Mini Orange Rolls Crescent Dough (Printable Version)

Soft, pillowy mini rolls bursting with orange zest and a bright citrus glaze, perfect for any occasion.

# 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 - 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 orange zest, optional

# Method:

01 - Preheat 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, creating one large rectangle.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Stir until evenly blended.
04 - Spread the orange filling mixture evenly across the entire surface of the dough rectangle.
05 - Starting from the longer edge, tightly roll the dough into a log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 equal pieces.
06 - Position the rolled pieces cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet or distribute evenly 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 the glaze reaches a pourable consistency. Stir in optional orange zest.
09 - Remove rolls from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle with orange glaze and serve warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They come together faster than you'd think possible, turning a can of crescent dough into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The orange flavor is bold without being overwhelming, striking that perfect balance between citrus brightness and soft, pillowy sweetness.
  • Everyone assumes you made these from scratch—which honestly is part of the fun.
02 -
  • Don't skip pinching those crescent dough perforations closed, or your rolls will separate into layers instead of staying together as one beautiful spiral.
  • Room-temperature butter spreads infinitely better than cold butter, so pull it out while you preheat the oven instead of trying to force cold butter across delicate dough.
  • The orange juice in your glaze should be added one tablespoon at a time because it's easier to add more than to rescue a glaze that's too thin.
03 -
  • If you're making these ahead, you can assemble and refrigerate them overnight, then bake fresh in the morning for that same warm-roll magic without the morning rush.
  • A microplane zester creates finer zest than a box grater, which means more flavorful pieces and less of the bitter white pith that can hide in larger zest shreds.
  • These rolls taste best eaten within a few hours of baking, but they're still lovely the next day if you warm them gently in a low oven for five minutes.
Return