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Homemade Orange Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing Recipe

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4 from 12 reviews

These homemade orange rolls are a delightful twist on traditional cinnamon rolls, featuring a sweet and tangy orange-flavored filling and a creamy orange cream cheese icing. Soft, fluffy, and bursting with fresh citrus zest, they make a perfect breakfast or dessert treat that fills your kitchen with a wonderful aroma.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients

Dough

  • ½ cup warm water
  • 2 tsp dry yeast
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp salted butter (melted)
  • Zest from 1 orange
  • 2½ cups all purpose flour (divided)
  • ½ tsp salt

Filling

  • 6 Tbsp salted butter (room temperature)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • Zest from 1 additional orange
  • ⅛ tsp salt

Orange Cream Cheese Icing

  • 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 2 Tbsp salted butter (room temperature)
  • 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ tsp vanilla paste or extract
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: Stir together the warm water, dry yeast, and granulated sugar until the yeast is mostly dissolved. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until a thick foam layer appears, indicating the yeast is activated.
  2. Mix Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the milk, melted butter, freshly squeezed orange juice, and zest from one orange into the activated yeast mixture.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup of flour with the salt.
  4. Form Dough: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until a sticky dough ball forms that’s difficult to stir. Turn dough onto a floured surface.
  5. Knead Dough: Knead the dough for about 3 minutes, adding small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking. The dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky but not stiff. Total flour used is about 2.5 cups.
  6. Let Dough Rise: Place the dough back in the bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
  7. Roll Dough: Punch down the dough, transfer it to a floured surface, and roll it into a 10×13-inch rectangle, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
  8. Prepare Filling and Spread: Mix room temperature butter, brown sugar, orange zest from the second orange, and salt into a smooth paste. Spread evenly over the rolled dough from edge to edge.
  9. Shape Rolls: Roll the dough log lengthwise (long side to long side) into a 13-inch log. Do not roll tightly. Slice into 9 even pieces, about 1.5 inches wide each.
  10. Prepare to Bake: Place the rolls in a greased 10×8-inch baking dish. Let rise 10-15 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F (177°C).
  11. Bake Rolls: Bake the rolls for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
  12. Make Icing: Beat room temperature cream cheese, butter, orange juice, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until fully incorporated.
  13. Serve: Let the rolls cool 5-10 minutes after baking, then spread the cream cheese icing over the warm rolls. Enjoy immediately or after cooling.

Notes

  • Use freshly grated orange zest for the best flavor impact in both the dough and filling.
  • Do not over-knead the dough as it can make the rolls tough. Knead just until smooth and soft.
  • Rolling the dough too tightly can cause the rolls to rise unevenly and split during baking.
  • Allow the rolls to cool slightly before applying icing to prevent it from melting off.
  • For a dairy-free version, substitute butter and cream cheese with plant-based alternatives.
  • Make sure your yeast is not expired and water temperature is warm but not hot to ensure activation.
  • Author: Maya
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipeteach.com/homemade-orange-rolls-with-cream-cheese-icing-recipe/