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Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

June 12, 2019
Shanika | Orchids + Sweet Tea

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

These Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls are almost better than their Classic counter parts–--seriously! Each roll boasts of it's bigness, fluffiness, tenderness, and they come smothered in a rich, but light orange-flavored cream cheese frosting. These cinnamon rolls are sure to be your newest favorite sweet treat for the Spring/Summer.

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

OK, so I couldn't be more excited to share these Cinnamon Rolls with you!

If you've been an avid reader of Orchids + Sweet Tea, then you know that we've been racking up quite the collection of these delicious sweet treats.

I don't know about you, but I'm highly obsessed with Cinnamon Rolls! Haha. I literally could eat these for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Who else is with me?

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

While, I've made various flavors of Cinnamon Rolls, these Delicious Homemade Classic Cinnamon Rolls have by far remained our most loved by our readers!

But who could blame you, right? The Classic version is just way too good to pass up.

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

When it comes to other flavors, I must admit that it proves just how versatile these little rolls really are.

You have these Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls which are the perfect addition to your Spring’s sweet treat menu.

Then there are these Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls which are not your typical, traditional rolls. The gingerbread spices add great flavor to every sweet bite and the maple cream cheese frosting is beyond amazing! 

 

For all my apple lovers, these Perfect Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls are a MUST try! These rolls come loaded with apple + pecan bits and topped heavily with a brown sugar and pecan crunch crumble.

Every bite will have you feeling like you’re eating a warm slice of Grandma’s apple pie. There’s really no other way to eat a cinnamon roll after finding this recipe.

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

And if you're anything like me and you enjoy bold flavors and crazy combos, then these Vegan Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls + Maple Pecan Glaze and Delicious Homemade Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls are something right out of a sweet treat magazine and worth indulging in!

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

In all honesty, looking back on these old Cinnamon Rolls recipes, I can't help but feel proud of how far I've come with my execution.

I mean, these rolls were so intimidating for to make in the beginning. Can anyone relate?

Cinnamon rolls specifically, are a bit more challenging when it comes to the making of the dough and rolling, however, it’s nothing that a little practice can’t fix.

I remember the moments in the beginning of my baking journey, where I HATED making cinnamon rolls because I felt that they were so hard to master.

It’s MESSY with the inside filling and rolling and cutting and fixing them into perfect little rolls.

The dough process is SUPER precise to the point that your liquid being too hot or too cold could kill the yeast and cause it not to rise and the list goes on! But guess what?

I became better at it (obviously after a few trial + errors) and now it’s just a swift process.

So, I want to encourage any baker (or non-baker) to always keep trying the thing that you hope to master one day.

With a little patience, tenacity, and time---you'll be at the right level of expertise to finally master that thing.

Of course, if you're in need a few tips/hacks that I've learned in the process to make the perfect Cinnamon Rolls, I discuss them here.

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Now, let’s dig right into these lovelies, shall we?

For the Dough:

Start by combining the yeast and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and then slowly pouring in the warm water, while stirring everything together. Allow 10 minutes for the mixture to sit and the yeast to activate (It’ll become foamy when done right!).

Meanwhile, melt the butter and milk together over the stove top on low to medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter has fully melted. NOTE: You don’t want the mixture to get too hot or boil! Set aside and let it cool until WARM.

Add lukewarm butter-milk mixture to yeast and mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time and continue mixing on low speed until well combined. Then add orange juice and continue mixing.

Next, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, brown sugar, sea salt and cinnamon to the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed until well combined. 

Change “mixer head” to kneading accessory and knead dough for 5-10 minutes on medium-high speed until dough ball becomes smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers. NOTE: If dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until texture is achieved!

Once dough ball is perfectly kneaded, add it to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit and rise for 1 hour to an hour + 15 minutes.

In the meantime, you can work on the filling!

For the Filling + Assembly:

Melt butter and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar and set aside as well.

Once the hour has gone by and your dough has risen (about double its original size), preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, flour a flat surface and place the dough on it and using a rolling-pin, roll it out to a rectangle (approximately 9″x14), trimming the edges if needed. NOTE: Try not to make the dough too thin or else rolling it up will be hard to do!

Then, generously brush melted butter overtop of dough and spoon the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the butter. NOTE: I also use a ‘pastry brush’ to sweep sugar mixture evenly across the dough to ensure that every bite is sweet!

Tightly roll dough (long-ways) and using a pastry cutter, cut dough into 1.5″ rolls, placing each roll into a large baking dish (lined with parchment paper!).

Then place plastic wrap over the baking dish with rolls and let them rise again (for another 20 minutes).

Once the rolls have doubled in size (once again!) or have gotten significantly larger, brush the tops of the rolls with a little more melted butter and then bake them for approximately 25 minutes (or until centers are cooked through) and the outsides are golden brown.

While all the baking magic is happening, make the Orange-flavored Cream Cheese Glaze (Ingredients + Instructions in Recipe) and set aside.

Remove the rolls from oven and wait 15-20 minutes or so (until it completely cools), and then spread the glaze atop the rolls using a rubber spatula.

Bon Appetite!

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you choose to make these Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love!

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls

June 12, 2019
5 from 9 votes
These Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls are almost better than their Classic counter parts–--seriously! Each roll boasts of it's bigness, fluffiness, tenderness, and they come smothered in a rich, but light orange-flavored cream cheese frosting. These cinnamon rolls are sure to be your newest favorite sweet treat for the Spring/Summer.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 2 cups Organic All-purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
  • 3 cups Organic Artisan Bread flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
  • 1 packet Rapid Rise Yeast (That's 2 ¼ tsps!)
  • ½ cup Organic brown sugar + 1 Tbsp (I used Sugar in the Raw!)
  • 1 ¼ cup Almond milk (I used Califia Farms; You can also use whole milk if preferred)
  • ¼ cup WARM water (Not Hot at all!)
  • ¼ cup juice of an Orange (That's about ½ an Orange!)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (That's 4 Tbsps!)
  • 2 large eggs, room temp.
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Filling:

  • 3 Tbsps unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup organic brown sugar  (I used Sugar in the Raw!)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Orange-flavored Cream Cheese Glaze:

  • 4 oz. organic cream cheese, at room temp (That's ½ of a regular pack)
  • 3 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3-4 cups organic powdered sugar
  • juice of 1 medium Orange

Instructions

For the Dough:

  • Start by combining the yeast and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and then slowly pouring in the warm water, while stirring everything together. Allow 10 minutes for the mixture to sit and the yeast to activate (It’ll become foamy when done right!).
  • Meanwhile, melt the butter and milk together over the stove top on low to medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter has fully melted. NOTE: You don’t want the mixture to get too hot or boil! Set aside and let it cool until WARM.
  • Add lukewarm butter-milk mixture to yeast and mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time and continue mixing on low speed until well combined. Then add orange juice and continue mixing.
  • Next, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, brown sugar, sea salt and cinnamon to the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed until well combined. 
  • Change “mixer head” to kneading accessory and knead dough for 5-10 minutes on medium-high speed until dough ball becomes smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers. NOTE: If dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until texture is achieved!
  • Once dough ball is perfectly kneaded, add it to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit and rise for 1 hour to an hour + 15 minutes.
  • In the meantime, you can work on the filling!

For the Filling + Assembly:

  • Melt butter and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar and set aside as well.
  • Once the hour has gone by and your dough has risen (about double its original size), preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, flour a flat surface and place the dough on it and using a rolling-pin, roll it out to a rectangle (approximately 9″x14), trimming the edges if needed. NOTE: Try not to make the dough too thin or else rolling it up will be hard to do!
  • Then, generously brush melted butter overtop of dough and spoon the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the butter. NOTE: I also use a ‘pastry brush’ to sweep sugar mixture evenly across the dough to ensure that every bite is sweet!
  • Tightly roll dough (long-ways) and using a pastry cutter, cut dough into 1.5″ rolls, placing each roll into a large baking dish (lined with parchment paper!).
  • Then place plastic wrap over the baking dish with rolls and let them rise again (for another 20 minutes).
  • Once the rolls have doubled in size (once again!) or have gotten significantly larger, brush the tops of the rolls with a little more melted butter and then bake them for approximately 25 minutes (or until centers are cooked through) and the outsides are golden brown.
  • While all the baking magic is happening, make the Orange-flavored Cream Cheese Glaze and set aside.

Orange-flavored Cream Cheese Glaze:

  • Simply combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer & beat together on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange juice, continuing to mix until you reach the desired consistency. NOTE: **Add more orange juice (1 tablespoon at a time if too thick) or powdered sugar (for more thickness).*
  • Remove the rolls from oven and wait 15-20 minutes or so (until it completely cools), and then spread the glaze atop the rolls using a rubber spatula.
  • Bon Appetite!

Tips & Tricks

TO STORE: Cinnamon Rolls can be kept fresh at room temperature when tightly wrapped or sealed for up to 3 days. Fresh for up to 1 week in the Refrigerator. Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months.
OVERNIGHT OPTION: If you don't want to make your Cinnamon Rolls on the same day, you can simply follow all steps (including the initial 1+ hour rise) and after cutting rolls and placing them into your baking pan, just cover them tightly (using foil paper of plastic wrap) and refrigerate them overnight or for 8-12 hours instead. In the morning, just continue to Step 6.
RAPID (INSTANT) RISE YEAST VS. ACTIVE DRY YEAST: If you're not using the Rapid Rise Yeast for this recipe, please know that the rise time will be twice as long (about 3 hours) since regular Active Yeast doesn't work as quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 4783kcal | Carbohydrates: 1080g | Protein: 97g | Fat: 176g | Saturated Fat: 100g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 46g | Trans Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 789mg | Sodium: 2165mg | Potassium: 1500mg | Fiber: 24g | Sugar: 226g | Vitamin A: 5747IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 964mg | Iron: 20mg

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Fluffy Homemade Orange Cinnamon Rolls.

ORCHIDS + SWEET TEA

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  1. So yummy! I love the orange in the icing! I think we would eat this in one sitting. No leftovers at all!

  2. These look fantastic!! I love how professional they are and that you said you used to be intimidated by the idea of making them but are not anymore, great work.

  3. I know what I will be making for breakfast tomorrow! This looks amazing and will pair nicely with my morning cup of coffee!

  4. Oh my goodness, these sound so dangerous! I think I might eat the whole pan. Haha! That orange glaze sounds awesome!