The BEST Orange Sweet Rolls

Soft, pillowy homemade orange sweet rolls have a filling sweetened with orange juice and orange zest and are topped with a delicious orange buttercream frosting. Perfect for any holiday brunch!

Looking for more sweet bread recipes? Try orange muffins, glazed orange scones or cranberry orange bread!

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Orange Rolls Recipe

While I love traditional cinnamon rolls and this easier cinnamon roll casserole, I have to say that these homemade orange rolls are currently my favorite! The fresh orange juice and zest add flavor and rich orange buttercream really takes them over the top.

Orange sweet rolls are a beloved Christmas tradition. My mom serves them every year for breakfast and we all go crazy over them. They are soft, fluffy and with the orange frosting they taste as if they came straight from a bakery!

Sweet Orange Rolls Ingredients

These sweet rolls are special to make with pantry staple ingredients. It is an easy way to make orange rolls that are light and fluffy. Everyone will be raving about these homemade rolls!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Warm water: You need your water at 110 degrees Fahrenheit to help activate the yeast.
• Active dry yeast: This will help create the dough and encourage it to rise quickly.
• Sugar: Added in for sweetness!
• Butter: Melt or use softened butter ahead of time to moisten the dough.
• Warm milk: Makes the dough rich and full of flavor!
• Egg: Binds the ingredients together and gives the structure of the roll.
• Salt: This adds flavor and gives the dough an extra boost.
• Flour: The base of the dough that gives texture. You will also use this for a lightly floured surface when rolling out the dough.

How to Make Orange Rolls

Create the best orange cinnamon rolls with these step-by-step instructions. First proof the yeast, let it rise, roll it out, and slice it into round rolls. It is a simple process that makes for a special breakfast or treats!

• Proof the yeast. Add warm water, yeast, and sugar to a small bowl and let sit until bubbly.
• Mix and knead. Whisk together butter, milk, sugar, egg, and salt in a large bowl, then add in the yeast mixture and stir. Add 2 cups of flour and stir until smooth. Then add the remaining flour (1/2 cup at a time). Knead for 5 minutes. Add more flour if the dough is still too sticky.
• Let rise. Once the dough is soft, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot. Allow doubling in size.
• Roll. Mix together filling ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. When the dough has doubled, roll it out on a floured surface and form a 15×20″ rectangle. Then use your silicone brush to spread the filling. Roll the dough up horizontally and then cut into 1-inch pieces with dental floss (slide floss under the dough and then pull it up).
• Rise again. Butter a large sheet pan and then place the rolls on the pan, about 1 inch apart. Let rolls sit for another hour or until rolls have doubled in size.
• Bake. Bake at 350°F until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Once cooled, top with orange frosting.

Orange Buttercream Frosting

The orange extract adds the perfect amount of flavor to the orange buttercream and the orange zest makes these rolls PERFECT! You could also use a classic cinnamon roll frosting (with cream cheese) if you prefer.

1. Add. Place all the frosting ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Beat. Mix together until fluffy. To reach desired consistency, add more milk or powdered sugar if needed.
3. Spread. Using a spatula frost on top of cooled rolls with a spatula. The more frosting, the better!

Alternatively, you can make an orange glaze instead. Simply whisk together the following ingredients: 2 cups powdered sugar, juice from 1 orange, and 1-2 Tablespoons milk.

Baking Tips

Here are some helpful tips to help make these sweet rolls even better!

• Yeast. I use a 1/4-ounce packet of active dry yeast. You could also just measure about 2 1/4 teaspoons from a jar. Make sure it’s fresh and hasn’t expired, or else it won’t get nice and foamy/bubbly like it should when you proof the yeast.
• Dough consistency. Once the dough has reached a consistency that is too hard to stir, I knead it with my hands for about 5 minutes. You want the dough to be soft but not too sticky. Almost like playdough, but not quite as hard. Add a little flour at a time until you get the right consistency!
• Rising hack. If the dough isn’t rising, I like to turn my oven to 200°F and add a small pan of water to the oven rack. Once it preheats, then I turn it off and set my dough bowl in the oven to finish rising.

Make Ahead + Freezing

These sweet orange rolls are perfect for freezing, making ahead, or storing leftovers. They are always a favorite during holidays, as breakfast Saturday morning, or a sweet treat after dinner.

• Making the night before: You can make these up to 12 hours in advance. Simply roll them out and place them on a baking sheet. Let sit for 30 minutes to rise and then cover tightly with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Refrigerate overnight. Then in the morning, remove from the fridge and let rise for about 1-2 hours before baking. Then bake as directed.
• Freeze baked rolls: You can freeze the rolls after they have been baked and cooled. Simply place in a freezer container, then set out to thaw overnight.
• Freeze unbaked rolls: Place the rolled dough on a baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Then freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, allow to thaw to room temperature and rise for about 4 to 5 hours. Once they have risen, bake according to directions.

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