Orange Cinnamon Rolls

An orange cinnamon roll with coffee on the side.

These fall-scented rolls are a level-up on the original cinnamon rolls we know and love—a classic reinvented. And the tempting aroma wafting from the kitchen while they're baking makes any day better.

Makes one dozen

Course Bread, Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Rising Time 2

Total Time 2 50

Servings

Calories 582kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

The Dough

¾ cup cup (177ml) warm milk
1 tablespoon (9g) active dry yeast
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (50g) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
3¾-4 cups (450-480g) all-purpose flour

The Filling

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (6g) orange zest
1 tablespoon (8g) ground cinnamon
½ cup (113g) melted butter

The Cream Cheese Glaze

4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
3 ounces (85g) butter, softened
2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon (6g) orange zest
1 tablespoon (15ml) orange juice (more as needed)

Instructions

Orange Cinnamon Rolls

In a large bowl, combine warm milk and yeast. Let it sit until the yeast dissolves for 3-5 minutes.
In a microwaveable bowl, melt the butter in the microwave for 1-1½ minutes. After a minute, stir until the butter melts. Let the butter cool to about 105-110℉ (40-43℃).
Pour the warm (not hot) butter into the yeast mixture, and then add vanilla extract, sugar, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, and salt, and mix well.
Add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing with your hands or in a stand mixer. The dough will be sticky, but if it's too sticky, you can add a tad more flour. Less flour is preferable for moist cinnamon rolls.
Cover the dough loosely with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for an hour or two or until doubled in size.
Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. Set aside until ready to use.
Punch the dough down, then lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle about an inch thick. Brush with melted butter, leaving approximately 1 inch around the border. Sprinkle with the sugar mixture and pat it gently on the surface.
Starting with the end nearest you, roll the dough up nice and snug like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Don't forget to pinch the dough to seal it so it doesn't come apart while baking.
Slice the roll into four equal sections, then slice each section into three equal parts for a total of twelve rolls.
Oil the bottom of the baking pan with butter or cooking spray. Place orange cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let them rise until they double in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake the orange cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden brown (be careful not to overbake). Remove them from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes.

Orange Cream Cheese Glaze

Cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange zest, vanilla, and one or more tablespoons of orange juice until smooth and creamy. Adjust with more orange juice as needed for the desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cinnamon rolls while still hot.

Notes

Working with room-temperature ingredients will give you smoother dough and more consistent results.
Knead the dough just until smooth so it doesn't become too chewy.
Preheating the oven is essential for a good rise and evenly baked rolls.
Remove the rolls from the oven as soon as they're done to avoid a hard crust on the bottom.
For two dozen mini cinnamon rolls, divide the dough in half before rolling it out, and proceed with the instructions, making two logs instead of one. Slice and bake as usual.
Put a baking sheet in the oven under the cinnamon roll pan to keep them from burning as quickly on the bottom.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition