We were needing a little something special for breakfast, so I whipped out my trusty Southern Living All-Time Favorites Cookbook and browsed through the yeast breads section.
I love working with yeast rolls and breads and these Orange Rolls with a Warm Sour Cream Butter Glaze jumped right out at me - especially that sour cream butter glaze.
There was no photo, so I was curious to see how they would turn out.
They turned out great! The soft yeast dough triangles are sprinkled with a sugar/orange zest mixture, rolled up, baked, then smothered in an awesome warm sour cream butter glaze.
You may think it's a lot of glaze, but when cooled, it's perfect, so make sure and use all of it!
I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I ate one of these warm and just glazed orange rolls. They're soft and a little chewy, and the orange flavor comes through without being overpowering.
Be sure and set aside plenty of time for the dough to rise. Besides that, they're not difficult at all to make. Just make sure your yeast is fresh (but you know that).
We ate these for breakfast, but found ourselves sneaking them for snacks, too. Warm them up for 10 or 15 seconds and they're back to being perfect again.
Try these Orange Rolls with a Warm Sour Cream Butter Glaze. Your family and friends will be enormously grateful and think you're the best baker ever.
Orange Rolls with Sour Cream Butter Glaze
Excellent orange yeast rolls with a warm buttery glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg active dry yeast
- ¼ C warm water (100 to 110°)
- 1 C sugar, divided
- ½ C butter, melted and divided
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ C sour cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ¼ C all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon orange zest (from 2 large oranges)
- Glaze
- ¾ C sugar
- ½ C sour cream
- ½ C butter
- 2 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine the yeast and warm water, stir, and let stand for 5 minutes to bloom.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture, ¼ cup of the sugar, 6 tablespoons of the butter, eggs, sour cream and salt until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups of the flour, ½ cup at a time, and beat at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add another cup and fourth of flour in until it creates a soft dough (you may not need all of the flour).
- Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours, or until almost doubled in bulk.
- Combine the orange zest and remaining ¾ cup of sugar in a bowl and stir until well combined.
- Grease a 13x9" baking pan. Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll out one of the halves into a 12 inch circle and brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with one-half of the orange zest/sugar mixture.
- Cut each circle into 12 even wedges, roll up each wedge starting at the wide end. Place each wedge, point side down, in the greased pan (with the other half of the dough there will end up being 3 rows of 8 rolls). Repeat with the other half of the dough, using the rest of the butter and orange zest/sugar mixture.
- Cover the pan and let rise in a warm place, about 1 hour or until the rolls are almost doubled. Preheat the oven to 350° and bake the rolls for 22 minutes, turning the pan at 12 minutes.
- Remove the baked rolls from the oven and start the glaze.
- For the Glaze: Stir the sugar, sour cream, butter, orange juice and pinch of salt together in a medium pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat (makes about 1 ½ cups).
- Pour the glaze evenly over the still warm rolls, making sure to get down in the nooks and crannies. Makes 2 dozen rolls.
Notes
Tips and Stuff:
Use your discretion on the flour amount in the dough. It shouldn't be sticky and should roll into a soft, smooth ball when removed from the mixer.
If the risen dough springs back while you're trying to roll it out, let it sit another five minutes before trying to roll again. It should relax the dough some.
Use all of the glaze! It looks like it will make the rolls soggy, but it won't.
Refrigerate any leftovers and microwave cold rolls about 20 seconds before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 rollAmount Per Serving: Calories: 216Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 173mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 3g
Nutrition Values are Approximate
How many grams is the flour?
According to King Arthur Baking, there's 120 grams of flour in a cup, so this would be a total 390 grams.
Can you use puff Pastry to make these
Hi Linda. If you need to make a substitute, I would choose Pillsbury (or whatever brand) crescent rolls. I think the thick sauce might crush the puff pastry and get soggy.
These are AMAZING. I've made them a few times now and everybody loves them. The recipe is easy to follow. The rolls are so soft, I'm planning on using the dough recipe sometime and just leave them as plain cressant rolls. If you're considering making these, DO IT! You won't regret it, except you'll be wanting to make them all the time. The glaze may be the best part. I could drink it it's so good.
Can I make the dough and form the rolls then cover and place in the fridge overnight? Then take out and let the rolls come to room temp/rise then bake? I host a 9:30 am bible study. I’d have no time to make from the beginning and have them done by 9:30.
I think that should work, Melissa, but haven't tried it myself.
These are AMAZING! I've made them a few times now and everybody loves them. The orange stands out well but not overpowering and just right on the sweetness. The glaze is fantastic. Thank you for this recipe. I'm so glad I found it.
So glad you like them Bailey. One of our favorites!
Is there a bread machine version?
Hi Natalie - I've not tried it in a bread machine, but would imagine it would work fine. Add the ingredients per your bread machine instructions.
Good morning! I have a crescent roll recipe I make and it calls for the dough to sit in a plastic bag in the frig over night before rolling out so I would think it would work great to do the same. It also says you leave the dough overnight, roll out the next day and in this case put in the orange zest, melted butter, and pecans, roll up and flash freeze, and freeze. Before baking let them defrost and bake. I’ve done this too and they were great! Hope that helps!
Thanks Beth!
These turned out amazing!!! They tasted heavenly! I was very surprised how well the orange really stood out. This will definitely be a must in my get togethers.
So glad you liked them, Brandy. I love the sauce on these things! 🙂
The original recipe from about 1970 had toasted coconut in the sugar/orange zest filling and then toasted coconut sprinkled over the top after they were baked. I still have it on a recipe card! It was a favorite of that day!
I'm going to have to pull out my 70's cookbooks and look that up!
Is this done in a 9x13 pan? It sounds like a lot of rolls in that size pan. I have made many cinnamon rolls, so I am familiar with baking. The largest amount of rolls I have put in a pan is 15, but of course they have been shaped differently. I am eager to try these soon.
Hi Sue! Yes, it's a 9x13" pan. They are cut very small, rolled into crescents, then rise perfectly to fit. Hope you like them!
Did you know how many grams the flour is?
Thanks!
According to King Arthur Baking - 390 grams.
I have two questions. Can this be doubled? Can a dough hook be used on a stand mixer to make this and knead the dough after coming together?
Hi Angela - yes it can be doubled - just watch the amount of flour as you may not need the entire doubled amount. And yes, definitely you can use a hook and stand mixer. I knead it a little less in the mixer (since it's stronger than I am at kneading!).
These are AMAZING! I don't usually leave comments but these were too good not to. They are perfect! Not too sweet or too tart. The glaze is delicious. I've already made it to go on top of cinnamon rolls that I made with this dough recipe. It's so soft and fluffy. If you're debating on whether to make these or not, DO IT! You won't regret it.
Yay! So glad you liked them, Bailey. Putting that wonderful glaze on cinnamon rolls is a good idea.
I have my mother’s Pillsbury Bake
Off recipe book from 50-55 years ago. This recipe was one that won a $5000.00 Second Grand Prize. It was called “ Orange Butter Coffee Cake”. The only difference is she put 3/4 cup coconut In with the sugar and orange rind filling. It’s divine ♥️
I can definitely see these winning a prize. They ARE divine! 🙂
Can these be made using Honey Butter Cressants from Pillsbury?
Yes, you could Cindi, but the premade crescents aren't quite as sturdy as the homemade dough, so they might flatten a bit and baking time may vary (see the baking time on the can).
I have been making these since the '70's but with toasted coconut in the filling and on top. Pilllsbury Bake Off recipe from a lady in Mequon, Wisconsin. They are our Christmas and Easter brunch go to. Loved by all except the littlest grandchild.
That sounds good, JJ. I just love these.
We make this every holiday with the toasted coconut like the Pillsbury Bake Off winner did. Yum
My mother made this recipe for most Christmas mornings. I think she added the coconut to the recipe as well. She said the recipe came from a Woman's Day magazine and was given to her from her friend's recipes. I recreated it this year using frozen Rhodes Dinner Rolls and did the zest/sugar, rolled the crescents, cooked the sauce and poured it over the just baked rolls. A cheat, but almost as good.
I think using premade rolls is a great idea, Mary!
Have you ever frozen them before the 2nd rises I’m wondering if they could be made ahead, thawed, risen, and then baked?
I've never tried freezing them, Julie, but I can't think of a reason why they couldn't be.
Can you start making the dough in bread machine?
Hi Gayle - yes, definitely!
My mom also obtained this Pillsbury Bake-off Recipe from the 1960's. Our family still makes it every year for Christmas brunch. My mom would bake it ahead of time and once cooled, cover the pan with foil and freeze. Then she would thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm in oven on Christmas morning. For fewer servings, you can just warm it in microwave.
Good tips, Nancy!
I received this recipe 55 years ago at my first nursing job. It came as a refrigerated dough recipe for cinnamon rolls or orange rolls. The orange sauce is the BEST and the rolls delicious made as descriBetter than cinnamon rolls by far.
That sauce would make a baseball taste good, right? I love remembering where the tried-and-true recipes came from in my life. It sounds like you do, too, Trisha!
I made these like cinnamon rolls, baked them 5 extra minutes and added 1 tsp cinnamon to the glaze. So good, will make these again!
Sounds great, Cindy!