Homemade Orange Rolls

Serve these sticky-sweet orange rolls at your next brunch, along with a traditional quiche and bowl of fruit. (Don't forget the mimosas.) Or save the orange rolls for a lazy weekend breakfast with the family.

If you have never made homemade orange rolls before, you will be so amazed at how easily these come together—so amazed in fact, that you will never again buy the canned or frozen variety.

If anything can get the sleepy family out of bed and to the kitchen table on their day off, it is the wonderful aroma of homemade sweet rolls wafting through the house. And of course, breakfast isn't complete without a pot of cheesy grits or a sausage casserole.

Learn how to make orange rolls, and treat your family to this Southern favorite soon.

Ingredients for Homemade Orange Rolls

These homemade orange rolls call on pantry staples and fresh oranges for a tender, citrus-scented dough, sweet filling, and rich glaze. To make a batch, you'll need:

• All-purpose flour: Provides the structure and foundation of the buns. All-purpose flour has a medium protein content, which helps create fluffy, tender rolls.
• Whole milk: For rolls with a soft crumb.
• Sour cream: Adds a mild acidity to the dough, as well as additional moisture and suppleness.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness to the dough, and enhances the decadent filling.
• Kosher salt: Enhances the flavor of the buns.
• Large egg: Helps bind the dough and create a rich color and texture.
• Instant or quick-rising yeast: A quick-working leavening agent that doesn't require "proofing" to activate.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and filling, and provides tenderness and moisture retention in the baked rolls.
• Oranges: Zest and juice is used to flavor the dough and glaze.
  
• Powdered sugar: To sweeten and thicken the orange glaze.

How To Make Homemade Orange Rolls

If you're new to making sweet rolls, you'll find that with only 35 minutes of active time, the bulk of the process is waiting for the dough to rise. Worry not—before you know it, a batch of warm, golden, citrusy rolls will be ready to be glazed and served. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

• Step 1. Make dough: Beat flour, milk, sour cream, melted butter, salt, egg, yeast, and 1/3 cup sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until dough forms. Switch to hook attachment and knead on medium speed until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Step 2. Let dough rise: Transfer to a bowl coated with spray; cover and let rise until doubled in size.
• Step 3. Roll out dough: Lightly punch down dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 19- x 13-inch rectangle. Spread evenly with butter.
• Step 4. Make orange-sugar mixture: Stir together 3 tablespoons zest and remaining sugar. Sprinkle over butter layer, pressing to adhere.
• Step 5. Roll up dough, and cut: Roll dough into a log, and pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down, and cut into 12 rolls.
• Step 6. Put rolls in muffin pan, and let rise: Spray to coat a 12-cup muffin pan. Gently push the bottom center of each roll upward and place into pan. Cover and let rise until almost doubled in size.
• Step 7. Bake rolls: Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover rolls. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let stand in pan 5 minutes, then transfer rolls to a wire rack.
• Step 8. Make glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons orange juice, and remaining zest; add additional juice if needed to reach pourable consistency. Drizzle over warm rolls.

Tips for the Best Homemade Orange Rolls

For the best homemade orange rolls, keep these tips in mind—especially if working with yeast for the first time:

• Knead until elastic: Proper gluten development (created by kneading), will yield feathery rolls with the best structure and rise.
• Ignore the clock: While we recommend how long the dough should rise, pay attention to the volume of the dough, rather than the clock. Yeast works more slowly in cooler temperatures, so in warmer or cooler months, your dough may rise faster or slower.
• Use an offset spatula: For the most even filling, use a small offset spatula to spread your butter over the dough.
• Pinch seam: Pinching the seam will help prevent your rolls from opening up while baking.
• Use a sharp knife: A sharp chef's knife or even dental floss is key for clean slices when dividing the rolls.
• Glaze while warm: Glazing the buns while warm will allow the glaze to lightly penetrate the rolls, making for more gloriously gooey results.

Variations for Homemade Orange Rolls

While these rolls are absolutely delicious as-is, feel free to play with variations to suit the season, occasion, or your creativity:

• Add more citrus: For a complex flavor, add lemon, lime, or grapefruit zest along with the orange zest.
• Spice it up: Add the warmth of spice with a hint of ground cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, or clove in the filling.
• Add marmalade: For an extra boost of orange flavor, add orange marmalade to the filling.
• Add fruits, nuts, or seeds: Add dried fruits like chopped cranberries into the filling, fresh or frozen blueberries, or a sprinkling of chopped pecans or walnuts for texture and flavor. You can also sprinkle in some poppy seeds for a pop of color.
• Go untraditional with chocolate: Isn't everything better with chocolate? Switch up your orange rolls with a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips over the filling, and you might never look back.
• Add cream cheese to the glaze: For a thick texture and additional tanginess.
• Add extract: For additional flavor in the glaze, add a splash of vanilla or almond extract.
• Make it mini: Serving these buns for brunch? Consider baking them in mini muffin pans for a petite, all-too-poppable version.

Can I Make Orange Rolls Ahead?

The dough for these rolls can be prepared up to one day ahead, filled and placed into a muffin pan as directed. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. They'll rise slowly in the refrigerator, and be ready to bake in the morning. Just bring to room temperature while the oven preheats.

You can also freeze the unbaked rolls. After portioning the rolls into a muffin pan, freeze until solid. Then transfer the rolls to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to two months. Transfer back to a muffin pan, cover and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Let rise at room temperature in the morning and bake as directed.

How To Store Homemade Orange Rolls

To keep your homemade orange rolls as fresh as possible, we recommend serving them fresh after baking. If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze for up to one month. Bring to room temperature or warm in the oven or microwave before serving, if desired.

More Comforting Roll Recipes You'll Love

If you've made cinnamon rolls more times than you can count, it might be time to switch it up. With flavors like cookies and cream, red velvet, and apple butter, these buttery rolls will get everyone excited about brunch all over again:

• Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
• Caramel Rolls
• Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
• Blueberry-Citrus Rolls with Orange Glaze
• Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls
• Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Cider Glaze
• Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze