Orange Rolls


This recipe is a family favorite. Growing up my mom would make these, and one of my brother's would count how many there were, to make sure someone didn't get more than another. If you aren't comfortable with bread making, go check out our post on basic bread to kind of get a walk through on bread making.

Dough:
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 Tbs. yeast
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. soft butter (or you can use shortening)
1 egg
5 c. flour

Filling:
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
Orange zest, from 4 oranges

For the dough, combine the water, yeast and 1/4 c. sugar, and let sit for 10 minutes. Add salt, softened butter, egg and flour. Mix until you have a soft dough, then knead it. Let the dough rest for half an hour.
While the dough is resting melt butter for the filling, then mix in sugar and orange zest and let it cool so it's not hot. After the dough has rested for a half an hour, roll it out into a rectangle so the dough is about 1/4 inch think. Spread filling all over the top of the dough.


You can shape the dough 2 ways, you can either roll it up and cut it like cinnamon rolls, or you can cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch strips, then layer them 3 high, and then cut them into squares, and layer them into a greased 9x13 pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let the rolls raise until doubled.
Cook rolls in a preheated 325 degree oven until very lightly browned. My mom says she cooks her's for 12-14 minutes, but whenever I've made them they have always needed longer. So start with 12 minutes and go from there, when I make them I usually have to cook mine for 25-30 minutes.
I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

2 comments:

Cori February 23, 2010 at 9:42 AM  

2 questions, did your mom just come up with the stacking method? Every time I make these I wonder this? And then have you ever used the small oranges, satsumas or mandarin oranges for your zest? I have a bag and I was just wondering the other day how they would work for this recipe? And can i just tell you that I love that you are putting some of your mom recipes up. I have had her recipes for all of Colin's favorites but it just not the same as when you see her do it, or you since you learned from her. So thank you for doing that so I can make things for Colin the way his mom does it :-)

Erin February 23, 2010 at 8:02 PM  

I didn't learn as much from my mom as you might think, not that she wasn't willing to teach me, I just didn't spend as much time in the kitchen with her as I wish I would have. I guess I can thank her for the willingness to teach me, and apologize for my lack of interest, and thank her that maybe some of it is talent I've just been blessed with through some genetics. I've never tried it with satsumas, but I'd say zest some up and mix it with some sugar and give it a taste and you'll know if it will taste ok with the rolls. The method behind it I have no clue, I guess we should ask her where she learned it. And I'm sure they would taste just fine however you would want to make them and taste just as good if you used your own technique.

About this blog

Just two love birds that share a passion for cooking. We are all about trying new things and letting you know how it went. On occasions you will get the ramblings of a crazy geek and a lovely baker.