Granny’s orange rolls are the BEST! Perfect for any holiday or family event, they are sure to disappear in a hurry, especially once the kids are allowed near them!
Today I have a real treat for you: my Granny’s Homemade Orange Rolls Recipe. This recipe makes about 18-24 rolls. These orange rolls are DIVINE! They are everyone’s favorite item at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinners. We always look forward to them! In the last few years, she has decided they are too much trouble and she is done making them, so I have taken over. Well, today I am going to teach *you* how to make them for your family as well!
Let’s go through things step-by-step, picture-by-picture, and then I will give you the recipe in a concise form that is easy for printing.
First things first: dissolve a packet of yeast (or the equivalent amount from a jar) in 1/2 a cup of warm water and set aside. Next melt the shortening in the microwave. Combine the shortening, sugar, salt, and HOT water and beat to dissolve.
Cool the hot water mixture and then add egg, yeast, and cold water. Stir in 3+ cups flour. (You may have to add a tad bit more flour depending on elevation, climate, etc. You don’t want it to be too wet.) Stir to blend.
Place dough in a bowl that has been pre-sprayed with cooking spray and cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has also been sprayed with cooking spray. (So that the dough is easy to get out of the bowl post-rise.) Rise until the dough has about doubled, about 1 or 1 1/2 hours. (I usually place it in a warm spot or room to help/hurry it along a bit.)
At some point during the first rise, put together the orange spread. You do this by combining softened butter, zest of an orange, and the squeezed juice of half to a full orange. Beat with a hand mixer to combine. Once the dough has doubled in size, roll out the dough and spread with the orange mixture. Roll the dough and then cut off portions of it, as shown above.
Place the dough spirals into GREASED muffin tins.
Cover the muffin tins (with roll dough inside) with a piece of lightly sprayed/greased plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise for about 1 more hour.
Bake for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees. (Check on them to see how they are browning!) **I usually put a cookie sheet on the racks under the muffin tins because the orange filling is known to ooze out all over the oven.**
Now serve and enjoy! YUMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t those look delish?! A bit of a hassle to make, but TOTALLY worth it! TRUST ME . . . your guests will LOVE them!
Here is the full recipe for you, in two more print-friendly formats:
GRANNY’S ORANGE ROLLS RECIPE
Bread
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hot water
1 beaten egg
1 package yeast (2 1/4 tsp yeast)
1/2 cup cold water
3+ cups unsifted flour
Orange Spread
1/2 cup sugar
zest of one orange
squeezed juice of 1/2 or more of an orange
1 stick of butter, softened
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and set aside. Melt shortening in the microwave. Combine melted shortening, sugar, salt, and hot water and beat to dissolve. Cool and then add egg, yeast, and cold water. Stir in 3 cups unsifted flour. (You may have to add a tad bit more flour depending on elevation, climate, etc. You don’t want it to be too wet.) Stir to blend. Place dough in a bowl that has been pre-sprayed with cooking spray and cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has also been sprayed with cooking spray. (So that the dough is easy to get out of the bowl post-rise.) Rise until the dough has about doubled, about 1 or 1 1/2 hours. (I usually place it in a warm spot or room.) At some point during the first rise, put together the orange spread. Do this by combining softened butter, zest of an orange, and the squeezed juice of half to a full orange. Beat with a hand mixer to combine. Once the dough has doubled in size, roll out the dough and spread with the orange mixture. Roll the dough into one large rolled log. Cut portions of it off so that you end up with spiraled rolls. Place the dough spirals into GREASED muffin tins. Cover the muffin tins (with roll dough inside) with a piece of lightly sprayed/greased plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise for about 1 more hour. Uncover tins and bake for about 15 minutes at 375-400 degrees. **I usually put a cookie sheet on the racks under the muffin tins because the orange filling is known to ooze out all over the oven.** This recipe makes about 18-24 rolls.
Rating
Serves: 18-24 rolls

- For the Bread:
- ½ cup warm water
- ¼ cup shortening
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 package yeast (2¼ teaspoons yeast)
- ½ cup cold water
- 3+ cups unsifted flour
- For the Orange Spread:
- ½ cup sugar
- zest of one orange
- squeezed juice of ½ or more of an orange
- 1 stick of butter, softened
- Dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water and set aside.
- Melt shortening in the microwave.
- Combine melted shortening, sugar, salt, and hot water and beat to dissolve.
- Cool and then add egg, yeast, and cold water.
- Stir in 3 cups unsifted flour. (You may have to add a tad bit more flour depending on elevation, climate, etc. You don't want it to be too wet.)
- Stir to blend.
- Place dough in a bowl that has been pre-sprayed with cooking spray and cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has also been sprayed with cooking spray. (So that the dough is easy to get out of the bowl post-rise.)
- Rise until the dough has about doubled, about 1 or 1½ hours. (I usually place it in a warm spot or room.)
- At some point during the first rise, put together the orange spread. Do this by combining softened butter, zest of an orange, and the squeezed juice of half to a full orange. Beat with a hand mixer to combine.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, roll out the dough and spread with the orange mixture.
- Roll the dough into one large rolled log. Cut portions of it off so that you end up with spiraled rolls.
- Place the dough spirals into GREASED muffin tins.
- Cover the muffin tins (with roll dough inside) with a piece of lightly sprayed/greased plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise for about 1 more hour.
- Bake for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees. (Keep an eye on them so they don't overcook!) **I usually put a cookie sheet on the racks under the muffin tins because the orange filling is known to ooze out all over the oven.**

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I have baked all kinds of buns and rolls , butter buns, cinnamon, sourdough etc. but never have I heard of Orange Rolls. This sounds gourmet good. Yum!! Tell your grand mother another grannie appreciates her skills and yours.
Yay! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Hi Sarah, What lovely rolls! The orange flavor must be a great addition to them, too! Look forward to trying this recipe. Thanks for sharing! Blessings, Janet
Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up!
Stopping by from Sunday’s Best Linkup. I’ve never heard of Orange Rolls. They look delicious. Thanks or sharing on the linkup.
I love orange rolls and have been looking for a good recipe! Printing it off! Thanks for linking up to Funtastic Friday!
Your Grannys Homemade Orange Rolls are just beautiful and perfect for a special holiday meal. I really appreciate you sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
My boys & I love rolls! I can’t wait to try these. Thank you for linking up to last weeks Creative K Kids’ Tasty Tuesday!
Love it! Thank you for sharing! What a great recipe! I love the orange spread!Also I will definitely turn many of my standard rolls into muffin rolls cause it makes everything look even more YUM!!!!