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sourdough orange rolls with cream cheese frosting

Sourdough Orange Rolls Recipe


Yield: 9 rolls
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Rise Time: 9 hours

Sourdough orange rolls made with an active starter for the softest, fluffiest rolls! Bright citrus flavor, make-ahead options

5 from 4 votes

Ingredients

Orange Rolls

  • 100 grams active sourdough starter about 1/3 cup
  • 30 grams light brown sugar 2 Tablespoons
  • 175 grams milk, warm 3/4 cup
  • 57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
  • 5 grams orange zest (optional) 1 teaspoon, packed
  • 5 grams salt 3/4 teaspoon
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 370 grams bread flour 2 1/2 cups + 2 Tablespoons
  • 80 grams heavy cream, warmed 1/3 cup, just before baking

Orange Filling

  • 57 grams unsalted butter, softened 4 Tablespoons
  • 150 grams light brown sugar 2/3 cup
  • 10 grams orange zest about 2 medium oranges
  • 10 grams all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 30 grams unsalted butter, softened 2 Tablespoons
  • 55 grams cream cheese, room temperature 2 ounces
  • 15 grams orange juice, freshly squeezed 1 Tablespoon
  • 5 grams orange zest about 1 medium orange
  • 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
  • 120 grams powdered sugar 1 cup

Instructions

DOUGH

  1. Add active starter, brown sugar and warm milk to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Be sure that the milk isn’t boiling (no hotter than 110 F) – this could kill the starter and prevent the dough from rising.
    100 grams active sourdough starter, 30 grams light brown sugar, 175 grams milk, warm
  2. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
  3. To the bowl, add melted unsalted butter, orange zest, salt, and an egg. Mix on low until fully combined.
    57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 5 grams orange zest (optional), 5 grams salt, 1 egg
  4. Switch the paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment. While mixing on medium, add the bread flour, about 70g (1/2 c) at a time, until incorporated. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula in between each addition of flour.
    370 grams bread flour
  5. Once all of the flour has been added, continue to knead the dough for 5 more minutes at medium speed.
  6. For the first rise, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a reusable shower cap and let the dough rest in a warm spot to double in size. I love using this bowl to help me know when my bulk fermentation is complete! In my 70 degree F kitchen this took about 6-7 hours. The rise times can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The warmer your kitchen, the faster the dough will rise. The opposite is true for cooler kitchens.
  7. Note: If you prefer to shape the rolls the following day, after the dough has completed its bulk ferment, place the covered dough in the fridge overnight. Continue with the recipe the following morning.

SHAPE

  1. Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 inch by 12 inch rectangle.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, brown sugar, orange zest and flour. Then spread the butter/sugar mixture over the entire surface of the sourdough orange roll dough.
    57 grams unsalted butter, softened, 150 grams light brown sugar, 10 grams orange zest, 10 grams all-purpose flour
  3. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice the dough into 9 even stripes (about 1 3/4 inches per roll), then roll each stripe of dough into a roll for a more polished look.
  4. Grease a 9 x 9 or 2 quart baking dish with butter before gently placing the Sourdough Orange Rolls inside, about 1/2 - 1 inches apart.
  5. Cover with a plastic wrap and let rise for a second time until they have noticeably grown and look puffy. Don’t rush this step! If the rolls haven’t puffed up, they will bake up dense. This took about 2-3 hours in my 70 degree F kitchen. To speed up this step, place the dough in an OFF oven with just the light on or in a proofing box at 90 degrees F. This creates a nice and toasty spot for them to rise quickly.
  6. Not ready to bake these on the same day? No worries! Cover the shaped rolls with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge overnight. Before you’re ready to bake the orange rolls, pull them out of the fridge and allow them to complete their second rise. This will take longer, since the dough is cold from being in the fridge. I like to place them in my favorite proofing box at 90 degrees F for 3-4 hours. This creates a nice and toasty spot for them to rise.
  7. Since this is an enriched dough, it can take longer for the dough to rise. The rise time will also depend on the temperature of your kitchen. A cooler kitchen will have a longer bulk fermentation and final rise, while a warmer kitchen will be quicker.

BAKE

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Just before baking, pour warmed heavy cream over the Sourdough Orange Rolls. The extra moisture from the heavy cream will keep the rolls extra soft while baking.
    80 grams heavy cream, warmed
  2. Bake the Sourdough Orange Rolls for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature is 190 degrees F. If you notice that the center rolls aren’t fully baked after the recommended time, cover the rolls with aluminum foil, lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to bake until the center rolls have reached the internal temperature of 190 degrees F.
  3. Remove from the oven and place the orange rolls on a wire rack to cool slightly.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. While the orange buns are cooling, prepare the orange cream cheese frosting.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix unsalted butter and room-temperature cream cheese until combined. Add orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend until smooth.
    30 grams unsalted butter, softened, 55 grams cream cheese, room temperature, 15 grams orange juice, freshly squeezed, 5 grams orange zest, 120 grams powdered sugar, 4 grams vanilla extract
  3. Using an offset spatula, spread the orange cream cheese frosting over the warm orange rolls so that it can slightly melt into all of the cracks and crevices. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

I included a same Baking Schedule above!
Not ready to bake these on the same day? No worries! Cover the shaped rolls with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge overnight. Before you’re ready to bake the orange rolls, pull them out of the fridge and allow them to rise. This will take longer, since the dough is cold from being in the fridge. To speed along this step, I like to place them in my favorite proofing box at 90 degrees F or in an OFF oven with just the light on. This creates a nice and toasty spot for them to rise. This took about 3-4 hours.
**Since this is an enriched dough, it can take longer for the dough to rise. The rise time will also depend on the temperature of your kitchen. A cooler kitchen will have a longer bulk fermentation and final rise, while a warmer kitchen will be quicker. Then bake as normal.

Ingredients

Brown sugar - white sugar can be used as a substitute
Milk - Use any of your favorite non-dairy alternatives
Unsalted Butter - If you use salted butter, reduce 2 grams or 1/4 teaspoon of salt for every 113 grams or 1/2 cup of butter used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 684IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
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