Amazing Sourdough Orange Rolls Using Discard or Active Start
With over 50 sourdough recipes on my website, you’d think that’s enough, but I have more to share and I am going to just keep on going! Today I am sharing my amazing sourdough orange rolls recipe using sourdough discard or active sourdough starter. You can make a true sourdough or add some yeast to aid in the rise. I will share how to do both.
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These sweet sourdough orange rolls are soft, fluffy and tender and have an amazing buttery caramelly orange filling that makes thes gooey and oh so good.
Often I have sourdough discard to use, and I always use it in my sweet rolls recipes. Adding the sourdough discard gives you a softer and fluffier crumb. If I have time I will make the true sourdough sweet rolls, it all depends on how much time I have.
Here are some of my other amazing sweet roll recipes!
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Get my sourdough orange rolls recipe below!
Sourdough Orange Rolls
Ingredients
Sourdough Orange Roll Dough
- 6-7 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered milk
- 2 cups warm water I microwave mine
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast(optional) If you choose to make this with discard
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened and room temperature (or 1 stick)
- 1 tablespoons salt
- 1 cup sourdough discard Use 1 cup of active starter if you want to make true sourdough orange rolls without yeast)
Filling
- 1 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoon orange zest
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
How to Make Using Yeast and Sourdough Discard
- Put your warm water, sugar, powdered milk, salt, 3/4 of the stick of butter, sourdough discard and 2-3 cups of flour in your stand mixer.
- Mix with the paddle until the mixture come together. I use my KitchenAid
- Add your eggs, 1 at a time.
- Mix well, then add 1 cup of flour.
- Once that flour has been mixed in, add your yeast slowly.
- Once the yeast is mixed in, switch to a dough hook anf add the rest of your flour slowly. This dough will be very sticky, but that is what you want!
- I usually end up using 6 cups of flour. Yours may be different. But let me make something clear. Make sure you are not packing your flour down before using. I like to fluff mine up, or you can use a whisk to lighten it. Do not flatten and level off the measuring cup, this will give you an overage of flour. Keep the flour light and fluffy.
- Once you have the rest of the flour mixed in, you want to let the dough knead for 3 or 4 minutes.
- Next, you can transfer the dough into a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit and rise until it doubles in size. This could take 30 minutes to an hour. This is the first rise.
- Once it has risen to double its size, punch it down and let it rise one more time.
- Once it has risen a second time, you are ready to roll out your dough to make your orange rolls.
- Making the orange rolls is pretty easy. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface. You want your dough to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. I use my Roulpat to roll my doughs and bread out. It is an amazing kitchen essential.
- In a medium bowl, add the butter, sugar and orange zest. Use a fork to mix it all together until everything is incorporated and forms kind of a paste. Spread the filling on the entire surface of the dough, try to spread it evenly without tearing the dough. Do this gently.
- Starting at the long end of the dough, begin rolling it up. When you get to the end, brush a small amount of butter or water on the end of the dough. Take the end and stretch it over the roll all the way down the dough roll.
- Use a piece of thread or unflavored dental floss to cut the cinnamon roll. Take the thread and slide it under the roll, bring it up and across, twisting the thread, cutting the dough all the way through. This gives you a clean cut and does not smash the dough.
- Place your orange rolls on a greased sheet pan. I use the 12 by 18 size. This will hold 24 cinnamon rolls. 4 across, 6 down. If you half this recipe you can use a 9 by 13 pan to make 12 rolls.
- Once they are all cut and in place, cover the pan with plastic wrap while the oven preheats to 350 degrees F. Let the dough rise for about 20-30 minutes, or until they are almost doubled in size.
- Bake them in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Check them at 20 minutes. If you tap them and they feel squishy, they need more time.
- You want them to be light golden-brown on the top, and when you tap them they are soft but somewhat firm.
- Take them out of the oven and let them cool for a bit while you make the frosting.
How to Make Using Active Sourdough Without Yeast
- I like to make these the night before and allow them to bulk ferment overnight. At night, put your warm water, sugar, powdered milk, salt, 3/4 of the stick of butter, sourdough start and 2-3 cups of flour in your stand mixer. Mix this for 2-3 minutes or until well incorporated.
- Add your eggs 1 at a time, and then another cup of flour. Once that has been fully mixed, slowly add the rest of your flour. Your dough should be sticky but also hold its shape slightly. Knead your dough for 5 minutes. Once it is done being kneaded, place it in a large container where it can double in size at least.
- Cover with a lid and allow it to sit overnight to bulk ferment. In a cold kitchen it could take all night to double. I have even placed in by oven with the light on. This will expedite the time you will need to let it rise.
- If you are making these during the day, start in the morning and let them rise all day, for about 6 hours at least.
- Once it has doubled, its time to roll out your dough. Roll out into a large rectangle and add the filling mixture to the surface of the dough. Roll it up and cut with dental floss.
- Once you have all the rolls in your pan, cover it and allow them to rise for 1-2 hours or until they are almost doubled.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. You want the top to be lightly golden brown and the dough to be firm when you tap it.
Frosting Instructions
- In a bowl add your cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and cream until competely smooth and incorporated. Add your orange zest, juice and 1 cup of powdered sugar.Mix this together and gradually add the rest of your powdered sugar until it is as sweet as you like it.
- Apply the frosting while the rolls are still a bit warm but not hot. This allows the thick frosting to melt a bit into the cracks of the orange rolls.
- Eat them warm, eat the cold. They are amazing! You can freeze these and eat them whenever you want!
Nutrition
Two ways to make these sourdough orange rolls
You can either make these sourdough orange rolls using sourdough discard and yeast or active and bubbly sourdough starter.There are a few differences in the steps when making these, and I have given detailed directions in the recipe above.
Whats the difference between sourdough discard and active sourdough starter?
Sourdough discard is technically an inactive sourdough start. After you have fed your starter and it rises and falls back down, about 12 hours after feeding, it is inactive. At this point you need to feed your start again. You often may want to “discard” some of your inactive starter so that you are not feeding a ton of starter. I often discard 1 cup at a time. This can be used for tons of different recipes including pancakes, muffins, cookies, cakes and so much more.
If you use discard in a bread recipe, you often will need to use some yeast to help the rise, unless you give the dough more time to develop.
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Active sourdough starter is exactly what it sounds like. This is the perfect thing to use in your sourdough recipes such as true sourdough breads and more. An active sourdough start is considered when the starter has been fed and has risen, before dropping back down.
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If you are using sourdough discard and yeast:
In this sourdough orange rolls recipe, if you want to use your sourdough discard, you will need to use some yeast as well. You will use the recipe as directed with the instructions for the discard and the yeast. This type of rolls can be made in about 3 hours start to finish with rising times.
If you are using active sourdough starter:
This will take a bit more time to make since you will be using zero yeast, just your active sourdough start. I prefer to mix the dough the night before I want to make them. I let the dough then sit overnight to bulk ferment. If you want to start them in the morning, you should start early and give them plenty of hours to bulk ferment. This will be the main difference between the two methods of making these rolls. There will be additional time added for the rise of the rolls once they have been shaped and put in the pan.
There is no comparison to these sourdough orange rolls. And there is no better feeling when baking with sourdough than to get a beautiful rise in your breads. In addition to that, you will also have a soft pillowy crumb in these orange rolls. They are so amazingly good, I promise you will love them. The amazing flavor of these sourdough orange rolls is the perfect balance to the soft tender rolls.
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