Orange Cinnamon Rolls (Taste like a Mimosa!)

These Homemade Mimosa-Inspired Orange Cinnamon Rolls start with a tender fluffy dough combined with a zesty cinnamon sugar filling and are finished off with a creamy citrusy champagne glaze all made with Floridaโ€™s Natural orange juice.  They are an absolute treat to wake up to and the perfect way to brunch all year round!  

Disclosure: I partnered with Floridaโ€™s Natural for this Cinnamon Rolls recipe post, but all opinions expressed here are my own. I am grateful for authentic partnerships like this.

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Mimosa orange cinnamon rolls scattered on parchment paper with glaze and zest sprinkled on top

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With spring comes brunch season and it has me thinking of some of my favorite morning meals. One of my favorite places to visit for breakfast in Chicago is a spot called Ann Sather. On most weekends, there’s a hefty wait for a table and folks have no problem putting in the time. Families, friends, and solo diners gather around the windows to watch as others feast on steaming skillets and fluffy Belgian waffles. But the most anticipated treat of all is the iconic Ann Sather cinnamon roll! 

Each decadent, cream-cheese frosted bun is the size of my fist, with big and bold flavor to match. Served warm, these cinnamon rolls (and the experience that comes with them) are a force to be reckoned with.

Cuisine Inspiration: American with a Fancy Twist
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, Contains Gluten and Alcohol
Key Flavor: Citrusy Sweetness with a Bubbly Kick
Skill Level: Intermediate (But oh-so-worth-it!)

Special Perks:

  1. Brunch Royalty: Elevate your brunch game to VIP status! These arenโ€™t just any cinnamon rolls; theyโ€™re an ode to everyone’s favorite brunch cocktail. The sweetness of orange meets the effervescence of champagne in a pastry? Yes, please!
  2. Double Dose of Flavors: Why have a mimosa on the side when you can have it IN your cinnamon rolls and ON them too? The champagne frosting brings a sophisticated, boozy twist that makes these rolls the life of your brunch party.
  3. Make Ahead Magic: Get your prep done the night before! Assemble these beauties in advance, give them their beauty sleep in the fridge, and just pop them in the oven the next morning. Fresh, warm, aromatic pastries with no morning stress? That’s a win!
  4. A Sweet Showstopper: These Mimosa Cinnamon Rolls arenโ€™t just a treat for your palate, theyโ€™re a feast for the eyes too. They’ll stand out on any breakfast spread, making you the undeniable kitchen maestro among your friends and family.
  5. Universal Crowd Pleaser: Designed to delight a diverse array of taste buds, these cinnamon rolls are perfect for adults who enjoy a touch of whimsy. Remember, the alcohol in the champagne cooks off, leaving behind that elegant flavor without the tipsiness!
Jocelyn holding cinnamon rolls with Orange juice nearby

Thereโ€™s nothing like the taste of Floridaโ€™s Naturalยฎ Orange Juice! Made from only the highest-quality citrus, Floridaโ€™s Natural is the best you can buy. Not only does each sip nourish your body, but Floridaโ€™s Natural is a proud citrus cooperative owned by hundreds of citrus farmers and their families. It doesnโ€™t get any better than that! 

Recently, I found myself craving those rolls, so I set out to make some of my own. But, yโ€™all just know I canโ€™t help myself! I just had to remix the recipe and take advantage of some incredible Floridaโ€™s Natural orange juice I had in the fridge. 

And just like that, Mimosa Orange Cinnamon Rolls were born! Zesty, uplifting, decadent, and soft, these rolls are soon to be a breakfast or brunch staple in your home. They already are in mine! 

A mixing bowl next to a large carton of orange juice and a fresh orange split in half

Ingredients

Itโ€™s no secret that I love cinnamon rolls (and make them often). Over the years, Iโ€™ve shared quite a few cinnamon roll recipes with yโ€™all, but none like todayโ€™s. Orange is such a great flavor all year round, so I decided that it would be fun to use that flavor for a change. 

This recipe uses 3 delicious components to create something fresh, unique and so incredibly delicious:

ORANGE-INFUSED DOUGH- Any cinnamon roll worth its weight is soft, doughy, and slightly chewy, and this dough produces just that. Both the orange juice and zest add a bright, zippy, yet still subtle flavor. Put it all together and youโ€™ve got a unique canvas waiting to be dressed up with spices, sugar, and, of course, that ooey-gooey glaze. 

Pastry roll dough rolled out with butter being slathered over the top

CINNAMON SUGAR FILLING- This filing is nearly identical to that of a regular cinnamon roll! The addition of orange zest ties together the different elements of this recipe and creates a delicious, citrusy bite.

Cinnamon roll dough rolled with sugar filling on parchment lined baking sheet waiting to rise

ORANGE CHAMPAGNE GLAZE- Made with indulgent cream cheese, confectionerโ€™s sugar, champagne and both orange juice and zest, this drizzle is the POP that makes this recipe stand out. It literally tastes like a mimosa in icing form!!!  Itโ€™s a whole new level of tasty!

Baked orange cinnamon rolls with an orange glaze being poured over the top

How to Make Orange Cinnamon Rolls

Get ready to zest up your life with the ultimate breakfast pastry: orange cinnamon rolls, baby! Kick things off by activating that yeast in a stand mixer, getting it all cozy with a pinch of sugar and milk. When things start to look bubbly and alive, it’s party time! Crank up that mixer and let the gang join in: orange juice, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, and orange zest. Swap out your paddle for a dough hook and take things slow, adding in the flour and salt until you’ve got a dough that’s smooth, elastic, and ready for a nap. Give it an hour to rise and double up in a warm corner of your kitchen.

Now, for the magic inside: the filling! Stir up a sweet, citrusy dream team of sugars, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. Roll out your risen dough on a floured runway, slather it with butter, and shower it with your zesty sugar mix. Then, it’s time to roll, baby, roll! Slice up your masterpiece into 12 perfect swirls and tuck them into their greased-up baking dish for another rise. They need about 30-45 minutes to puff up and get all sorts of gorgeous.

As your beauties are rising, preheat your oven to 350ยฐF. Post-rise, it’s their moment to shine โ€“ bake ’em for 30-35 minutes until they’re golden and irresistible. But wait, there’s more! The grand finale is a show-stopping champagne glaze that’s gonna make your heart sing. Mix butter, cream cheese, and salt until smooth, then patiently add the powdered sugar. Crank it up a notch with champagne, orange juice, and zest, and drizzle your rolls with this liquid gold. Whether you pour it on while they’re warm and welcoming or cool and collected, you’re in for a treat. 

How to Make In Advance

Absolutely! Breaking up the work into two days can help save yourself the morning wake-up call and improve your pastries. 

Prepare the cinnamon rolls as directed by the recipe, then line them up in a buttered dish. Tightly cover the dish, place it in the refrigerator, and let rest overnight. Not only are you saving yourself time, but the flavor of the dough will benefit from a slow rise overnight. This is especially great for highly enriched dough, which tends not to rise as much as lean dough. 

Once ready to bake, take the dish out of the fridge and allow the rolls to double in size (about 1-1ยฝ hours). Preheat the oven, then bake, cool, and serve! 

A large orange cinnamon roll on a white plate with fork on the inside prepared to eat

Leftover Storage

These rolls donโ€™t last long in my house but, when there are leftovers, I make it a point to keep them moist and delicious rather than dry and drab. The answer to keeping them moist is all in the packaging method. Store cinnamon rolls in an airtight container or individually wrapped (in saran or foil) at room temperature for 2-3 days. Move to the refrigerator for up to 7 days. 

If youโ€™re not planning on eating your leftovers within a week, I suggest freezing them. Cinnamon rolls can be stored and frozen for up to 4 months. To defrost, allow the rolls to sit at room temperature or a few hours or overnight in the fridge. 

To Reheat: A quick zap in the microwave (about 30 seconds) should do the trick! Alternatively, heat in a convection or conventional oven at 350 for about 5-10 minutes. 

Best Roll Recipes

Catch me baking rolls, sweet or savory, all year long! If you enjoyed this recipe, try a few more of my BEST homemade rolls: 

A large orange cinnamon roll on a white plate with fork on the inside prepared to eat

Mimosa Orange Cinnamon Rolls

These Homemade Mimosa-Inspired Orange Cinnamon Rolls start with a tender fluffy dough combined with a zesty cinnamon sugar filling and are finished off with a creamy citrusy champagne glaze.
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course: Bread, Breakfast
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 2 1/4 tsp active-dry yeast 1 package
  • 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Florida's Natural No Pulp Orange Juice room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs beaten at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 5 cups all purpose flour up to 5 1/2 cups or add more if needed
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

For the Filling

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature

For the Orange Glaze

  • 4 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tbsp champagne or more juice below if you want it to be non-alcoholic
  • 2 tbsp Florida's Natural No Pulp Orange Juice
  • 1 tbsp orange zest for garnish

Instructions

For the Dough

  • In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, add a pinch of the sugar, the yeast and milk, and let sit for about 5 minutes so that the yeast can begin to activate. Once you see that it is bubbly, turn on the mixer to medium speed and add the orange juice, remaining sugar, beaten eggs, butter, vanilla and orange zest.ย 
  • Next, replace the paddle with the dough hook and slow mixer down to low speed. Add in 4ยฝ cups of the flour, followed by the salt and continue to knead on low until completely combined. Gradually add the remaining flour after a thick dough begins to form. If you need any additional flour, add only a ยผ cup at a time making sure that the dough is pulling away from the bowl. Mix for about 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and form it into a ball.
  • Wash and dry the mixing bowl, spray it with non-stick baking spray, and return the dough to the bowl. Turn the ball of dough over so the oiled side is on top, then cover with foil or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest and rise in a warm area of your kitchen for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

For the Filling

  • In a small bowl, add both sugars, zest, cinnamon and salt and whisk together to combine. Set aside.

For Assembly

  • Grease a large baking dish with more non-stick baking spray and set aside.
  • Remove dough from the bowl after 60 minutes and add to the floured surface again. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle, about 15×9 inches. Use additional flour as needed to keep it from sticking.
  • Once rolled out, spread the butter evenly over the dough using an off-set or rubber spatula.
  • Evenly sprinkle the filling on top of the butter.
  • Starting from one of the long sides of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seams a bit just to seal in the filling.
  • Cut the log into 12 equal pieces using plain (flavor-less) dental floss or a very sharp knife. Add each roll, swirl side up, to the greased dish and let them sit at room temperature covered with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel for another 30-45 minutes or until they double in size.
  • Towards the end of the second rising time, preheat your oven to 350ยฐF. Once the cinnamon rolls have risen, remove the cover.
  • Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted to the center of a roll comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the Glaze

  • In your stand mixer or using a bowl with a hand mixer, mix together the butter, cream cheese, and salt on medium speed until smooth.
  • Slow speed down to low and gradually add the powdered sugar until combined.
  • Once sugar is fully incorporated, turn the mixer back to medium speed and add the champagne, juice and orange zest. Pour the glaze on top either warm so it melts down or wait until they cool for it to be thickened, and serve.

Notes

For Leftovers, The answer to keeping them moist is all in the packaging method. Store cinnamon rolls in an airtight container or individually wrapped (in saran or foil) at room temperature for 2-3 days. Move to the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
If youโ€™re not planning on eating your leftovers within a week, I suggest freezing them. Cinnamon rolls can be stored and frozen for up to 4 months. To defrost, allow the rolls to sit at room temperature or a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
To Reheat: A quick zap in the microwave (about 30 seconds) should do the trick! Alternatively, heat in a convection or conventional oven at 350 for about 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 709IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
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Filed Under:  Breakfast, Christmas, Dessert and Baking, Mother's Day, Oven, Pastries, Puddings and Cinnamon Rolls

Comments

  1. I have everything to make this recipe except the
    orange juice. I can’t wait to make the orange
    Cinnamon Rolls yum I will go out tomorrow
    an get the juice along with an orange. You’ll hear from me.

  2. I love the flavor of orange and cinnamon and can see myself having this for breakfast every morning! It looks so indulgent and delicious!

  3. Oh yum! You had me at mimosa inspired! These cinnamon rolls look so good. Absolutely love that orange glaze on top too.

5 from 9 votes

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