Orange Cinnamon Rolls

What’s the best way to start your day during the winter citrus season? Orange Cinnamon Rolls with Fresh Citrus Icing. Always. 

This post is sponsored by Horizon Organic.

Cinnamon rolls have long been my favorite way to celebrate the weekend or any lazy morning when I don’t have to be anywhere right away. I started with the cinnamon rolls out of a tube but eventually worked my way up to homemade versions since they’re actually pretty easy to make with pantry ingredients.

Other than warm and gooey cinnamon rolls, I’ve also felt drawn to all of the fresh citrus that’s in season this time of year. Oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, lemons, and limes are abundant during winter, and they’re mouthwateringly juicy and delicious. So I figured I’d combine two of my favorite wintry things: oranges and cinnamon rolls. 

Orange Cinnamon Rolls! 

Fresh navel oranges are used in three different places. There’s zest and juice in the actual cinnamon roll dough, more grated orange peel in the cinnamon-clove filling, and also freshly squeezed orange juice in the homemade icing. 

Besides all of the citrus, my other strategy is using whole milk to bake my orange cinnamon rolls. The fat in whole milk helps tenderize and prevent baked goods from drying out. I used Horizon® Organic whole milk, which I love because it’s produced by Danone North America, a Certified B Corporation®. 

How to Make Orange Cinnamon Rolls with Fresh Citrus Icing

How to Make Orange Cinnamon Rolls:

Prepare the dough: 

This orange-flavored cinnamon roll dough is made with a 50/50 blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flours. Using some whole grain flour gives these sweet rolls more fiber, which helps your body process the sugar more easily. 

To prepare the dough, first, whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, stir the liquid ingredients together in a separate, medium-sized bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to form the dough.

Next, add the orange flavor. Add grated orange peel and fresh orange juice to the bowl and use your hands to knead them into the dough for about one minute. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes, and then roll it out on a flat surface, such as a countertop or large cutting board. 

Prepare the filling:

The filling for these Orange Cinnamon Rolls is a simple mix of sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves, and grated orange peel. First, brush the rolled out dough with melted butter.   

Then, stir together the sugar, spices, and orange zest, and sprinkle them on top of the rolled out dough. 

Bake:

Once you add the filling, tightly roll up the dough to form a long cylinder. Slice the dough into 8 equal pieces and spread them on a greased 9-inch pie dish. Loosely cover and allow the dough to rise for about 90 minutes, or until the rolls have doubled in size.

Once the rolls double in size, pop them in a 350º Fahrenheit oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the tops turn golden. 

How to Make Orange Icing:

The orange icing on top of these cinnamon rolls is technically optional, but I think it's absolutely the best part! It’s also easy enough to whisk together right as the cinnamon rolls are coming out of the oven, so it’s pretty much a no-brainer. Just stir together powdered sugar, room temperature cream cheese, orange juice, butter, and a pinch of salt. 

What’s the Best Way to Store these Orange Cinnamon Rolls?

Because they’re topped with cream cheese icing, these Orange Cinnamon Rolls need to be kept in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container and eat them within three days. 

I think they still taste good cold, but you can also reheat them for about 20 seconds in the microwave if you prefer them warm. Either way, these Orange Cinnamon Rolls are every bit as dreamy as they sound. Who’s ready for the weekend?

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Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Rising Time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 10 mins

 

These orange cinnamon rolls with fresh citrus and whole milk so they’re tender and won’t dry out. Top warm rolls with fresh citrus icing for even more orange flavor.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: bakery, vegetarian

Servings: 8 people

Author: Stephanie McKercher, RDN

Ingredients

Rolls:

• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (7-gram) package dry active yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
• 1 cup Horizon Organic Whole Milk
• 3 tablespoons Horizon Organic Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (1 large)

Filling:

• 3 tablespoons Horizon Organic Unsalted Butter, softened
• ¼ cup cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Icing:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
• ¼ cup (2 ounces) cream cheese at room temperature (leave out while baking the rolls or microwave 15-20 seconds)
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice (1 large)
• 2 tablespoons Horizon Organic Unsalted Butter, softened

Instructions

Make the Rolls:

1. Stir whole-wheat flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk milk, butter, and egg in a separate bowl. Add the milk mixture to the flour and stir until dough is formed. Add orange peel and juice and knead into the dough for one minute. After kneading, the dough should bounce back slightly when pressed. If it doesn’t, add a little more flour and knead again. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes. Dust a flat surface with flour. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 14 by 9-inches in size.

Make the Filling:

1. Spread softened butter on top. Stir sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and grated orange peel and sprinkle on top of the dough. Roll the dough up tightly and then slice into 8 pieces. Slice off the edges of the roll to level each end and form a flat surface if desired. Transfer to a greased 9-inch round pie dish. Loosely cover and allow to rise for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

2. Once the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake 25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown

Make the Icing:

1. Whisk confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, orange juice, and butter and set aside.

2. Remove baked rolls from the oven. Pour icing over warm rolls.
3. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

Icing is optional. Feel free to omit if you want to make this recipe easier and lower in sugar.

Save these Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls on Pinterest. 

Did you try these Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls?

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