Gluten-Free Orange Rolls

glazed orange rolls with oranges and milk in the background.

Meaningful Eats

These easy gluten-free orange rolls are a tangy orange twist on my popular gluten-free cinnamon rolls. With a sugary orange zest filling and fresh orange glaze, these rolls will make any breakfast feel like an extra special occasion!

NOTE: The gluten-free orange rolls need to be made with King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour for the proper results. Gluten-free measure-for-measure flour will not work the same in this recipe.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Rising Time 1

Total Time 2

Author Erin Collins

Ingredients

Roll Dough

4½ cups (675g) King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour
⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1¼ cups (300ml) water warm
1 cup (240ml) whole milk warm
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons (85g) butter melted

Filling

½ cup (113g) butter melted then cooled to room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons orange zest about the zest of 2 oranges

Orange Glaze

2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
½ teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the gluten-free bread flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt and baking powder. Mix to combine.
With the mixer running on low, slowly add the water, milk, eggs and melted butter. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes. The dough will resemble thick cookie dough, this is normal.
Using an oiled rubber spatula, scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix again until well-combined.
Form the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. (Refrigerating the dough makes it easier to roll out.)

For the filling:

In a small bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and orange zest.
Spray a standard muffin pan with cooking spray.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Sprinkle with a little gluten-free flour, then roll the dough out into a 15x15-inch square.
Using an offset spatula, evenly spread the filling over the dough. Using a pizza cutter, cut the square into twelve 1¼-inch-wide strips.
Roll each dough strip up into an orange roll. Place in the prepared muffin pan.
Cover the pan with oiled plastic wrap and place in a warm place. Allow the rolls to rise for 45-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the rolls are slightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before topping with the glaze.

For the orange glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Adjust the consistency with more orange juice or more powdered sugar as needed to make a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle over the warm rolls. Serve immediately.

Notes

Gluten-Free: This gluten-free bread flour is key for these orange rolls to turn out correctly. Other gluten-free flour blends will not work the same.

Dairy-Free: Use your favorite dairy-free milk and vegan butter. I like to use Elmhurst Unsweetened Cashew milk. It has a similar fat content to whole milk and doesn’t have any added gums or stabilizers that might interfere with the rise/crumb of the rolls.

To Make-Ahead: Assemble the day before and bake the next morning. Follow the recipe through rolling the dough strips into orange rolls and placing them in the pan. Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. (8–12 hours is best, but 16 hours is okay if absolutely needed. Do not exceed 16 hours.) The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and allow the dough to rise on the counter for 45-60 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and bake.

To Store: Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

To Freeze: Let cool completely, but don’t glaze. Wrap the rolls tightly in plastic wrap and foil or use an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge, then warm in the oven at 300°F for 10-15 minutes. Add the glaze before serving.

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