I can still remember coming downstairs on Sunday mornings before church and smelling Pillsbury orange rolls baking in the oven. Before I even reached the kitchen, I knew what was waiting. That warm, sweet orange smell filled the whole house, and it meant Sunday had officially started.
This recipe brings back all of those memories in a wonderful homemade way. The dough is soft and pillowy, and the filling is cinnamon and brown sugar with plenty of fresh orange. The icing is creamy and sweet, with just a little tang. When these come out of the oven, your kitchen will smell exactly the way I remember mine.
Instead of butter in the dough, I used our Blood Orange Olive Oil. It keeps the rolls tender and soft, and it adds a gentle citrus aroma to the whole pan.
These take about three hours, but most of that is the dough rising. Your hands-on time is short, and I think the result is worth the wait.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It tastes like Sunday morning. If you grew up with orange rolls from a can, this is that flavor made from scratch.
- Soft, fluffy, and tender. Olive oil keeps the crumb moist, and bread flour gives the rolls a little chew.
- Big orange flavor. Orange zest and orange olive oil go in the filling, and the icing gets more zest and juice.
- No butter to melt in the dough. You just stir the oil in with the wet ingredients.
- Great for brunch, holidays, or gifting. Pack the icing separately and spread it on when you get there.
Pro Tips
- Olive oil vs butter? Olive oil is pure fat, while butter is about 80% fat, so I use slightly less (3 tablespoons). It also keeps the rolls soft, and you don’t have to melt or cool anything.
- Adjust the icing texture. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add orange juice 1/2 teaspoon at a time.
- Don’t have orange extract? Orange olive oil and extra zest in the filling, plus juice and zest in the icing, work beautifully.
- Watch the clock on rising. If the rolls look puffy and are touching after 30 minutes, they’re ready to bake.
- Making them ahead? Bake the rolls, let them cool slightly, and ice them just before serving, or pack the icing separately.
Whether you’re making these for a Sunday morning, a holiday brunch, or just because, I hope they bring back a few good memories of your own.
Orange Rolls with Blood Orange Olive Oil
Ingredients
Dough
- 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (one standard packet)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp Blood Orange Olive Oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 cups bread flour, plus a little more as needed
- 1 tsp salt
- Blood Orange Olive Oil, for greasing the baking dish
Filling
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp cinnamon plus
- 1½ tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp Blood Orange Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- splash Blood Orange Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Instructions
- Warm the milk to about 110°F.
- Sprinkle the yeast over the milk, stir, and let sit about 5 minutes until foamy.
- Mix in the sugar, Blood Orange Olive Oil, egg, and egg yolk.
- Add the salt and flour and mix until shaggy.
- Knead in a stand mixer about 10 minutes until smooth, adding flour 1-2 tbsp at a time if the dough is too sticky.
- Cover and let rise 1 hour, until doubled.
- Stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, and orange olive oil.
- Roll the dough into a 16×12-inch rectangle.
- Spread the soft butter over the dough and sprinkle the filling evenly on top.
- Roll tightly from the long edge and cut into 10-12 rolls.
- Place the rolls in a baking dish greased with coconut oil. Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake 22-28 minutes, until just lightly golden. For extra gooey rolls, pour cream over them before baking.
- While the rolls bake, stir together icing
- Cool the rolls 5 minutes, then top with icing and serve.
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