Vanilla Bean Orange Cardamom Rolls

I think I am willing spring to come with today’s recipe.

This week’s weather has been LOVELY. Mild temperatures nearing 60 degrees, and the wind has lost that harsh winter bite. I wonder if it’s here to stay?

Probably not. March is always a tease this way.

Either way, I am craving springy recipes! I can’t wait for things like asparagus, strawberries, and fresh greens to be in season. Luckily, all of that is just around the corner, and it’s one of my favorite times of the year.

In the meantime, while we wait for spring to make her true arrival, I made us some deliciously fluffy vanilla bean orange cardamom rolls. They are a seasonal transition – bright and cute but with the flavors of winter citrus. They actually taste like EASTER to me. Just bright and fun!

These rolls are completely nostalgic for me. Well, not these rolls EXACTLY, but the orange sweet rolls in a can that my mom used to buy as a VERY special treat every now and then. My sisters and I would fight over the orange frosting like crazy. They were usually brought out of the depths of the fridge (my mom had to hide them from us) on a lazy weekend morning, and we would squeal in delight. Those orange rolls are still….well, I’m not afraid to admit, DELICIOUS.

These sort of taste like those orange rolls from childhood, but perhaps elevated just a touch? For one, we’re making them from scratch (which is much easier than you likely think, by the way). Second, in addition to the classic sweet orange flavor, we’re adding in lots of vanilla bean and floral cardamom.

Cardamom is one of my favorite spices to bake with; it’s floral and bright while still having warmth and earthiness. It adds such an interesting flavor to baked goods. Particularly when paired with orange! I just love them together. I made these brownies many years back (oy, the pictures are atrocious), and they have a similar theme to these orange rolls. Such an awesome flavor pairing!

The dough is a simple yeasted dough that doesn’t require any special ingredients or equipment. If you do any baking, you likely already have the ingredients on hand. A stand mixer certainly will make your life easier when it comes to kneading, but it’s not a requirement. All you need is a little patience.

Yeast needs a good 2-3 hours to proof, and doughs like this are the kind of thing I like to start in the early morning when everyone else in the house is still asleep and I’m leisurely sipping on a cup of coffee. The process, like most baking in general, is very soothing to me. I make the dough, cover it, and place it in my oven (turned off!) to proof while we continue on with our morning routine (ahem, chaos).

Then, once I’ve got Kieran off to school and Finn settled back at home for the morning, the dough is puffed, gloriously soft, and ready for me. I can get to work on forming the rolls. It all works out perfectly.

The extra wonderful thing about this dough is how easy it is to work with once it has proofed. It’s soft and malleable and doesn’t stick too much! It makes forming the rolls a dream.

Inside the rolls, we put butter, sugar, looootsss of fresh orange zest, cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla. The concoction is something I could literally eat with a spoon. So. Good.

We roll ’em up and slice ’em and put them in their baking dish to rise a bit again. In the meantime, we make an orange glaze reminiscent of my childhood. My advice: put more orange in than you think it needs. You won’t regret it!

Once the rolls have baked, slather them in said glaze, let it seep into all the nooks and crannies, and do a happy dance.

At least, that’s what I did.

Vanilla Bean Orange Cardamom Rolls

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• Author: Molly
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 10 rolls 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Dough:

• ¾ cup whole milk, warmed
• 1 packet dry active yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Zest of 1 orange (roughly 1 tablespoon)
• 3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• Additional flour, for rolling out the dough

For the Filling:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
• Zest of 2 oranges (roughly 2 tablespoons)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

For the Icing:

• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup heavy cream

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Instructions

For the Dough:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk (you want it right around 110°F), sugar, and yeast. Stir to combine and allow the mixture to sit in the bowl for about 5 minutes, or until foamy and fragrant.
2. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, melted butter, and orange zest.
3. Add in the flour, salt, and cardamom and fit the mixer with the dough hook attachment (alternatively, you can make the dough by hand by mixing well with a wooden spoon and then kneading well on a floured surface for about 10 minutes). Turn on the machine and mix until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated. Scrape down the sides and then turn the mixer on again and knead the dough with the dough hook for at least 5 minutes.
4. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and transfer the bowl to warm, draft-free spot. I love my (turned off!) oven for this.
5. Allow the dough to rest for 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
6. Punch down the dough and then knead for a few minutes with your hands. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll out to a large rectangle, roughly 14 x 10 inches.

For the Filling:

1. Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl.
2. Whisk in the other ingredients and stir until a moist paste forms.
3. Spread the mixture all over the rolled out dough.

To Assemble and Bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and liberally butter a 9 x 9 baking dish (or a 9-inch round cake pan).
2. Roll the dough over the filling jelly roll style, starting at the longest end of the rectangle and gently rolling it to form a tight cylinder.
3. Slice the dough into 10 equal pieces and place them sliced side up in the prepared pan. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow the rolls to rise for another 30 minutes.
4. After they have risen, place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes or until puffed, golden, and slightly crisp around the edges.
5. Allow to cool slightly before icing.

For the Icing:

1. Whisk together the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
2. Pour over the warm rolls and allow to set for a few minutes before serving.

• Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (mostly inactive time)
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: breakfast

Keywords: sweet orange rolls, cinnamon rolls, vanilla bean cardamom orange rolls, breakfast rolls, brunch recipes, orange glaze