Orange Rolls (Bread Machine Dough + Cream Cheese Icing)
Sneak Preview: Bake light and fluffy bread machine orange rolls with a hint of cardamom and a burst of orange flavor. Topped with cream cheese icing, they’re the ultimate treat for brunch or breakfast. Optional currants or raisins make them even more delightful.
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Bright citrus and a hint of cardamom make these bread machine orange rolls a standout. The dough mixes itself in the machine while you prep the cream cheese glaze. Perfect for brunch, holidays, or any time a little sunshine in bread form is called for. Raisins or currants? Totally optional.
Ingredients and Substitutions
MILK: Any dairy milk works. Almond, oat, or soy milk are fine substitutes, though the texture may be slightly less rich.
ORANGE JUICE CONCENTRATE: Use frozen concentrate for the best orange punch. Fresh juice won’t deliver the same intensity.
EGG: Large eggs (about 50 g). Avoid egg substitutes; they’ll change the dough texture.
CARDAMOM: Optional but recommended for subtle warmth. Swap for cinnamon if you prefer a classic flavor.
GRATED ORANGE PEEL: Fresh zest only — bottled zest lacks brightness.
BUTTER: Unsalted, softened. Salted works if you reduce added salt slightly. Avoid margarine or spreads.
SALT: Regular table salt or sea salt. Add ¼ teaspoon more if using kosher salt.
FLOUR: Unbleached all-purpose is best. Bread flour works but may need a splash more liquid. Avoid whole wheat unless you want a denser roll.
YEAST: Instant or bread machine yeast gives consistent results. Active dry yeast works but rises more slowly.
CURRANTS OR RAISINS: Optional for a sweet bite. Dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots also work.
CREAM CHEESE (for icing): Full-fat cream cheese makes the glaze smooth and rich. Light versions will be thinner and less creamy.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Orange Rolls
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Tips That Make a Difference
- Check your dough twice: Peek in during the first minute to be sure the paddles are engaged, and again at 15 minutes to check consistency.
- Don’t overfill: If adding dried fruit, keep it light — too much will weigh down the dough.
- Citrus boost: For extra orange flavor, increase the zest slightly or add a drop of orange extract.
- Make ahead: Shape the rolls and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature before baking the next day.
Orange Rolls (Bread Machine Dough + Cream Cheese Icing)
Video
Ingredients
DOUGH
- ¾ cup (177 g) milk cool
- 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate thawed
- 1 large (50 g) egg
- 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cardamom optional
- 3 cup (360 g) all-purpose unbleached flour
- 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast or instant yeast
- 1 cup (140 g) currants or raisins (optional)
GLAZE
- 1 oz. (28 g) cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Add Ingredients: Add ¾ cup (177 g) milk to the bread machine pan along with 1 large (50 g) egg, 1 teaspoon grated orange peel, 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, ¼ cup (57 g) butter, and 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon cardamom. Add 3 cup (360 g) all-purpose unbleached flour and 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast or instant yeast on top. Start the bread machine using the DOUGH cycle.
- Check the Dough: Check the dough after 1 minute to make sure the paddles are engaged and the dough is clumping. Check again after 15-18 minutes. The dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly. Add additional water or flour, if necessary, one tablespoon at a time.
- Let Dough Rise: Leave dough in the machine to rise until the DOUGH cycle completes. The dough should be doubled in size. If it's not, leave it in the machine until it does.
- Incorporate Dried Fruit (Optional): Add 1 cup (140 g) currants or raisins if using during the last 5 minutes of the DOUGH cycle or knead in by hand at the end of the DOUGH cycle.
- Portion Dough: When the cycle completes, make rolls into 16 balls. (If you are adding raisins, you may work them into the dough at this point. I divide this dough in half and add 1/2 cup raisins to half of the dough.)Evenly space 8 dough balls into a greased 8 or 9-inch round cake pan. You will end up with two pans of rolls. For a tutorial on making rolls, check out my video.
- Second Rise: Cover loosely with a tea towel and let rise until almost double.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Place rolls into the oven and bake until golden brown for approximately 15-18 minutes. Rolls should register 190˚F (88˚C) before removing them from the oven.
- Glaze: Spoon Orange Glaze over rolls when barely warm or cool.
- Orange Glaze: Warm 1 oz. (28 g) cream cheese for a few seconds in the microwave or let sit out until room temperature. Add 1 tablespoon orange juice and (sifted) 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar and stir until smooth. Drizzle over rolls.
Notes
-
Using a Stand Mixer:
- Add ingredients to the bowl in the same order as the bread machine.
- Turn mixer on LOW to combine ingredients until moistened.
- Attach the dough hook and set the speed to 2 or 3. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes).
- Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place.
- Deflate the dough gently and shape as directed in the recipe.
-
Making Dough by Hand:
- Combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface.
- Knead by hand until the dough becomes smooth and elastic (10-20 minutes, depending on experience).
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled.
- Deflate the dough gently and shape as directed in the recipe.
-
Using Active Dry Yeast:
- If substituting active dry yeast, use 1/4 teaspoon more than the recipe calls for.
- Dissolving the yeast beforehand is optional but not necessary. See the package directions.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQs
1. How do you shape dough into round balls?
Pull the edges of the dough to the center and pinch to seal. Rotate and smooth as needed.
2. Can I prep the dough the day before?
Yes! Refrigerate after the first rise. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
3. Can I use whole wheat flour?
You can, but the texture will be denser. Start by substituting half the flour and adjust.
4. How should I store these rolls?
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a cinnamon roll shape, don’t miss the recipe for these sweet orange rolls with an orange filling inspired by the orange rolls served at an Alabama steak house. Need more uses for this spice? Swedish Cardamom Bread and Sweet Bread Machine Banana Bread
Need help troubleshooting? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com–photos welcome!
I made these for Christmas this year.
Half of the recipe into rolls and the other half into cinnamon buns.
They were so soft and delicious.
Thanks again for a wonderful recipe!
In my experience, people love choices when it comes to food. That’s exactly what you did and it wasn’t much trouble. Way to go!!
Made these today – a real winner. Light and fluffy and very easy to pull together.
I’ll be making this again, without the icing, as a replacement for Hawaiian rolls used for pulled pork sandwiches!
Glad you liked them, Dave. I like your plan to use these as a replacement for Hawaiian rolls. I have a recipe for those on this website, too.
Can I make these the day before and refrigerate them? How does that work?
Holly, You can refrigerate after rolling them out and putting the dough in the pan. You will need to allow extra time for them to rise the second time in the pan the next morning. Probably at least an hour extra. Or you can refrigerate the dough before rolling it out but after the dough cycle has completed. You may have to experiment a bit.
I can’t wait to try these. What size pan do you use? If you said that, I missed it.
I have a cake pan, but it’s nonstick and dark. Would that do, or will the rolls burn?
I was very glad to find all the bread machine recipes you have and look forward to working my way through them. Thanks!
Oh, I see now that you said in your video on dinner rolls that a dark pan is good! Still curious about the pan size, but I will give it a go with whatever seems okay.
Heather, 8 or 9-inch pans. Two of them. You could also use a 13×9 inch pan but I like the way they bake best in round 8-inch pans.
Oh and yes I iced them by your recipe.
I made the orange rolls for a Thanksgiving breakfast treat, except I rolled them out & spread butter, Marmalade jam, & brown sugar on them. Rolled them up from the long end, pinched the dough together & cut them into individual rolls. The way you do the Cinnamon rolls. Yum, soooo good!! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!
They look great. Check Goodwill or thrift stores for breadmakers, that’s where I found the ones for my mom and me.
What a great idea!! So many people don’t realize the treasure they have in a bread machine so most sit unused. Thanks for stopping by.
Oh YUM! These look and sound outrageously delicious!!!
What a nice change from cinnamon rolls, they look so yummy!
Mimi
Wow. You see, anything that has orange flavor is a weakness of mine. Oddly enough, I don’t like actual oranges! But this… oh this… I would eat this. All of it.
orange rolls are a fave of mine. these look super easy, except I don’t have a breadmaker. KA to the rescue i guess!
These rolls look great, and that glaze! OMG it looks amazing! YUM!
Can’t wait to try your recipe. Think I will try the Amanda Cookin’ version also. Have to Lipscomb friends here till tomorrow. May cook them for breakfast tomorrow.
Love anything with orange in it, especially bread! Great rolls, thanks, I will bookmark this.
Lovely! I love orange rolls, these look wonderful 🙂 I have some on my blog too that are rolled up cinnamon roll fashion. Tasty!
Well, just in time. I was looking for something “cinnamon-rolly” to take to work tomorrow… but I don’t have a bread machine. I’ve got every other gadget and contraption… These truly look wonderful – I might venture into the “manual” method!!!