Soft as clouds and packed with sunny orange flavor, these Orange Yeast Rolls are the perfect addition to your breakfast table. The combination of fresh zest, sweet marmalade, and tender honey dough creates delicious rolls!
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👩🍳These rolls work beautifully for breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea, or even as a special dessert!
My 2 Best Tips For Making Orange Yeast Rolls
Proofing Patience: Allow adequate time for both rising periods, as this develops the flavor and ensures the light, airy texture. The first rise should double the dough size, and the second rise after shaping should make the rolls visibly puffed and almost touching each other on the pan.
Rolling Technique: When rolling out the dough, work on a well-floured surface and roll from the center outward. Don't overwork the dough, and if it springs back, let it rest for 10 minutes before continuing to roll.
I like to first warm the orange marmalade slightly in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before spreading it on the dough. The gentle warming makes it spread easily without tearing the dough and releases more citrus oils for intensified orange flavor. Just make sure it's lukewarm, not hot.
Use the "poke test" to know when the rolls are perfectly proofed for the second rise. Give a gentle poke to the dough with your finger—if it springs back slowly and leaves a small indent, they are ready to bake. If it springs back quickly, give them more time; if it doesn't spring back at all, you have gone too far but they will still taste great.
You can eat these rolls straight from the oven! I love serving them warm with a pat of creamy butter that melts into all the nooks and crannies, or drizzled with extra honey to complement the citrus flavors.
🩷 Melissa
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Orange Yeast Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ¾ cup honey
- ½ cup butter (one stick)
- 9 cups flour (all-purpose, amount will vary - see note)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 2 cups water
- 1 egg
For the Filling
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons orange zest
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 18 ounces orange marmalade (1 jar)
- ½ cup sugar (divided)
Instructions
- In a large glass measuring cup (see note), heat milk, 1 stick of butter, and the honey in the microwave until melted and just starting to boil about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 8 cups of the flour, salt, and yeast.
- Add the cooled milk mixture, water (see note), and the egg to the dry ingredients.
- Stir well, until almost totally combined.
- Add the last cup or two of flour (see note) - the dough should be slightly sticky and difficult to stir.
- In the same bowl, proof the dough until doubled, about an hour.
- While dough is proofing, combine butter, orange zest, and nutmeg until it is a smooth an homogenous mixture.
- After the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a well-floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces.
- Roll out one piece or dough, and spread with half of the orange butter mixture, half of the orange marmalade, and ¼ cup of sugar.
- Gently roll up the dough, like you would for cinnamon rolls. Slice into 20 rolls and place them on a sheet tray to rise.
- Repeat the previous 2 steps with the second piece of dough.
- Proof until the rolls are doubled again, about 45-60 minutes.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
- If you want to bake these in advance (like for a holiday) and then heat them up the day you need them, bake them a few minutes shy of being done and then finish them off the day you want to serve them.
Notes
Nutrition
How To Make Orange Yeast Rolls
Step 1: Heat milk, butter, and honey in a large glass measuring cup in the microwave until just beginning to boil (about 3 minutes). Add the water to help cool the mixture, then set aside until lukewarm. While cooling, whisk together 8 cups flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the cooled milk mixture and egg to the flour mixture, stirring until almost completely combined. Gradually add the remaining 1-2 cups of flour until the dough is slightly sticky but manageable. Let the dough proof in the same bowl until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Step 3: While the dough rises, combine room temperature butter, orange zest, and nutmeg until smooth and well-blended. This orange butter mixture will be the key to those amazing citrus pockets in your rolls.
Step 4: Turn the doubled dough onto a well-floured surface and divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll out the first piece, then spread with half the orange butter mixture, half the marmalade, and ¼ cup sugar. Roll up tightly like cinnamon rolls and slice into 20 pieces.
Step 5: Place the sliced rolls on sheet trays and repeat the rolling and slicing process with the second piece of dough. Allow all rolls to proof again until doubled, about 45-60 minutes.
Step 6: Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. For make-ahead convenience, you can bake them slightly underdone and finish baking on the day you plan to serve them.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, apricot preserves, lemon curd, or even a mixture of butter and orange juice concentrate work well. Just maintain similar consistency and sweetness levels for best results.
Yes, divide each piece into smaller portions and reduce the baking time to 10-12 minutes. Mini rolls are perfect for parties or when you want individual servings.
Check that your yeast is fresh and active, and ensure the liquid wasn't too hot when added. Place the dough in a warm, draft-free location (like an oven with just the light on) to encourage rising.
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H Frenzel
Could I half this recipe?
Alli
Yes! The servings can be adjusted on the recipe card with the slider bar. If you drag it down to 20, all the ingredients will be automatically halved for you.
Rebecca B.
These look so yummy! I love that the orange flavor is actually IN the rolls rather than just in the icing like store-bought varieties.
Alli
I love that too! I actually prefer these to the iced versions.
Alli
Love these rolls!