Soft Mini Orange Rolls (Print Version)

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

# What You'll 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 - Zest of 1 large orange (approximately 1 tablespoon)
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 orange zest, optional

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
02 - Unroll the crescent dough on a clean work surface and pinch the perforations together to seal, forming one large rectangle.
03 - In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract until well blended.
04 - Spread the orange filling mixture evenly across the entire dough rectangle.
05 - Beginning from the longer edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Using a sharp knife, slice into 12 equal pieces.
06 - Place the roll pieces cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet or in the mini muffin tin.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the rolls achieve a golden brown color.
08 - While rolls bake, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice, adding juice gradually until achieving a pourable consistency. Stir in orange zest if desired.
09 - Allow rolls to cool for 5 minutes after removal from the oven. Drizzle with orange glaze and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're ready in under 30 minutes, which means you can actually make them on a weekday without losing your mind.
  • That bright orange flavor feels fancy but tastes even better than it sounds, and nobody needs to know it started with a refrigerated can.
02 -
  • Pinching those crescent perforations closed is non-negotiable—if you skip this step, your filling leaks everywhere and the whole structure falls apart while rolling.
  • Fresh orange zest makes all the difference between these tasting homemade and tasting like a recipe, so don't use the bottled stuff if you can help it.
03 -
  • A microplane zester gets you the most vibrant orange zest with none of the bitter white pith underneath, and it makes zesting feel less like a chore.
  • If you're bringing these somewhere, glaze them right before you leave so they look fresh and the glaze hasn't had time to dull or dry out.
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