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This orange dinner rolls recipe makes soft, puffy yeasted rolls glazed with orange butter for a touch of sweetness. They’re quick and easy to make for the holidays!
I love these homemade dinner rolls made with love (and citrus). Try these pillowy pumpkin cinnamon rolls for a delicious holiday breakfast, next!
This recipe for the fluffiest orange dinner rolls belonged to my sweet neighbor, who was 80 years young at the time she taught me how to make them! It’s a recipe that’s been passed through generations. My neighbor’s mother used to make these buttery dinner rolls to serve with pork chops, of all things. They’re so good, that my neighbor used to hide these rolls in her pocket when she was young, to enjoy as dessert. I quickly learned why, and you will too!
Why I Love This Dinner Rolls Recipe
- Soft, pillowy texture. These orange dinner rolls are light, fluffy, and buttery. They have a golden-baked exterior and soft interior that’s similar to crescent rolls. They’re perfect to pull apart and sop up everything from Guinness stew on St. Patrick’s Day to turkey gravy at Thanksgiving.
- Zesty orange flavor. As I’ve discovered from the generations before me, the ultimate dinner roll has a melt-in-your-mouth sweet citrus glaze that totally knocks it out of the park.
- Easy to make. When comfort calls (or the holidays come knocking), I make these orange dinner rolls. You can make them using homemade or refrigerated biscuit dough. If you can, I recommend making them from scratch. It’s worth it!
What You’ll Need
Here are the no-fuss ingredients needed to make these rustic sweet dinner rolls. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list with the full recipe details.
- Active Yeast – Use dry active yeast for dough that’s not too hard or soft, but just right. You’ll need to activate the yeast in warm (110ºF) water before you start.
- Sugar – This can be granulated sugar or brown sugar.
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter for the dough and for buttering the bowl in which the dough will rise.
- Whole Milk – Whole milk offers the best consistency for these fluffy dinner rolls, but any dairy or non-dairy milk works.
- Flour – For the most consistent results, refined all-purpose flour is the way to go.
- Orange Juice – To combine with sugar and butter to make the glaze. If you have fresh oranges, zest them and juice them for the best flavor!
Can I Use Store-Bought Dough?
Yes! Fun fact: The day my neighbor arrived in my kitchen to teach me this recipe, she brought ready-to-bake biscuit dough and swore it was her secret. If you’re pinched for time (or want in on the secret, too), go right ahead and make these dinner rolls with refrigerated biscuit dough, like Pillsbury. Just follow the baking instructions and then glaze as you would if you’d made the rolls from scratch.
How to Make Orange Dinner Rolls
If you’re new to baking with yeast, this recipe is perfect! I promise it’s worth making the dough from scratch (and easier than you think). This orange dinner rolls recipe comes together in under an hour. Here’s how to make them:
- Make the dough. First, you’ll need to activate the yeast with sugar and warm water. Next, combine the ingredients for the dough and mix well.
- Let it rise. Next, give the dough a good kneading and place it in a buttered bowl to rise for an hour or so.
- Prepare to bake. When your dough has doubled in size, pinch off pieces and form the dough into balls. Place two balls side-by-side into the greased wells of a muffin pan. This is my handy trick to mimic English popovers!
- Rest. Drape a kitchen towel loosely over the tray while the rolls continue to rise, until they’re about doubled in size (again).
- Bake. Now, remove the towel and bake the rolls at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
- Add the glaze. While the rolls are doing their thing in the oven, make the glaze! Boil the orange juice, sugar and butter in a saucepan until the mixture’s had a chance to thicken. Afterward, brush or drizzle the rolls with the orange glaze while they’re fresh out of the oven, and serve right away.
Tips and Variations
- Use dry yeast. Dry active yeast gives these rolls the best fluffy and light texture! Pay attention when activating the yeast with the water and sugar. If the mixture doesn’t become foamy, this means the yeast is dead or expired, and you’ll need to start again with a fresh packet.
- Use warm (not hot) water to activate the yeast. Combining the yeast with water that’s anything hotter than body temperature (110ºF) may kill the yeast.
- Knead the dough by hand. Kneading the dough by hand can take up to 10 minutes, but this way, it’s almost impossible to over-knead. If you’re using a stand mixer, just a reminder to not over-knead to the point where your dough is clumpy and separating. Stop the mixer as soon as the dough ball holds its shape.
- Do the stretch test. To check if your dough has been kneaded enough, stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers and hold it against the light. If it’s ready, you’ll be able to stretch it without tearing and see the light through the dough.
- Skip the orange glaze. These dinner rolls are delicious served as they are, or brushed with melted butter. You could also make a savory version topped with homemade garlic butter.
Serving Suggestions
Orange dinner rolls are the best side dish, no matter the occasion. I love serving a big basket of fluffy rolls at the holidays, next to a juicy roast turkey with all the fixings: traditional stuffing, fluffy mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. They’re perfect for sopping up the leftovers and gravy.
Any other time of the year, I’ll whip these up for dinner parties, where they go great with saucy cream of mushroom pork chops and braised lamb shanks. I even love these zesty orange rolls dunked in slow cooker chili on game day!
How to Store and Reheat Extras
- At room temperature. These rolls store the best when I leave them unglazed. I’ll store them airtight at room temperature, either wrapped in foil or stashed in a resealable bag for up to 5 days. Just make a fresh batch of orange glaze to brush over the reheated rolls when serving.
- Freeze. Bake the rolls as directed, without glazing. Let them cool completely before wrapping them in a double layer of aluminum foil and placing them in a freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 1 month and thaw the rolls overnight before glazing.
- Reheat. Warm the dinner rolls in a 350ºF oven wrapped in aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Glaze them once they’re out of the oven. If you’re using the microwave, wrap the rolls using moistened paper towels and place them in a microwave-safe container. Warm the rolls on low for a few seconds at a time.
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Orange Dinner Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
For the Rolls
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, , divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
For the Orange Glaze
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In a small mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir until the yeast is dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy.
- Melt the butter. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then add milk and heat to lukewarm.
- Make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with 2 tablespoons of sugar, the butter mixture, 2 cups of flour, and salt. Stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Gradually stir in the remaining flour until the dough is sticky. You may need to add a bit more flour to make a sticky dough.
- Knead. Butter a large bowl and set aside. On a lightly floured work area, knead dough until smooth and elastic; about 10 minutes. To keep the dough from sticking, add more flour as needed. Form dough into a ball and transfer it to the buttered bowl, turning to coat.
- Rise. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until it's doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease 3 muffin tins and set aside.
- Shape the rolls. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Pinch off tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and form the pieces into balls. Put 2 balls into each muffin cup, one next to the other.
- Rest. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let the rolls rise for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they're again doubled in size.
- Bake the rolls. Remove towel and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.
For the Glaze
- Combine the ingredients. Combine orange juice, sugar, and butter in a small saucepan. Bring the glaze mixture to a boil.
- Simmer. Continue to boil at a steady pace for 10 minutes, or until the glaze has thickened.
- Coat the rolls. Remove the saucepan from the heat and brush the glaze over the warm dinner rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
These turned out fantastic. One addition… I mixed some orange zest and sugar and sprinkled some on after the glaze.
I have been trying to remember this recipe for years and my sisters keep asking me foe it as well. I remember watching my mother making these rolls this way. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! Cody Dice.
Those rolls!! That orange glaze is absolute heaven :).