Mini Orange Rolls Crescent (Print Version)

Pillowy mini rolls filled with zesty orange sugar and topped with a bright citrus glaze.

# 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 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

# How to Make It:

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 onto a clean surface and pinch the perforations to seal, forming one large rectangle.
03 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract, mixing until well incorporated.
04 - Spread the orange filling evenly across the entire dough rectangle.
05 - Starting from the longer side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Slice into 12 equal pieces using a sharp knife.
06 - Place the rolls cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet or in the mini muffin tin.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
08 - While rolls bake, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice, adding juice gradually until reaching a pourable consistency. Stir in orange zest if desired.
09 - Cool rolls for 5 minutes, then drizzle with orange glaze. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They bake in 15 minutes, which means you can actually make these on a weekday morning without setting your alarm an hour earlier.
  • The orange zest transforms ordinary dough into something that tastes like a fancy brunch spot without the price tag or the pretense.
  • One can of crescent dough yields twelve rolls, so there is plenty to share or hide in your freezer for emergency breakfast moments.
02 -
  • Do not skip pinching those crescent dough perforations together or you will end up with twelve separate triangular pieces instead of pretty spiraled rolls.
  • Fresh orange juice makes an enormous difference in the glaze, bottled juice tastes a little flat and one-dimensional by comparison, and you will taste the difference immediately.
  • Softened butter is essential for even distribution, cold butter fought me every time I tried to spread it and created uneven filling pockets.
03 -
  • A microplane zester is absolutely worth owning because it captures the fragrant oils in citrus skin in a way a box grater never can, and you will use it constantly.
  • Arrange the rolls cut-side up so the spiral shows from above because it looks intentional and beautiful instead of like something you rolled and cut by accident.
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