Incredibly soft and fluffy, these Orange Creamsicle Rolls are swirled with zesty citrus sugar filling and luscious orange curd, and slathered in tangy orange cream cheese frosting!
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a good Orange Creamsicle. Along with the always nostalgic Dixie Cups, Orange Creamsicles have the perfect balance of creamy vanilla and citrusy orange. It’s that delectable combination of flavors that never gets old, which is why I’ve decided to transform this frozen favorite into something into something warm and fluffy…
Warm and fluffy sweet rolls, that is…
What You’ll Love About These Orange Creamsicle Rolls
Extra Soft and Pillowy Dough: These are hands down the most soft and pillowy sweet rolls you will ever have in your entire life. Whether you grab a center piece or a corner piece, it’s guaranteed to be soft and fluffy throughout.
Luscious Orange Curd: If you thought lemon curd was amazing, wait until you try orange curd! This homemade orange curd is dangerously addictive and makes for the perfect companion for these sweet rolls. If that wasn’t enough, the rolls are ALSO swirled with zesty citrus sugar!
Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting: Each roll is generously slathered in tangy cream cheese frosting. It goes without saying that cream cheese frosting and orange curd are a match made in sweet citrus heaven.
Tips for Making Orange Curd
Use Fresh Orange Juice: You can’t beat the flavor and sweetness of freshly-squeezed orange juice. Not to mention, store-bought orange juice contains extra sweeteners and ingredients that you simply don’t need. You only need about a 1/2 cup of juice for the whole recipe, so three medium oranges should be enough. Of course it goes without saying, you’ll want to zest the oranges BEFORE juicing them.
Eliminate Most of the Whites: A higher ratio of egg yolks to egg whites results in a creamier and smoother curd that doesn’t taste eggy. That’s because egg whites contain most of the sulfur compounds found in eggs, thus removing almost all of the whites produces a richer flavor.
Add a Splash of Lemon Juice: The lemon juice gives the orange curd a nice tang while also balancing out the natural sweetness of the oranges. Without the lemon juice, the orange curd would taste overly sugary or flat, so it really helps to brighten up the flavor.
Combine Ingredients Well: With the exception of the butter (which is melted during the cooking process), make sure that all of the ingredients are completely combined BEFORE you heat the curd on the stove. This will not only ensure a smooth and evenly-cooked curd, but it’ll prevent any bits of cooked egg from forming during the cooking process. However, if you do end up with little eggy bits, the next tip will solve that problem!
ALWAYS Strain the Curd: No matter how smooth or egg white-less (definitely not a word) your curd may look, I highly recommend straining it through a fine mesh sieve. This not only results in orange curd that’s extra smooth, but it also removes any unwanted bits of cooked egg or rogue egg shells.
Tips for Making Orange Creamsicle Rolls
Use Active Dry Yeast: I’ve found that active dry yeast is much more reliable than instant yeast. For one thing, you have guaranteed proofing. This means that you can activate the yeast to ensure that it’s not dead or expired before it’s added to the dough. It also produces a slower, more controlled rise, giving the dough extra time to develop better flavor during fermentation.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: To help the yeast thrive, it’s important to use room temperature ingredients. This also results in a proper dough rise and the best texture overall. However, if you’re in a pinch, you can heat the milk in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. Doing so accelerates the initial rise, which is especially useful in colder climates.
Add Pudding Mix For Extra Softness: Instant vanilla pudding mix, to be more specific. This is what keeps the rolls soft, tender, and extra fluffy for days. It also adds just enough sweetness to the dough, so that no extra sugar is needed. You’ll literally whip up a small batch of vanilla pudding (using the instant mix), and combine it with the rest of the ingredients. It’s that simple!
Don’t Over-Mix the Dough: Along with adding pudding mix, resisting the temptation to over-mix the dough will result in a softer sweet roll. The only kneading that needs to be done is in the mixer. Once you’ve turned it out on a floured board, sprinkle a little flour onto it, and roll it out. Make sure the rolling pin is dusted with flour as well to keep it from sticking.
Lift, Don’t Push: When it comes time to roll the dough into a log, the best technique is to LIFT and roll the dough on top of itself instead of using a pushing action. This will keep the orange curd from smushing out.
Slice Rolls with Dental Floss: To avoid smashing the rolls, use unwaxed flavorless dental floss to slice them. This also produces the cleanest cuts imaginable, and you don’t lose any of that precious filling. To cut with floss, simply tear off a piece (about 8-10 inches long), carefully shimmy it underneath the dough log to where you want to slice, pull both ends up and around the log, then pull tightly. Keep repeating these steps until you’ve got 12 even rolls. For easy transfer, slide a thin metal spatula underneath the sliced roll, lift, and place it into the baking dish.
Orange Creamsicle Rolls
Ingredients
Orange Curd:
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons orange zest
- Pinch of salt
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces
Dough:
- ¼ cup warm water*
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce packet)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup milk, warmed in microwave for 30-40 seconds
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3-3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Orange Sugar Filling:
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 5 ounces cream cheese softened
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 Tablespoons freshly-squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Orange Curd:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, and sugar together until combined. Whisk in the orange juice, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened to a pudding-like consistency. This should take about 3-5 minutes minutes.
- Immediately strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a shallow bowl (for quicker cooling). Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
Make the Dough:
- In a glass measuring cup, combine the water, yeast, and sugar; set aside to foam for about 5-10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the pudding mix and milk together until combined and thickened. Add the butter, Greek yogurt, egg, and salt, beating until fully combined.
- Switch to the dough hook, and add the yeast mixture and 3 cups of the flour. Mix the dough on low and allow it to knead for about 6-7 minutes. If dough is still too sticky, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until dough just cleans the bowl, but is very soft. It should still stick to the bottom of the bowl.
- Coat a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray and place dough in bowl. Seal tightly with plastic wrap. Place bowl in a warm place and allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. In the meantime, spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- After dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Turn dough out onto a floured Silpat or floured countertop. With a rolling pin (dusted in flour), roll it out to an 18-by-12-inch rectangle. Sprinkle extra flour onto the dough if it begins to stick to the rolling pin.
- Make the orange sugar filling by combining the butter, sugar and orange zest together in a bowl. Spread the filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Transfer 1/2 cup of the orange curd to another bowl--save for later. Spoon the rest of the orange curd on top of the orange sugar filling. Make sure to spread evenly. Roll dough tightly into a log, ending with the seam side down.**
- Using plain, unwaxed dental floss (or a bench scraper), slice the rolls into 12 evenly-sized rolls. Arrange the rolls cut side down in the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
*If Baking Immediately
- Allow the rolls to rise again in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
*Or...If You Want to Bake the Rolls the Next Day
- Place covered rolls in the refrigerator for up to 20 hours. Before baking, let the rolls sit at room temperature until they have nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.***
Baking:
- For either version, bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. You can tent the rolls with aluminum foil during the last 5-10 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning. While the rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the orange juice, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt, and beat until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, beating until well incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl, if necessary.
- Once the rolls have baked, remove from the oven. Allow to rest/cool for 20 minutes.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cinnamon rolls. Take the reserved orange curd, drop teaspoonfuls on the tops of each roll, then use a knife or spatula to swirl it into the frosting. Serve immediately.
- Rolls are best eaten fresh, but will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat leftover rolls for 10-15 seconds in the microwave before serving.