Soft Mini Orange Rolls (Printable version)

Pillowy mini rolls filled with zesty orange sugar and topped with a bright citrus glaze in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough

→ Filling

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
05 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Glaze

06 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
07 - 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
08 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest, optional

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
02 - Unroll crescent dough on a clean work surface and pinch all perforations together to form one large rectangle.
03 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated.
04 - Spread orange filling evenly across the dough rectangle. Starting from the longer side, roll dough tightly into a log. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
05 - Arrange roll pieces cut-side up on prepared baking sheet or in mini muffin tin.
06 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
07 - While rolls bake, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice, adding juice gradually until reaching a pourable consistency. Stir in orange zest if desired.
08 - Cool rolls for 5 minutes after removing from oven. Drizzle with orange glaze and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They come together in less time than it takes to shower and get dressed, yet taste like you spent your morning being intentional about breakfast.
  • That bright, zesty orange flavor is addictive—it's sweet but not cloying, and wakes up your palate in a way plain rolls never could.
  • Using store-bought crescent dough means there's zero stress about yeast, rising times, or dough that misbehaves.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of sealing those crescent perforations—I learned this the hard way when my first batch leaked filling all over the pan, and it changed everything about how these bake.
  • Zest your orange before you juice it if you're using the same fruit, because once it's been juiced, pulling off zest becomes a slippery, frustrating task.
  • These rolls are best served warm, but if you're making them ahead, they'll keep in an airtight container for two days and warm up beautifully in a 300°F oven for five minutes.
03 -
  • Soften your butter for about five minutes at room temperature before mixing—it should feel almost creamy when you touch it, not firm or greasy.
  • If you want extra citrus depth, add a tiny drop of orange extract to the glaze, but taste as you go because it's potent and can quickly overpower everything else.
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