble and grow, discard and start over. Mix in the butter, egg, remaining sugar, salt, flour, and yeast mixture, knead until smooth and elastic, then place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Roll the dough flat into a 12x18 rectangle. In a small bowl, combine crushed orange zest, sugar, and brown sugar.
- Spread very soft butter over the top of the rolled-out rectangle. Generously sprinkle the orange zest and sugar mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
- Roll the dough up, starting with the long end. Cut into 12 even parts. Placed the cut pieces into a greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, bake for 17-22 minutes at 350 degrees.
- While the Orange Rolls bake, make the frosting. Combine the frosting ingredients and beat until smooth. Be sure to add the zest and fresh-squeezed juice.
- Once the rolls are baked and cool, frost the top of the rolls and serve!
Helpful Hint: To cut the roll evenly, we like to cut the log in half, then each half in half again. Then cut each piece into 3 even pieces.
Common Mistakes
If the milk is too hot, it can kill the yeast, so make sure it's between 105-110°F. If your yeast isn't bubbly and doubled after the 5 minutes, start over! Your cinnamon rolls won't work with dead yeast.
Skipping the step of kneading the orange zest into the sugar will result in a much milder citrus flavor.
Top Tip
Rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingers until it feels slightly damp and fragrant-this step makes a huge difference in flavor and gives these orange rolls their signature citrus punch.
Recipe
Orange Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
For the orange roll dough:
- 1 cup warm milk whole or 2%, see note 1
- 2 Tablespoons +1 teaspoon sugar divided
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast 1 packet
- 6 Tablespoons butter partially melted, I use salted
- 1 large egg at room temperature, whisked
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3-3 ¼ cups bread flour see note 2
For the orange roll filling:
- 3 Tablespoons orange zest all of the zest from one large orange
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup butter very very soft, I used salted
Orange roll frosting:
- ¼ cup butter slightly softened, I used salted
- 4 ounce cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice fresh squeezed
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Combine warm milk (105-110° F) and combine with 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast. Set aside to proof. Within 5 minutes the mixture should be very foamy and growing pretty rapidly. If not, throw away and start over. Your yeast must be active and well for the best cinnamon rolls.
- Microwave the butter until it's partially melted. Whisk the egg. Combine butter, egg, salt, sugar, salt, remaining sugar, bread flour and proofed yeast together and mix to combine. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, your hands (I recommend watching a youtube video on how to knead if doing it without a machine) or a bread maker on the dough setting to knead the dough. Knead 10-20 minutes until dough is silky smooth and elastic. Push a finger into the dough to make an indentation; the dough should bounce back easily. See photos above for a visual guide.
- Spray a glass or plastic bowl with cooking spray or oil it with your preferred oil. Place dough inside, then spray the top with a little oil so the dough doesn't dry out. Cover with cling wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, around an hour.
Make the Orange Roll Filling:
- Place the orange zest, sugar and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Use your fingers to knead the zest into the sugars. This will make activate the orange flavor even more for the best results.
- Roll the dough out evenly into a 12" x 18" rectangle. Spread the very soft butter across the dough evenly. Sprinkle the sugar/ orange zest mixture evenly over top of the butter.
Roll up and bake:
- Starting on the long end, roll up the dough. Cut into 12 even rolls. I like to cut the log in half, then each half in half again. Then each of those I cut into 3 even pieces. This is the easiest way for me to get them even in size. See picture above for a visual reference. Place evenly in a greased 9x13" pan. Loosen up the rolls a bit so they have room to spread (see note 3) I find this enables the insides of the rolls to puff up and expand more. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes. 10 minutes in, preheat the oven to 350° F. Once they are done rising, bake for 17-22 minutes until done. The tops and edges will just be starting to turn golden brown.
Make the Orange Icing and Frost Rolls:
- Beat the butter on medium high speed until no lumps remain. Add the cream cheese and beat together on medium speed until completely smooth and lump free, about 1-2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Add the orange juice, orange zest and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Allow the orange rolls to cool 10-15 minutes before frosting them. Spread frosting across the top, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can absolutely make these with skim or 1% milk. Using whole or 2% milk will result in a more tender finished product, which is why we recommend it.
- We love making these with bread flour. While testing various cinnamon roll recipes, I have found that it makes for a softer, more tender roll, as well as making them stay soft longer.
- I find that loosening the dough up a bit so they aren't so tightly rolled helps the middles expand so they are lighter and fluffier. When I forget to do this, the middles are more dense.
- For frosting that sits on top of the rolls, wait to frost until completely cooled. For frosting that seeps almost completely into the rolls, frost immediately after removing from the oven- though we recommend waiting at least 5 minutes!
Nutrition
This homemade orange rolls recipe is soft, fluffy, and packed with fresh orange zest and sweet citrus flavor. If you love Pillsbury-style orange rolls or crescent roll hacks from Pioneer Woman and Southern Living, this from-scratch yeast version delivers bakery-quality results with an easy, old fashioned method. Just like you would have at Lion House!
Variations and Substitutions
- Cinnamon/Chai- For extra depth of flavor, a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom pairs beautifully with orange zest, and a spoonful of marmalade can be brushed over the dough for a tasty citrus glaze.
- Lemon- You can swap the orange zest for lemon zest for bright lemon rolls or use a mix of both for a citrus blend.
- Glaze-The frosting can be made thinner with extra orange juice for a glaze-style finish or thicker by adding more powdered sugar.
- Vanilla-These rolls also work beautifully with vanilla frosting if you want a milder citrus flavor.
- Add-ins- Try adding cranberries or chopped pecans for a festive twist.
Storing and Make-Ahead Tips
Store leftover orange rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm individual rolls in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before serving for the best texture.
Make these overnight! These rolls can also be prepped the night before, shaped, and refrigerated overnight, then baked fresh in the morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, all-purpose flour will work, but bread flour gives a softer, fluffier roll that stays tender longer.
Dense rolls are usually caused by under-kneading, inactive yeast, or rolling the dough too tightly.
For frosting that melts into the rolls, frost while warm. For frosting that sits on top, wait until completely cooled.
Yes, unfrosted rolls freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw, warm, and frost before serving.
Andrea says
We love these Orange Rolls! They are so soft and sweet!