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Orange rolls are a a definite family favorite at our house and it wouldn’t be a holiday dinner without them. The fact that you can make them the night before is a bonus.
Today’s recipe is a Wilkes family favorite. No holiday dinner (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas) would be complete without these. In fact, no dinner that Grandma comes to is complete without orange rolls.
This is my mother’s orange roll recipe and she is the designated orange roll maker in our family except when she’s not spending the holiday with us and then I get the job.
My parents spent Easter with my brother and his family so I got to make the orange rolls. The great thing about this recipe is, if, you want, you can mix the dough up the night before which helps a lot in the “day of” meal preparation.
Overnight Orange Rolls
The dough can also be made the night before and refrigerated. Just roll out and form the rolls about 4 hours before you want to bake them. I like to bake them as close to dinner as possible because like most bread it is the best warm out of the oven!
You don’t have to refrigerate the dough, though. You can just let them rise and bake them with no refrigeration time. But being able to refrigerate the dough helps spread the work load out.
How to Make Orange Rolls
- I make the rolls like a cinnamon roll.
- Divide the dough into two pieces. Each piece will make 12 rolls
- Roll out each piece of dough into a 9 x 15 inch rectangle.
- Spread with a thin layer of the butter/sugar filling mixture.
- Roll up the dough and cut into 12 pieces of dental floss.
- Grease two muffin tins and place rolls cut side up into tin.
- If you prefer you can also make this roll as a crescent roll.
- Let rise one more time for about 30 minutes and bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.
- While they are baking mix up the glaze mixture. Allow the rolls to cool for about 5 minutes and then remove them from the muffin tin onto a cooling rack and spread with glaze mixture.
At this point they taste a little bit more like dessert! Who doesn’t like dessert with their dinner?
Check out more for my favorite roll recipes:
My favorite kitchen items I used to make these ORANGE ROLLS:
LEMON JUICE SQUEEZER – this is one of my most used kitchen tools. Nothing beats fresh squeezed lemon juice and this guy makes it so easy.
MICROPLANE ZESTER– this is the perfect tool for zesting lemons or limes. I use mine on a daily and weekly basis.
MUFFIN TIN – use it for muffins, dinner rolls or cupcake
Orange Rolls Recipe
Orange Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 packages yeast or 4 1/2 tsp
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup hot water
- 3 eggs well beaten
- 4 1/2 cup flour
Filling
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup butter
- Zest of a large orange
Glaze
- 4 Tbsp orange juice zested
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.
- Combine 1/2 C sugar, 1/2 C shortening, 2 tsp salt into hot water and stir to dissolve. Cool.
- In a stand mixer, beat eggs together and add 1 cup flour. Mix to combine. Add in water/sugar mixture. Add in another cup of flour. Mix to combine.
- Pour in yeast mixture and remaining flour. Knead until smooth and soft. Add in any additional flour need so that dough is not sticky. Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover and allow to rise until double in size
- Combine filling ingredients while dough rises. Mix together glaze and set aside.
- Option 1: Cover dough and allow to rise for about an hour or until double and then divide dough into two sections. Roll out each section to a 12 x 15 rectangle and spread each half with half of the filling. Roll up dough into a log shape and cut each log into 12 rolls. Repeat with other half of dough. Place rolls into a greased muffin tins and let rise for 30-45 minutes and then bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Cover with glaze.
- Option 2: Cover and refrigerate dough overnight. The dough will rise a bit in the refrigerator. About 4 -5 hours before serving divide dough in half and roll out each section of dough into a 12 x 15 rectangle. Spread with half of the filling mixture. Roll up into a log shape and cut each log into 12 rolls. Repeat with other half of dough.Place in greased muffin tins and let rise 4 hours. Bake at 375 Degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Cover with glaze.
Glaze
- Combine juice of an orange, zest from orange and enough powdered sugar to make a glaze that you can spread or drizzle over the top of the rolls.
Nutrition Facts:
Mary Jo Starmer says
Can you roll and cut them after rising, then refrigerate and just bake the next morning?
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
I have never tried that but it should work.
Linda says
I am planning to make these rolls today, but am a little confused on the final rise process. If I make them immediately, do I understand correctly that they need an additional four hours of rise time after I form them and put them into the muffin tins? Or does the additional rise time refer strictly to the out of the refrigerator/formed in muffin tins dough? Can’t wait to try. Beautiful and sounds delicious!
Leigh Anne says
Sorry for the confusion – the 3-4 hour rise time is only if you have refrigerated them. If you do not refrigerate just let them rise for 30-45 minutes and then bake
Steph Johnson says
I just made your caramel recipe and it was delicious!