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Sweet Orange Rolls

Homemade sweet orange rolls filled with honey filling and glaze with a sweet orange glaze made with fresh orange juice.

These sweet orange rolls are easy to make and are light and fluffy.

A small plate with an orange roll next to a baking dish with more orange rolls.

Ingredients in Orange Rolls

  • Envelope of active dry yeast
  • Warm water (temperature around 110°F)
  • Granulated sugar
  • Softened unsalted butter
  • Salt
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Lemon juice
  • Bread flour
  • Nutmeg
  • Honey
  • Confectioner’s sugar
  • Orange juice
  • Orange zest

RELATED: Lemon Yogurt Bread

Side view of a white baking dish with freshly baked sweet orange rolls.

How to Make Homemade Orange Rolls

Activate the yeast- Combine the envelope of dry yeast together with water heated to 110°F. Add the sugar. It will help feed the yeast and make sure that your yeast is good. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes or until it becomes frothy.

Add in the wet ingredients- Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the softened unsalted butter into the yeast mixture followed by the eggs. Once the eggs are mixed into the yeast, beat in the salt, nutmeg, milk, and lemon juice.

Add the flour- Spoon and level the bread flour and slowly beat it into the wet ingredients. The dough will start to take shape.

After a few minutes, turn the dough over onto a clean workspace that is lightly dusted with bread flour. The dough will be ready when it is no longer sticky and it bounces back when fingers are pressed into it.

Proof the dough- Place the orange rolls dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Proof the dough and allow it to rise for one hour.

While the dough is proofing, prepare the honey filling. Mix the melted butter, honey, and granulated sugar together in a bowl and set it aside.

Once the hour is up, turn the dough back onto a clean workspace and roll out into an 11×15 rectangle.

Spread the filling- Using a pastry brush, brush the honey filling evenly over the dough. Leaving a half-inch on all sides unbrushed.

RELATED: Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls

Orange roll on a white place with a decorative fork on green checkered napkin.

Roll the dough- Starting with the long edge, roll the dough tightly up into a log and pinch the ends together. Slice the dough into 12 equal rolls and place them in a greased 13×9 baking dish.

Allow the dough to rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven and make the orange glaze- Preheat the oven to 350°F and make the orange glaze. Combine the orange juice, orange zest, confectioner’s sugar, and milk together in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside to pour over the slightly warm orange rolls when ready.

Bake the orange rolls- Bake the homemade orange rolls for 22-25 minutes. Oven times will vary so keep an eye on the oven at the end of baking!

Cool the rolls- Remove the orange rolls from the oven when they are golden brown on the tops and allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before drizzling them with the orange glaze. Store in an airtight container and consume within 3 days.

Close up a one freshly baked sweet orange roll glazed with orange icing.
13 by 9 baking dish or orange rolls glazed with orange icing.

Orange Rolls

Yield: 12 rolls
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Proofing Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 7 minutes

Homemade orange sweet rolls filled with honey filling and glaze with a sweet orange glaze made with fresh orange juice.

Ingredients

Orange Roll Dough

  • 1 envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1/4 cup warm water (110°F)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Honey filling

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Orange Glaze

  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (juice of one orange)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 tablespoon milk

Instructions

    1. Combine the envelope of dry yeast together with water heated to 110°F. Add the sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes or until it becomes frothy.
    2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the softened unsalted butter into the yeast mixture followed by the eggs. Once the eggs are mixed into the yeast, beat in the salt, nutmeg, milk, and lemon juice.
    3. Spoon and level the bread flour and slowly beat it into the wet ingredients. The dough will start to take shape.
    4. After a few minutes, turn the dough over onto a clean workspace that is lightly dusted with bread flour. The dough will be ready when it is no longer sticky and it bounces back when fingers are pressed into it.
    5. Place the orange rolls dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Proof the dough and allow it to rise for one hour.


Make the Honey Filling

  1. Mix the melted butter, honey, and granulated sugar together in a bowl and set it aside.



Make the Orange Rolls

  1. Once the hour is up, turn the dough back onto a clean workspace and roll out into an 11x15 rectangle.
  2. Using a pastry brush, brush the honey filling evenly over the dough. Leaving a half-inch on all sides unbrushed.
  3. Starting with the long edge, roll the dough tightly up into a log and pinch the ends together. Slice the dough into 12 equal rolls and place them in a greased 13x9 baking dish.
  4. Allow the dough to rise for another 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350°F


Make the Orange Glaze

  1. Combine the orange juice, orange zest, confectioner's sugar, and milk together in a small bowl and mix until smooth.
  2. Set aside to pour over the slightly warm orange rolls when ready.


Bake the Orange Rolls

  1. Place the rolls in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes. Oven times will vary so keep an eye on the oven at the end of baking!
  2. Remove the orange rolls from the oven when they are golden brown on the top.
  3. Allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before drizzling them with the orange glaze.
  4. Store in an airtight container and consume within 3 days.

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