These bright and fresh homemade orange sweet rolls start with a soft and buttery homemade dough, and are rolled up with a zesty citrus-cinnamon-sugar filling. Like my overnight cinnamon rolls recipe, today’s rolls are make-ahead friendly. A generous drizzle of orange icing over the warm rolls seals the deal: citrus lovers may never go back to regular cinnamon rolls!
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos, tweaks to the recipe to improve it, and additional success tips.
Can you think of a more cheerful way to say good morning than with fresh, warm homemade orange sweet rolls? The smell alone is enough to get anyone out of bed—sunshiny citrus paired with the nostalgic fragrance of gooey cinnamon buns… I’m up, I’m up!
Today’s rolls are like a sequel to my raspberry swirl sweet rolls. Though the two dough recipes are different, but they are both fruity little spin-offs of your classic cinnamon rolls.
Here’s Why You’ll Love Today’s Rolls
- Bursting with real orange flavor
- Gooey cinnamon roll goodness
- Sticky, caramelized bottoms
- Pillow-soft, fluffy, buttery dough
- Drippy citrus-kissed icing that melts into every swirl
One reader, Karla, commented: “Made using the overnight method. Love the brightness of the orange. My husband really loved them and ate three immediately! Need I say more!! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Jeanne, commented: “I have to tell you how delicious these turned out!… The dough really is so fluffy and flaky! Thank you so much. I’m a seasoned baker of 73 years of age and this recipe is one of the best I’ve tried! ★★★★★”
Use a Rich Dough for Orange Sweet Rolls
Before I show you how to make orange sweet rolls, let’s talk about the dough. The dough we’re using for these orange sweet rolls is very similar to these chocolate sweet rolls.
(A very, very well-loved recipe around here.)
This is a rich dough, which means that it’s prepared with fat like milk, butter, and eggs. Lean doughs, on the other hand, are made without much fat and produce crusty, chewy bread like homemade bagels, artisan bread, and pizza dough.
Ingredients You Need for the Dough
- Milk: Whole milk makes for the best, richest-tasting sweet rolls. Nondairy or lower-fat milks will work in a pinch, but for best results, I recommend whole milk.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar gets the yeast working, and lightly sweetens the dough. You’ll also use it in the filling, though you could use brown sugar in the filling instead, if desired.
- Yeast: You need 1 Tablespoon of yeast, so a little more than 1 standard packet. You can use either instant yeast or active-dry yeast. (More on this below.)
- Butter: While my chocolate sweet rolls uses melted butter, we are using softened butter here and that’s because we’re also adding orange juice; we don’t want too much liquid.
- Oranges: You need both the zest and the juice, for the dough as well as the filling and icing, so pick up 2 or 3 fresh oranges.
- Eggs: Adds richness, and binds the dough together.
- Salt: Essential for flavor.
- Bread Flour: For best texture, I recommend bread flour. The same amount of all-purpose flour works and the rolls will still be wonderfully rich and soft. However, the rolls are a little chewier and flakier when using bread flour.
Are You a Yeast Beginner?
This Baking with Yeast Guide is a wonderful starting point. I answer many common yeast FAQs in easy-to-understand explanations, so you can learn the basics before beginning.
Instant Yeast or Active-Dry? You can use either instant yeast or active-dry yeast in the dough. I usually use instant yeast and still take the time to quickly proof the yeast in step 1. Proofing the yeast means mixing it with a little sugar and warm liquid to prove that it’s active; the mixture will look foamy on top, see photo below.
Do Orange Rolls Taste Like Cinnamon Rolls?
Cinnamon is in the filling, which complements the fresh orange flavor so beautifully. As far as the process goes, we’re essentially making homemade cinnamon rolls but with a citrus twist.
If you’ve made homemade cinnamon rolls before, this process isn’t anything new. Make the dough, knead it, let it rise, punch it down, roll it out, add the filling, roll up jelly-roll style, cut into rolls, let them rise until puffy, then bake.
These Step-by-Step Photos Will Help
Start by proofing the yeast with a little sugar and the warm milk. You’re looking for a foamy surface, just like this:
After the dough comes together, knead by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough hook. (See my How to Knead Dough tutorial for extra help with this step.)
This rich dough is supposed to be very soft, so don’t add more flour than absolutely needed. Embrace the softness and a sticky work surface because if you don’t mind the mess, you’ll be rewarded with the richest, flakiest orange sweet rolls.
The dough is now ready to rise. Here is the soft dough before and after the 1st rise:
Punch the dough down and roll it out. Spread butter all over the surface, and then top with the remaining filling ingredients: a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and lots of fresh orange zest.
Roll the dough up with the filling and cut into rolls. Place them into a greased baking pan and let rise for just about 30 minutes.
Here are the rolls before and after the 2nd rise. See how puffy they get?
The best part: as the rolls bake, some filling drips down into the pan, creating sweet and sticky caramelization underneath the rolls. That paired with the orange icing? Consider this a pan of sunny, golden bliss.
Orange Icing & Other Topping Options
You only need 3 ingredients: confectioners’ sugar, fresh orange juice, and vanilla extract. Other topping options include vanilla icing, or the cream cheese icing from homemade cinnamon rolls or raspberry sweet rolls.
These sweet rolls bring it all: pillowy, buttery dough, vibrant citrus flavor, a caramelized base that forms as the rolls bake (!!!), and a glossy orange icing that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. There’s just nothing like sweet rolls made from scratch, especially when they’re kissed with real orange flavor.
These make for an extra special Easter, Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day brunch recipe! Freezing homemade cinnamon rolls is a helpful way to prep ahead for a special breakfast or brunch!
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Orange Sweet Rolls
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes (includes rise times)
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These bright and fresh homemade orange sweet rolls start with a soft and buttery homemade dough, and are rolled up with a zesty citrus-cinnamon-sugar filling. A generous drizzle of orange icing over the warm rolls seals the deal: citrus lovers may never go back to regular cinnamon rolls! You can make the rolls within a few hours or get started the night before using the overnight preparation option.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 100°F (38°C)
- 6 Tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 Tablespoon (9g) active dry or instant yeast
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon fresh orange zest (about 1 orange)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (530g) bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for hands/work surface
Filling
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, extra softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon fresh orange zest (about 1 orange)
Orange Icing
- 1 and 1/4 cups (150g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and the yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy on top. *If you do not own a mixer, you can do this in a large mixing bowl and in the next step, mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula is a better choice.*
- Add the remaining sugar, the butter, orange juice, orange zest, eggs, salt, and 1 cup (about 130g) of flour and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 3 more cups (about 400g) flour and beat on low speed until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough will be very soft, but should not feel overly sticky. If dough seems too soft and sticky to knead by hand, beat in a little more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and wraps itself around the dough hook.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat on low speed for an additional 6–8 full minutes; or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 6–8 full minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- 1st rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1.5–2 hours or until about double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter and it takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- Grease the bottom and sides of a metal or glass 9×13-inch baking dish, or line with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 10×16-inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
- For the filling: Spread the softened butter all over the dough. The softer the butter is, the easier it is to spread. Mix the remaining filling ingredients together until the zest has moistened it (use your fingers if needed), then sprinkle evenly on top of the butter. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 16-inch-long log. With an extra sharp knife, cut into 12 even rolls, between 1–1.5 inches wide each. Arrange in the prepared baking pan.
- 2nd rise: Cover the rolls tightly and allow to rise until puffy, about 30–45 minutes. (Or use the overnight option in the Notes below.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake rolls for about 25–28 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top. After about 15 minutes, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan to prevent the tops from browning too quickly. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the rolls’ internal temperature should reach 190°F (88°C). Remove pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool slightly (about 10 minutes) while you make the icing.
- Make the icing: In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract together until combined and smooth. Drizzle over the warm rolls and serve immediately.
- Cover leftover sweet rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions – Overnight: To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 7. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. (16 hours max. 8–12 hours is best, but 16 hours is OK if absolutely needed. Do not exceed 16 hours.) The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1–2 hours before continuing with step 9.
- Make Ahead Instructions – Freezing: You can freeze cinnamon rolls for up to 3 months, and I recommend a few different methods for freezing cinnamon rolls. The first method is to freeze them after shaping, before they’ve had their 2nd rise (step 7). Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let rise for 1.5–2 hours at room temperature before baking. The second method is to par-bake the risen rolls for 10 minutes, let cool completely, then cover and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Finish baking for 15–20 minutes. You can also freeze fully baked cinnamon rolls. See How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls for more details about all of these methods.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Stand Mixer (or Glass Mixing Bowl with Wooden Spoon/Silicone Spatula) | Citrus Juicer | Citrus Zester | 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Rolling Pin | Cooling Rack | Whisk | Instant-Read Thermometer
- Milk: Use whole milk for the best, richest-tasting dough. You could also use buttermilk for a tangier-tasting dough. Reduced-fat or nondairy milk work in a pinch. Do not use nonfat milk.
- Yeast: Make sure you use 1 Tablespoon of yeast, which is a little more than 1 standard packet. You can use active dry or instant yeast in this recipe. Follow all of the same instructions. If using active dry yeast, the rise times are usually *slightly* longer, but not much. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Flour: For best texture, I recommend bread flour. The same amount of all-purpose flour works and the rolls will still be wonderfully rich and soft. The rolls are a little chewier and flakier when using bread flour.
- Half Batch: You can halve this recipe by halving all of the ingredients and using an 8 or 9 inch square or round pan. The 1st dough rise time may be a bit shorter. Roll the dough out to (approximately) a 7×10 inch rectangle. Roll up into a 10 inch log, then cut into 6 rolls. 2nd dough rise time will be about the same. Bake time is a few minutes shorter.
- Update in 2025: This recipe used to closely mirror my 1-rise cinnamon rolls dough and process, but I updated it in 2025 to produce a richer, softer, flakier-tasting dough. The results are outstanding. If you’re a fan of the original, here’s how to make them: follow my easy cinnamon rolls recipe and instructions, and add 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice and 1 Tablespoon fresh orange zest to the dough when you add the egg. In the filling, add 1 Tablespoon orange zest. Use the orange icing you see above.
Reader Comments and Reviews
The flavor of these orange rolls is great! (I omitted the cinnamon in the filling because my husband claims that makes them orange cinnamon rolls, and he likes straight orange rolls.) I did struggle with the overnight rise process, however. Despite covering the rolls, they were very risen when I pulled them out of the fridge right away. I therefore baked them right away, and it worked. I would like to try this recipe again with a normal rise, as I think my results would be even better!
This recipe is a new favorite! I love the orange flavor.
Great recipe! I wasn’t sure about the orange/cinnamon combo but it’s fantastic and best of all my kids love them. I used brown sugar in the filling and skipped the icing because my family doesn’t like things to be too sweet and the orange still really came through. They did take a few minutes longer to bake than the recipe suggested.
I have never made a cinnamon roll-type recipe until this one – and let me tell you, it was AMAZING!!! I was a little nervous about the orange/cinnamon combination flavor, but it just WORKS. The rolls were so soft and gooey, and the orange flavor is not overpowering at all. I think as long as you like orange flavored sweets, you will be safe to make this and enjoy it. 10/10!
These sweet rolls are the perfect summery twist to cinnamon rolls! I made mine dairy free with coconut oil instead of butter and almond milk to replace the whole milk and they taste great!
Wowee! I followed Sally’s instructions exactly and these rolls turned out perfectly – on par with any quality bakery. They’re not overly sweet, the orange flavor shines and the texture is just dreamy…they’re light, pillowy & melt in your mouth! I’ll absolutely make these again!
No notes- these are absolutely perfect!!!
So so good! My family could hardly wait for me to let them cool and had to have seconds! The recipe was clear and easy for my 9year old co-baker to follow! Yum!
These are excellent! This recipe will definitely be on repeat!
They took quite a long time, but it was TOTALLY worth it. These are so good and have the perfect amount of flavor.
Very nice fluffy bread and light flavored filling. Not too sweet. Wonderful breakfast treat!
Can you provide any advice to make these gluten free? Will I need to adjust the recipe at all if I am use a GF 1:1 all purpose flour blend with xylitol?
Hi Cheryl, we haven’t tested a gluten free version of this recipe, but let us know if you do any experimenting.
Oops, I meant to say xantham gum not xylitol! Ha! But thank you Lexi, I will play around with the recipe and see how it goes!
My grandson is a cinnamon roll connoisseur. I made the orange rolls for him to try for something a little different. He loved them! He noted especially the texture of the roll was so silky compared to regular rolls. I will continue to use this recipe even without the orange.
You stated this recipe uses a little more than one packet of yeast. Any suggestions on what to use the remaining packet of yeast on? Most recipes use an entire packet. Thanks!
Hi Cindy, for the rest of that 2nd packet, you could use some of it to make a no-knead bread such as this cranberry walnut bread or try something like ciabatta. Or try flatbread pizza dough.
Very good! Perfect orange flavor!
These orange sweet rolls are a delightful twist on the classic cinnamon roll! The combination of zesty citrus and gooey cinnamon-sugar filling is simply irresistible. I appreciate the detailed instructions and tips provided—they make the baking process approachable and fun. Inspired by this recipe, I’ve been experimenting with citrus-infused pastries at my own bakery.
Can I use a bread machine to make these?
We’re sure you could, Mary!
Thoughts on adding cardamon to these? Any recommendation on how much to add if I want to try this out?
Hi Megan, we would try adding 1 tsp ground cardamom to the filling – let us know how it goes!
Made using the overnight method. Love the brightness of the orange. My husband really loved them and ate three immediately! Need I say more!!
Absolutely amazing! I added heavy cream to the bottom of the dish before baking and I think that made these extra tender and moist.
I love cinnamon, and the change from 1 tablespoon to 1 teaspoon seems like a lot. Is it really just 1 teaspoon? I do not want to overpower the flavor, but I worry it will not have enough cinnamon. Thank you!
Hi Laura, I found the full Tablespoon overpowered the orange. Feel free to revert back to 1 Tablespoon if you want extra cinnamon.
Hi sally I have to tell you how delicious these turned out!! I doubled the recipe and made 2 9×23 pans that I shared with the other tenants in our condo building. These were easy to make though I had to bake them longer but they were perfect!! The dough really is so fluffy and flaky!! Thank you so much ❤️ I’m a seasoned baker of 73 years of age and this recipe is one of the best I’ve tried!
I am going to try these for my Easter brunch. You say they can be frozen but is that with the frosting or without?
Thanks!
Hi Rose, it’s best to freeze them before icing, and make the glaze fresh the day you plan to serve them. Enjoy!
Wonderful recipe! I didn’t have whole milk, just almond milk, so I added about 2 T of sour cream to increase the fat content and add some flavor to the dough. Have made them twice and they turned out good both times.
If I baked these the night before an event, how would you recommend storing them? I was thinking of individually wrapping each one in plastic wrap. Any tips are very appreciated!
Hi Megan, we usually just cover the entire pan with plastic wrap (or if you have the 9×13 glass baking dish that comes with a lid, you can just use the lid) to store these. Hope this helps!
Looks great. Have you considered developing a version for bread machine users?
I can’t wait to make these orange cinnamon sweet rolls. This is a great twist to an old favorite bursting with incredible flavor. I am certain they will be a favorite here.
Hi! How can I make these into a sourdough orange cinnamon roll recipe?
Hi Catherine, we haven’t tested a sourdough version of these sweet rolls, but let us know if you do any experimenting!
Hello! Do you have any advice for doing a gluten free version of these? I have some celiac family members but would love these for brunch in a few weeks!
Hi Cheryl, I do not have a lot of experience with gluten free bread baking. I wonder if you can search for a gluten free cinnamon roll recipe that has great reviews, and then use that dough with this filling and icing? Let me know if you try anything.
Hi Sally,
I have more of a suggestion as opposed to a question. It just so happened that today I was making your original “homemade orange sweet roll” recipe. I had the recipe printed off but noticed it did not state which attachment to use for the stand mixer. As I came back to the website to reference the post, the recipe was completely different! I searched and only this new one popped up. To top it all off, this new recipe is vastly different from the original of the same name as well as the “easy orange sweet rolls” recipe. Which is also not available on your site anymore.
Perhaps in the future, you could send an email informing us of recipes you are planning to retire or make major changes to. This would give us bakers a chance to print out or write down these recipes before they are no longer available.
Thank you!!!
P.S. we’re also waiting for an app! lol
Hi Allison, this is such helpful feedback. I included the original version in the recipe’s Notes, did you see that? The “Homemade Orange Sweet Rolls” was a recipe from 2012, and I no longer felt confident in the recipe itself, so I removed it completely. We still have it internally, and if you email us you can receive it sally(at)sallysbakingaddiction.com
We hold onto every single recipe that changes or is removed, so email any time. Again, thank you for the feedback. Not only am I committed to improving my recipes, I also aim to continuously improve how my website functions. We are in the process of developing an app for my Sally’s baking community, if you are interested in joining! (A fun new feature we launched this year.)
Thank you! I love trying your recipes and appreciate your dedication to giving us the best versions! I apologize because I did not see the notes!
Looking forward to what’s next!
Best,
Allison
Do you think I can make these in the evening let them proof overnight in the fridge and bake them the next morning after they have come to room temp?
Hi Sherry! See my make ahead tip for overnight instructions.
These look devine! Any suggestions for what to use instead of cinnamon? My husband LOVES oranges but HATES cinnamon. It’s probably the saddest thing ever when fall comes around. No cinnamon scented candles, no yummy cinnamon filled goodies. He even sometimes struggled with brown sugar or other things that remind him of cinnamon.
You can leave out the cinnamon– maybe use brown sugar and a pinch of nutmeg/allspice/or cloves in the filling instead!