These European-style orange cinnamon rolls have fresh orange zest in both the yeast dough and glaze for a balanced citrus flavor. Baking them on a sheet pan allows the chopped almonds in the filling to toast while the edges caramelize beautifully.
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Soft Orange Rolls, Baked Like German Hefeschnecken
Weekends are synonymous with a sweet breakfast bake in our home, and while fluffy cinnamon rolls are always a hit, I love making German-style yeast rolls when I crave a lighter treat. These Hefeschnecken mit Orange are baked on a baking sheet instead of a baking dish, so there's more surface area for the glaze to cling to the rolls (which means more citrus flavor in every bite!)
I tested this recipe several times to get the right amount of orange zest so it's fragrant & flavorful, but not overpowering. And I prefer using orange zest over orange juice, to deliver concentrated flavor without making the dough sticky from added moisture.
If you're wondering whether orange zest should go in the dough or the glaze, I recommend both! I mix orange zest into the dough for a subtle hint of flavor, and more in the glaze for a bright finish. And almond extract + chopped almonds balance all that citrus, adding a nutty flavor & crunchy texture.
Let's Gather Our Ingredients: milk, active dry yeast, granulated sugar, eggs, almond extract, oranges, salt, all purpose flour, unsalted butter, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and powdered sugar.
Let's Bake Orange Rolls from Scratch!
For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Baking with Citrus
Watch my YouTube video here to see how to zest an orange without the pith to avoid any bitter flavor.
My Tips for Baking Sheet Pan Sweet Rolls
- Spreading: To prevent rolls from spreading or unraveling as they bake, I always let them proof after shaping them, which gives gluten in the dough time to relax.
- Leaking: I tested this recipe with softened vs melted butter in the filling, and brushing a little melted butter helps the cinnamon sugar filling stick to the dough more evenly. And I always leave a 1-inch border around the edge, so the dough sticks to itself when it's rolled up into a log.
German Orange Yeast Rolls | Hefeschnecken
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 1¼ cups milk
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from one medium orange)
- 1 teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 4½ cups all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Filling
- ½ cup almonds, sliced or chopped
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed orange juice
Instructions
Mix the Dough & Let it Rise
- Warm the milk in the microwave for 60-90 seconds, until it's between 105°F and 115°F (40°C to 46°C).To the warm milk, mix in the active dry yeast and granulated sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes, until it becomes frothy on top.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the milk & yeast mixture with the eggs, orange zest, salt, and almond extract.
- Add the flour and mix with a large spoon just until there are no clumps of dry flour, after a minute.
- Add the softened butter and mix the dough in the mixing bowl until it starts to form a sticky dough, after a minute.
- Dust a clean work surface with flour. Knead the dough by hand for a full 8 minutes, until the dough springs back to its original shape when you indent it with your finger. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter as needed while kneading the dough to prevent it from sticking to the counter. The dough should be slightly tacky (not perfectly smooth but not wet or sticky).
- Shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball back in a clean mixing bowl, and cover with a kitchen towel or dinner plate. Let it rest and rise in a warm place (like an empty oven with the light turned on) for about 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
Prepare the Filling & Shape the Rolls
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prepare the filling by combining the almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a 1 cm-thick rectangle (roughly 30 cm by 45 cm).
- Brush the melted butter over the dough evenly then sprinkle the filling evenly on top, leaving a 1-inch gap around all the edges.
- Roll the dough into a log, starting from a long edge. Trim off the uneven ends, then slice the dough log into 12 even pieces using a sharp kitchen knife or dental floss (I prefer using floss to avoid squishing the spiral design.)
- Place the rolls cut-side-up evenly spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and let them proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Bake the Rolls & Drizzle with Glaze
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 18-20 minutes, until they're puffed up and golden.
- Prepare the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, orange zest, and one tablespoon of orange juice in a bowl. Add another teaspoon of juice at a time until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle, then drizzle it onto the rolls. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Stand Mixer: Use a dough hook attachment for mixing the dough and knead it for 5 minutes. I recommend kneading it for a final minute by hand on a floured surface.
- Overnight: You can make prep these cinnamon rolls the night prior and bake them in the morning. Follow the recipe up to shaping them, then cover them tightly with plastic wrap on the baking sheet & refrigerate overnight. Let them proof at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.
- Storing: While I wish I could eat all dozen in one day, I store them in an airtight container for a couple days at room temperature. And any leftovers get wrapped in plastic wrap then aluminum foil & frozen.
Jim says
Woke up early on a rainy Sunday morning in Oregon and decided to make with these orange yeast cinnamon rolls to brighten the day. Loved the combined flavors of orange zest, almond extract and cinnamon. I proofed the yeast by letting is soak in the milk/sugar mixture so it only had to rise for 1 1/2 hours. I did make a few modifications by using my Costco walnuts versus the $5 for a small bag of almonds at Safeway. I also added raisins to the filling which were soaked in port wine for about an hour. The Hefeschnecken turned out delicious!