Here’s a soft and fragrant recipe for Orange Cinnamon Rolls with Blood Orange Icing—sweet, citrusy, and perfect for breakfast or brunch. 🍊🍞✨
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup warm milk
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp orange zest
Cinnamon Filling
- ⅓ cup soft butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp orange zest
Blood Orange Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp blood orange juice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Extra blood orange zest (optional)
Instructions
1. Prepare the dough
In a bowl mix warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Add melted butter, egg, sugar, salt, and orange zest. Gradually mix in flour until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead and rise
Knead dough for 6–8 minutes until smooth.
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour or until doubled.
3. Make the filling
Mix butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest.
4. Roll and fill
Roll dough into a large rectangle. Spread the filling evenly.
Roll tightly into a log and cut into 9–12 rolls.
5. Second rise
Place rolls in a greased baking dish. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
6. Bake
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes until golden.
Blood Orange Icing
Whisk together:
- powdered sugar
- blood orange juice
- vanilla
Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.
Tips for Extra Flavor 🍊
- Add cream cheese to the icing for a richer glaze.
- Sprinkle candied orange peel on top.
- Warm slightly before serving for the softest texture.
If you want, I can also give you a bakery-style orange cinnamon roll recipe that makes them extremely fluffy (the secret is a tangzhong dough method).