Midwestern Orange Rolls

Midwestern Orange Rolls

Pillowy, pull-apart sweet rolls swirled with cinnamon and cloaked in a bright, buttery orange glaze. A beloved bake from church suppers and holiday tables across the American Midwest.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

12

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• •120 ml (½ cup) whole milk, warmed to 38–43°C / 100–110°F
• •50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar, for the dough
• •7 g (1 packet (2¼ tsp)) active dry yeast, one standard envelope
• •1 large egg, room temperature
• •56 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened, for the dough
• •1 tsp fine salt
• •100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened, for the filling
• •110 g (½ cup) granulated sugar, for the filling
• •2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• •200 g (1½ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
• •60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted, for the glaze
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) fresh orange juice, from 1–2 oranges, plus zest below
• •1 tbsp orange zest, finely grated
• •1 tsp vanilla extract
• •60 g (½ cup) cream cheese, softened; traditional in many Midwestern versions

Steps

1. 1 Bloom the yeast: stir yeast and 1 tsp of the granulated sugar into the warm milk; let stand 5–8 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, discard and start with fresh yeast.
2. 2 In a large bowl, whisk 200 g of the flour with the salt. Add the bloomed yeast mixture, the egg, and 56 g softened butter; stir to a shaggy dough.
3. 3 Add the remaining flour a tablespoon at a time and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Cover and rise in a warm spot 60–90 minutes, until roughly doubled.
4. 4 Meanwhile, make the filling: beat 100 g softened butter with 110 g sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon, and ½ tbsp of the orange zest until spreadable.
5. 5 Punch the dough down and roll on a lightly floured surface into a 40 × 30 cm (16 × 12 in) rectangle.
6. 6 Spread the cinnamon filling edge to edge. Starting on a long side, roll tightly into a log and pinch the seam to seal.
7. 7 Slice into 12 even pieces about 3 cm (1¼ in) thick. Place cut-side up in a greased 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 in) baking dish. Cover and rise 30–40 minutes, until puffy.
8. 8 Bake at 190°C / 375°F for 22–25 minutes, until tops are golden and the center of the pan reads 88–93°C / 190–200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Tent loosely with foil if browning too fast.
9. 9 While baking, make the glaze: whisk melted butter, orange juice, remaining orange zest, vanilla, and softened cream cheese until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar to a thick but pourable consistency; loosen with a teaspoon of juice if needed.
10. 10 Cool rolls 5 minutes, then spoon the warm glaze generously over the hot rolls so it melts down the sides. Serve warm.