Easy Overnight Orange Rolls (Print Version)

Tender, fluffy orange rolls with a citrus glaze, perfect for a flavorful breakfast or brunch treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - Zest of 2 large oranges

→ Filling

09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 - Zest of 1 large orange

→ Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2-3 tbsp fresh orange juice
14 - 1 tsp orange zest

# Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine milk, melted butter, eggs, and orange zest.
03 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a sticky dough forms.
04 - Knead by hand or with a stand mixer using the dough hook for 7-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
05 - Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
06 - Punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a 10x16-inch rectangle.
07 - Spread softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle with sugar and orange zest.
08 - Roll up the dough tightly from the longer edge and cut into 12 even rolls.
09 - Place rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
10 - In the morning, let the rolls sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, until puffy.
11 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
12 - Bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden brown.
13 - While baking, prepare the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest until smooth.
14 - Drizzle glaze over warm rolls before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You mix everything once and let time do the heavy lifting, which means less kitchen chaos and more time enjoying your guests.
  • Fresh orange zest makes these taste bright and sophisticated without being fussy or difficult.
  • Overnight rising means you can actually sleep in and still serve warm, fragrant rolls for breakfast.
02 -
  • Milk temperature matters more than you'd think—I once used milk straight from the fridge and my yeast barely woke up, resulting in dense rolls that taught me this lesson permanently.
  • The overnight chill isn't just for convenience; it's where the dough develops flavor and gets easier to work with, so resist the urge to bake them the same day.
  • Don't skip the room temperature proof in the morning—those rolls need to look noticeably puffy before they hit the oven, otherwise they'll be dense instead of fluffy.
03 -
  • Use dental floss instead of a knife to cut the rolls—it creates clean edges without dragging and compressing the dough the way a knife can.
  • If your kitchen is cold, place the rolls in a turned-off oven with just the light on for the morning proof, and they'll rise perfectly in that gentle warmth.
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