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Spiced Orange Sweet Rolls
Orange marmalade goes into the filling and again into the powdered sugar glaze, so the citrus flavor carries through every bite of these enriched rolls. Active dry yeast builds the dough over a couple of hours, giving the bread flour base enough structure to hold the spiral layers intact after slicing. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon in the filling keeps things warm without competing with the orange. Plan about 2 hours 45 minutes start to finish, and pull them from the oven when the tops turn deep gold. Makes 15 rolls, enough for a full table.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cake Pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 (¼-oz.) envelope active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water (about 110°F)
- 1¼ cups plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar, divided
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 6 to 6⅓ cups bread flour, divided, plus more for work surface
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup orange marmalade, divided
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp. orange zest plus 1 Tbsp. fresh juice
Instructions
- 1Combine the active dry yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy. This proves your yeast is alive and ready to lift the dough.
- 2Add the eggs, whole milk, kosher salt, 1 cup of the granulated sugar, 2 cups of the bread flour, and 1/2 cup of the softened butter into the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed for about 1 minute until just smooth.
- 3Switch the mixer to a dough hook attachment. Pour in 3 cups of the bread flour and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the dough looks smooth but remains sticky.
- 4Sprinkle a work surface with 1 cup of the bread flour. Turn the dough out and knead it until it feels elastic and slightly tacky, working in the flour from the surface. Add up to 1/3 cup of extra flour if the dough feels excessively sticky.
- 5Move the dough to a large bowl lightly coated with cooking spray, turning it over once to grease the top. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm 80-degree Fahrenheit spot for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- 6Mix the ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup of the orange marmalade, the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, and the remaining 1/2 cup of butter in a small bowl until mostly smooth.
- 7Place the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into an 18 by 12-inch rectangle. Spread the prepared butter and marmalade mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
- 8Roll the dough tightly into a log starting from one of the long ends. Rolling tightly ensures the filling stays trapped inside the spirals. Slice the log crosswise into 15 pieces, making each about 1 1/4 inches thick.
- 9Place the sliced rolls into a 13 by 9-inch baking pan that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise in a warm 80-degree Fahrenheit area for about 30 minutes until they look puffy and nearly doubled in size.
- 10Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the plastic wrap and gently brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining 1/4 cup of marmalade, then bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
- 11Let the baked rolls cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Cooling gives the crumb time to set so the rolls don't fall apart when you glaze them.
- 12Whisk the powdered sugar, orange zest, and fresh orange juice in a small bowl until completely smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled rolls.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Warm individual rolls in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds to restore their soft, gooey texture.
- Make ahead: You can assemble the rolls the night before. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, then let them sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours to rise before baking.
- Tip: Use unflavored dental floss to slice the dough log cleanly without squishing the spirals.
Recipe Details
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