Sweet Orange Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Orange Sweet Rolls
Prep time: 105 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: ½ cup butter (room temp); ½ cup sugar; 1 tablespoon orange zest; ⅛ teaspoon salt; pinch cardamom; 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope); 2 tablespoons sugar (divided); 1 egg yolk (lightly beaten); ⅓ cup orange juice; 2 tablespoons butter (melted); ½ teaspoon salt; 1 ⅔ cups flour; 4 ounces cream cheese (room temp); 4 tablespoons butter (room temp); ½ cup powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons milk; ½ teaspoon vanilla; pinch salt

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Orange Rolls with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting are the perfect breakfast rolls to make for spring. Whether for Mother’s Day, Easter, or any other occasion, this sweet roll recipe is sure to impress your guests!

A grey platter with a silver server next to orange rolls.

After cooking my favorite comfort foods all winter, I’m ready to make the switch to lighter meals. With a fresh citrusy filling, these light and easy orange rolls make me think of spring. They are wonderful right out of the oven or add the optional whipped cream cheese frosting.

A cake platter of frosted orange cinnamon rolls.

As much as I love classic Cinnamon Rolls, it’s fun to change things up and try something different. Instead of using traditional cinnamon in this recipe, I swapped it out for cardamom. It adds an unexpected spicy-sweet zing to the bread rolls that everyone raves about.

Yeast breads aren’t as intimidating as you may think. Although they require a few steps, most of the prep work is done while the dough is rising. The taste of fluffy rolls made from scratch is well worth the effort.

A single orange cinnamon roll with a bite taken out.

If you’re looking for other unique types of homemade dessert rolls, try Peach Cinnamon Rolls with a bourbon glaze, Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls, or Soft Cinnamon Rolls made with pineapple juice.

Why you’ll love Orange Sweet Rolls

The tender, soft yeast dough is melt-in-your mouth delicious.
Tangy-sweet orange zest complements citrusy cardamom.
Golden brown mini rolls are perfect to serve with other sweet breakfast recipes.
A slather of whipped cream cheese frosting is the perfect topping.
You can make the dough the day before and refrigerate it overnight.

What you’ll need

For the cinnamon roll dough

Yeast – The recipe calls for active yeast, but you can substitute instant yeast it will work just as well.
Butter – Remove the butter from the fridge 30-60 minutes before using so it has time to come to room temperature.
Egg Yolk – The fat from the yolk gives the dough an extra-rich flavor and tender texture.
Orange Juice – Any orange juice will work, but using fresh-squeezed will improve the flavor even more. If using chilled juice, warm it to room temperature to help activate the yeast.
Pantry items – Sugar, flour and salt

For the easy orange filling

Orange zest – If you’re using fresh orange juice for the sweet dough, zest the oranges before juicing.
Cardamom – You can find ground cardamom in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. Green cardamom is the most common variety. You can substitute vanilla paste for cardamom.
Butter – Bring it to room temperature before using so it’s easier to spread.
Pantry staples – Sugar and salt

For the fluffy cream cheese frosting

Cream cheese – Chilled cream cheese takes about 30-60 minutes to soften to room temperature.
Butter – Adding butter to the cream cheese makes the frosting creamier and richer.
Powdered sugar – This produces fluffy, velvety frosting — the perfect consistency for spreading on the rolls.
Milk – Whole milk will make a richer frosting, but skim or 1% work as well.
Pantry items – Vanilla extract and salt

If you have leftover oranges, use them for Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies or mimosa-inspired Monkey Bread.

How to make Sweet Orange Rolls

Step 1: Start with the cinnamon roll dough. Add warm water to the yeast with just a little sugar. Let it rest until it looks foamy.

Step 2: Beat the egg yolk, orange juice, butter, salt and some sugar and add the flour and yeast mixture.

Step 3: Knead with the dough hook attachment and let rise in a warm place.

A bowl of dough for orange rolls after it has risen.

Step 4: While the dough is rising, make the filling. Add the butter, sugar, orange zest, cardamom and salt to a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for about three minutes, until fluffy.

The filling for orange sweet rolls in a mixing bowl.

Step 5: Once the dough has risen, place it on a floured surface to roll into a rectangle shape.

Step 6: Spread the filling over the rectangle.

A rectangle of yeast dough covered with filling.

Step 7: Starting on the long side, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Cut the cylinder into 12 equal slices using a sharp knife or dental floss. Place each piece of dough in greased muffin tins. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

orange sweet roll dough being rolled into a cylinder.

Pro Tip: To make orange rolls ahead of time, complete steps 1-7. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the fridge and let them double in size before baking.

Step 8: Bake the rolls until golden.

Orange sweet roll dough after it has risen in a muffin tin.

Step 9: For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter, add powdered sugar, vanilla and a little milk. Spread over the cooled rolls before serving.

Orange cinnamon rolls being topped with cram cheese frosting.

How do I make sure my sweet rolls will rise?

Yeast rises better when it’s warm, so using room temperature ingredients is a must. Your yeast should look foamy or bubbly after 5-10 minutes of letting it sit in the orange juice and sugar. If it doesn’t, check the expiration date. You may find you need fresher yeast.

Place the cinnamon roll dough in a warm place to rise. If it’s a cold day, find a sunny spot in your kitchen to place the pans of rolls. Or you can preheat your oven for a couple of minutes, then turn it off before placing the dough inside.

My favorite way is to boil some water in the microwave and then place the dough in the warm microwave to rise.

A platter of orange rolls half with frosting and half without.

What to serve for breakfast for Easter or Mother’s Day

Orange cardamom bread rolls are the perfect sweet treat for Easter, Mother’s Day, or any special gathering. If you’re looking for other spring breakfast ideas to serve with your rolls, here are a few of my favorites:

FAQs and tips for making Orange Cardamom Rolls

Where do orange rolls come from?

Alabama gets credit for the creation of the orange roll. Exactly where and when they were originally made is up for debate. Some say orange cinnamon rolls were first served at a restaurant called All Steak in Cullman, Alabama in the 1960s.

The sweet bread became even more famous with the introduction of Pillsbury Orange Rolls in the 1970s. The refrigerated tubes of dough are a popular way to make an easy and quick breakfast. But in my opinion, the homemade version always tastes so much better.

What does cardamom taste like?

Often used for baking and cooking in Sweden and India, Cardamom has a warm, sweet, citrusy-herbal flavor. Because it’s a strong spice, you only need a pinch to add great flavor to the rolls. Cardamom makes another appearance in this scrumptious Peaches and Cream Pie.

How do I zest an orange?

The easiest way to zest an orange is to use a Microplane or box grater. Drag the orange over the holes in the grater, making sure to remove only the orange part of the skin. The white part, called pith, is too bitter to use.

If you don’t have a grater, you can use a vegetable peeler to take off wide strips. Once again, avoid the white pith. Then use a sharp knife to mince the strips into small pieces that resemble the size of zest from a grater.

How long do sweet rolls last?

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, cinnamon rolls will still taste fresh after a few days at room temperature. Store them in an airtight container for best results.

Can I freeze sweet rolls?

If you want to store them for longer than a few days, the best method is to freeze them. After the baked rolls have cooled, place in a plastic Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw and reheat in the oven at 250º for about 15 minutes. Once warmed, you can add frosting if you choose.

You can hardly tell the difference between freshly baked and frozen sweet rolls as long as you keep them covered air-tight in the freezer.

How to make fluffy cream cheese frosting?

First, make sure the cream cheese and butter are both softened to room temperature. Whether making frosting or filling, softening helps create a smooth and creamy finished product.

Whip the frosting until it starts to look fluffy and thick, but don’t over mix. Over-mixing can lead to runny icing that will not stick to your rolls. If this happens to you, add more powdered sugar to the mixture, a little at a time, until the frosting thickens back up.Carrot Cake Cookies and Banana Bread are two other delicious desserts with sweet cream cheese filling.

More favorite sweet dough recipes

Hawaiian Rolls are great to use for ham sandwiches

Caramel cream cheese icing tops Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Soft and gooey Dollywood Cinnamon Bread is a favorite breakfast treat

Fresh Peach Coffee Cake has loads of crumbly, crunchy streusel

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Sweet Orange Rolls with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Why you’ll love Orange Sweet Rolls