Mornings will be brighter and sweeter with these delicious Orange Sweet Rolls to greet you! They have a sweet orange filling and they're topped off with a citrus flavored icing.
Heat orange juice and milk to 110 – 115 degrees. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.
Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid and stir to combine.
Allow the yeast mixture to sit for 5 to 10 minutes to proof, start to foam.
Add the sugar, butter, egg and orange zest, and mix to combine.
Add the flour and salt and mix with a dough hook to fully combine and form a soft ball of dough, 4 to 5 minutes.
Place dough in an oiled bowl, flip it over and cover. Allow dough to rise in a warm location for 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Remove dough and place on a flour covered work surface.
Roll dough out into a 15″ x 18″ rectangle. *If dough bounces back and won’t roll out, allow to rest for a few minutes and then try again.
Spread the softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle with the sugar and orange zest mixture.
Roll the dough into an 18″ log. Cut into 12 equal slices and place in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish that has been sprayed with baking spray.
Cover with a dish towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place rolls in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes {depending on oven}, or until golden brown and cooked through in the center.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Whisk the icing together in a small bowl and drizzle over the rolls in the pan.
Notes
I added butter to the icing to cut down on the sweetness, but it separated. I am fine with the look, but you may want to add a bit of heavy cream or milk to get it to emulsify better.
I did not have orange extract so I used lemon…and it is amazing. Feel free to substitute orange extract if you have it on hand for a more intense orange flavor.