Orange Cinnamon Rolls

These soft and fluffy Orange Cinnamon Rolls are a real breakfast treat! Loaded with fresh orange flavor and subtly spiced with cinnamon then topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting.

If you are looking for something extra special to give to guests, family, or friends these orange cinnamon rolls are just the thing. Orange flavored rolls (from real oranges) that are subtly spiced with cinnamon and topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting that melts down into the rolls. What more could one want???

These would make a wonderful Christmas morning breakfast or maybe try this Berry Baked Oatmeal. It’s a family favorite and I make it all year long. Also, these Gingerbread Pancakes are fun for Christmas morning, or for more savory try this Biscuits and Gravy Casserole.

Reasons You Will Want To Make These Orange Cinnamon Rolls

• Make ahead friendly and freezer friendly
• Rich dough that bakes into soft pillowy rolls
• The flavor of these rolls is incredible
• Recipe uses easy to find ingredients
• Easy enough that anyone can make them

How To Make Orange Rolls

STEP 1: Mix the yeast and sugar with warm milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes and it should look foamy (picture 2). This is how you know your yeast is alive and active. If it doesn’t foam up don’t use it.

STEP 2: Add soft butter, half of the flour, salt, eggs, orange zest, and juice to the yeast mixture and mix by hand until combined (picture 3). Add the remaining flour and mix until the dough starts to get stiff then transfer to your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on speed 1 or 2 for 5 minutes to knead the dough (picture 4). Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. (picture 5)

STEP 3: Remove the dough and roll it into a large rectangle (picture 1 below). Spread with soft butter, cinnamon, sugar, and orange zest (pictures 2 and 4 below). Roll and cut (pictures 5 and 6 below). Place in a baking pan, cover, and let rise in a warm place until double in size. (pictures 7 and 8 below)

STEP 4: Bake for 25-27 minutes. Cool while making frosting then frost while still warm for gooey cinnamon rolls.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Instructions

MAKE AHEAD: Prepare rolls through step 3 in the recipe then cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Bake as directed.

STORAGE: Store covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

FREEZING: Tightly cover baked and cooled rolls with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and frost before serving. Another option is to bake the rolls for 10 minutes then remove and cool completely, cover, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then finish baking for 15-20 minutes.

Tips And Suggestions

• If your rolls are browning too quickly loosely tent them with foil.
• When rising dough, cover it with plastic wrap instead of a kitchen towel. It will keep the dough from drying out and kitchen towels can sometimes stick to the dough creating a problem when trying to take it off.
• Check the expiration date on your yeast and proof the yeast first before continuing with the recipe.
• Instead of a cream cheese frosting use orange marmalade to “frost” the rolls while still warm.
• For more flavor add some orange zest to the cream cheese frosting.

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