Yep, another baking recipe. I have a problem. I bake when I get bored so my house is full of desserts right now. I hesitated posting this recipe since I have so many sweet recipes I’ve been posting lately but then I reminded myself that this is in fact my blog and I can do whatever I want! So another sweet recipe it is… but it’s *technically* breakfast food, so that makes it different…. right? right.
I’ve always loved orange cinnamon rolls. I mean, the traditional are great and all but I got burnt out on them when I had a brief stint as a barista in high school. They just don’t appeal to me anymore. But orange rolls are a different story. I am also obsessed with all things pistachio. So I experimented combining these flavors into a cinnamon roll and here we are… on the brink of perfection. MAN these are good. You could take my word for it, or you could make them yourself! I highly encourage the latter.
First, I just want to talk equipment. As many of my recipes show, I have a KitchenAid stand mixer. This mixer comes with 3 attachments – the paddle, the whisk, and the dough hook. I use the paddle and dough hook attachments for this recipe. You’ll need a stand mixer to follow my recipe. I’m sure you could get by without a mixer by hand kneading and using a whisk, but you’ll have to figure that one out on your own. Sorry, I’m not Ina Garten, I’m just a home cook with a laptop, ok?
Now the fun part – start by melting the butter into the milk on the stove. Set that aside and let it cool a bit.
Put the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, and combine the cooled milk and butter mixture, sugar, yeast, eggs inside. Then with the mixer on low, add most of the flour and add the salt.
From here, you will finish adding the flour and creating the dough. The dough should come apart from the sides of the mixer, but continue to stick a bit at the bottom. Once you’ve let the mixer knead the dough, then you’ll dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball, and put it in a buttered bowl for it’s first rise.
Depending on the temperature and climate in your house, the first rise can take anywhere from 1 1/2 hours – 2 hours. You’ll want to see it double in size.
Once the first rise is done, this is when you will make the filling and roll the rolls. Is that a phrase? It is now. Combine all the filling ingredients in a small bowl and don’t be stingy. No one ever wanted less filling.
Roll the dough into 16 x 12 rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
Roll them from the long side into a roll. If you’re looking at the above picture, you would start rolling at the bottom. Then you’ll pinch the seam closed.
Cut 9 even rolls out of the dough. It doesn’t have to be exact and yes, you can make them smaller if you’d like in order to have more rolls in quantity. Space them evenly apart in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
From here, you’ll cover them in plastic wrap and leave them alone for the second rise which takes another 2 hours. After they have expanded, bake them at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
While they are baking, whisk together the icing ingredients and then the final part is putting that delicious icing on the hot rolls. Isn’t that every kid’s favorite part of eating cinnamon rolls growing up? And don’t even act like you didn’t have the canned ones with the icing cup that never seemed like enough! Wasn’t it so rewarding to scrape that thing clean? The best part about making your own cinnamon rolls is the freedom to make as much icing as you want! 😉
WHEW… try not to eat them all yourself. These flavors were meant for each other. Enjoy, ya’ll!
Orange Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter + more for greasing pans
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 large egg + 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
For the Filling:
- 1 cup shelled pistachios, very finely chopped or blended in food processor
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp finely grated orange zest
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
For the icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1-2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour milk into a small pot. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Watch closely to ensure milk doesn’t boil over. Set aside and let the mixture cool a little, It should still be warm to the touch.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine milk mixture, sugar, yeast, and egg and yolks. With mixer on low, add 2 cups flour then salt.
- Switch to the dough hook and add 1 cup flour with mixer on low. Slowly add up to 1/4 cup more flour if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth and just pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should still be a little wet and you may not need the entire 1/4 cup flour. Continue to let the mixer run and knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a ball. Transfer it to a large, lightly buttered bowl, and cover with plastic. Leave it in a warm, draft-free spot until it has doubled in size, This takes about 11/2 to 2 hours.
- When the dough is almost done rising, make the filling. Combine the finely chopped pistachios in a bowl with the butter, orange zest, cinnamon, sugar, and salt.
- Turn the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread butter mixture evenly over the surface then tightly roll the dough starting at the bottom, long side and pinch the seam closed. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cut roll crosswise into 9 equal pieces. Transfer to prepared dish, cut side down, cover with plastic, and let the dough rise another 2 hours, until it has almost doubled in size again.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover buns and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Make the frosting while the rolls are baking. Whisk together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, orange juice, and orange zest. Drizzle over warm buns and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep in the fridge covered in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
