This Orange Macadamia Rolls Recipe is not to be missed. A tender sour cream yeast dough encloses an orange macadamia filling that's finished with a coffee glaze. The amazing yeast dough goes together quickly and is one of the easiest I've every made. It's basically two steps - mix the liquids and yeast, then add the flour, mix and set it to rise. I can't imagine an easier yeast dough to make. So if you're new or apprehensive about working with yeast, this is the reciope for you
Adding to its allure is the fact that it rolls out with no spring back or coaxing into the size you want. Just roll, fill and shape. This dough can be used wherever a sweet dough is used. I'm betting it will become a favorite!
Be sure to check out the German Chocolate Sweet Rolls, Gibassier - A French Breakfast Treat, and the Swedish Cardamom Sweet Rolls.
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This Orange Macadamia Rolls Recipe:
- Is The easiest yeast dough you'll ever work with.
- After it's made, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before shaping and baking.
- The rolls themselves are an indulgent treat that's perfect with morning coffee or tea.
- Can be frozen without the glaze for several months.
- Is perfect for anyone intimidated by yeast.
Recipe Ingredients
Yeast Dough
FRONT ROW: Salt, milk, instant yeast
MIDDLE ROW: Unsalted butter, granulated sugar
BACK ROW: Sour cream, bread flour, eggs
Orange Macadamia Filling
FRONT ROW: Orange zest, cocoa, unsalted butter
BACK ROW: Toasted macadamia nuts, granulated sugar
Coffee Glaze
FRONT ROW: Water, instant coffee, corn syrup, milk
BACK ROW: Powdered sugar, macadamia nuts
Key Ingredients
- The sour cream and milk tenderize the dough making it soft. The milk should be warmed.
- Bread flour is a stronger flour that is particularly good when using yeast. It provides a higher rise than all-purpose flour.
- Instant yeast is a faster acting yeast than active dry yeast. If using the latter, the dough will take a bit longer to rise.
- Macadamia nuts come to us from Hawaii and are a softer, creamier nut. Almonds are a good substitute if one is needed. Be sure to toast either one for maximum flavor.
- Navel oranges are better for zesting. Juice oranges don't yield as much. I prefer a microplaner to zest the orange. A box grater doesn't yield as much and the zest is usually wetter.
- Either Dutch or Natural Cocoa can be used. It is just for color and won't be tasted. Darkening the filling makes for a better looking roll.
- Using milk instead of water in the glaze makes a shinier, prettier finish. Water dries duller.
- Powdered sugar dissolves instantly with the milk.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Yeast Dough
Step 1. Combine the warmed milk, granulated sugar, eggs, sour cream, 6 tablespoons melted butter, salt and the yeast in a mixing bowl. Step 2. Whisk them together. Step 3. Add all of the bread flour. Step 4. Fit the mixer with a dough hook if available and beat on low until until it comes together. Continue to beat the dough for 4 minutes.
Orange Macadamia Filling
Step 5. Place the finished dough in a container sprayed with a non-stick baking release. Cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap, place the lid on or cover with a tea towel, mark the time on it and let it rise until doubled in bulk. Step 6. Place the toasted macadamia nuts, sugar and cocoa in the bowl of a processor. Step 7. Process until the nuts are coarsely chopped. (I over processed and thought they were too small in the finished rolls). Step 8. Briefly pulse in the orange zest.
Assembly
Before rolling out the dough, use the technique in Chopping Nuts - An Easier Way to do this easily with the macadamias.
Step 9. After the dough has risen. Step 10. Roll the dough as called for in the recipe. Step 11. Brush with the 2 tablespoons melted butter for the filling. Step 12. Spread the filling evenly over the dough to within ½" of the end. Place a piece of waxed paper over the filling and lightly roll it in.
Step 13. Roll the dough up tightly. Step 14. Wet the edge of the dough and pinch the seam together. Step 15. Roll the dough over and roll it back and forth a couple of times to seal the seam. Mark the dough every 1 ¾". Step 16. Slice the dough into 8 portions. Turn one portion face up so the filling shows. Cut it into 4 pieces.
Step 17. Holding each side of the cut dough above in your right and left hand, turn it down onto the work surface so the side of the dough is now on top. Step 18. Cut each half in two again, making 8 slices. Step 19. Place the pieces of dough randomly in the paper cups of a jumbo muffin pan. Press the rolls down in the cups. Repeat with the remaining 7 slices. Step 20. Place the rolls in a warm place and let them rise until they fill the cups. If you need a warm place to let them rise, turn the light on in your oven and place the rolls, covered, in. Use a thermometer and temp the oven from time to time to make sure it doesn't go above 85 to 90 degrees. if it does, use a wooden spoon to keep the door slightly ajar. They should take about 2 hours to rise.
Glazing the Rolls
Powdered sugar glazes can be iffy. They can be dull, somewhat shiny or one ingredient can make them really stand out. Add water to the powdered sugar gives a dull glaze when dried and isn't particularly attractive. Adding milk or cream makes a somewhat shiny glaze. But if you want a glaze that is really shiny and stays that way a bit of corn syrup is the answer. The glaze will dry fairly hard on top, but stay soft underneath. It really makes a difference.
Step 21. The baked rolls from the oven. Step 21. Dissolve the coffee in the water. Step 23. Whisk the coffee, corn syrup and milk together. Pour it into the powdered sugar and stir together until smooth. Don't be too vigorous or you will have a lot of air bubbles. Step 24. Spoon it over the rolls. Sprinkle heavily with the cut macadamias. See the photo below.
Recipe FAQS
When compared to regular bread dough, sweet roll dough usually has higher levels of sugar, fat, eggs, and yeast. Sweet rolls also usually have a filling inside that can include sugar, nuts, spices and are glazed on top,
The most common ones are Cinnamon rolls and Pecan sticky buns. The cinnamon rolls are finished with a powdered sugar glaze and the pecan sticky rolls are released and kept upside down exposing the pecan glaze.
Lean and rich. Lean doughs are made of few ingredients with no or little sugar. Rich doughs have butter, sugar, as well as spices and are often filled.
Expert Tips
- For the best flavor, toast the nuts. They will have a deeper flavor and add more to the filling.
- Navel oranges yield the most zest and it is dryer than when using a box grater.
- The cocoa is only used to color the filling so it shows up. It doesn't impart a flavor.
- Almonds can be subbed for the macadamias if needed. Be sure to toast them first.
- Placing paper over the filling after it has been distributed over the dough, helps insure it will adhere to the dough.
- The unassembled dough can be held in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- The assembled rolls can be held in the fridge ovenight. They will take longer to rise because they are cold.
- Chop the macadamias easily using the Use the technique in Chopping Nuts - An Easier Way to do this easily with the macadamias.
More sweet rolls and breads to tempt you
If you love these Orange Macadamia Rolls, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.
Orange Macadamia Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- 2 6 well jumbo muffins tins
Ingredients
Macadamia Orange Roll Dough
- ½ cup sour cream (114 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (90 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- ¼ cup milk, warm - whole or 2%
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 ½ cups bread flour (350 grams)
Macadamia Orange Filling
- 1 cup macadamia nuts (120 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cocoa, Dutch or natural
- 2 tablespoons orange zest (about 2 navel oranges)
Assembly
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (30 grams)
Coffee Glaze
- ½ cup cup macadamia nuts, chopped (60 grams)
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup, optional
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (200 grams)
Instructions
Macadamia Orange Rolls
- Whisk together everything but the flour in the bowl of a mixer.
- Fit the mixer with a dough hook if available. Add all the flour at once and beat on low until it comes together. Beat for 4 minutes to develop the gluten.
- Spray a storage container at least three times as big as the dough with a non-stick baking spray and transfer the dough to the container. Cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap, put a lid on the container or cover with a towel. Mark the time on it. Let rise until doubled.
- If the room is cool, a proofer may be made by turning the light on in the oven. Place the dough in the oven. Monitor the temperature of the oven after about an hour. It shouldn't get above 78F. If it gets too warm, prop the door open with a wooden spoon.
- The dough may be used immediately or refrigerated up to 3 days.
Orange Macadamia Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the macadamia nuts on a tray in a single layer and toast for about 8 to 12 minutes or until medium brown. Cool completely.
- Zest the oranges and set aside.
- Place the sugar and cocoa in a processor. Pulse several times to mix.
- Add the nuts and pulse to coarsely chop.
- Add the orange rind and pulse very briefly to mix in. Do not let the nuts get too small.
Assembly
- Roll the dough into a 14" x 13" rectangle.
- Brush with the melted butter.
- Spread the orange macadamia mixture evenly over the dough leaving ½" without filling at the end of the 14" side.
- Starting from the 14" side, roll the dough tightly as if a jelly roll. Wet the end of the dough without any filling and pinch the seam together.
- Place in the freezer to chill for about 30 minutes until cold throughout but not frozen. This will make it much easier to cut.
- In the meantime, line 8 wells (from the 2 jumbo muffin pans) with paper liners. Lightly spray the liners with a non-stick baking release. Set aside.
- Remove the roll from the freezer and mark every 1 ¾". There should be 8 rolls. Cut into 8 slices.
- Lay one slice down so the filling is facing you. Cut it in 4 pieces.
- Holding each side of the cut dough above in your right and left hand, turn it down onto the work surface so the side of the dough is now on top. Cut each piece in two again. See steps 17 and 18 in the step by step instructions if this is not clear.
- Randomly fill each of the paper liners with one of the cut rolls. Press the dough lightly into the cup. Repeat with the other 7 rolls.
- Cover with a tea towel and let them rise for about 2 to 2 ½ hours or until they just come to the top of the cups. The oven proofer described above can be used here also.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes until browned and a tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely, remove the papers and glaze. The rolls can be frozen at this point by individually wrapping them in foil and freezing for a couple of months. To finish, leave them in the foil, opening the top slightly. Bring to room temperature. Refresh them by warming in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes. Remove the foil. Cool, glaze and top with the chopped macadamia nuts.
Glazing
- Toast the nuts as above. Cool completely and coarsely chop. See the post Chopping Nuts - An Easier Way.
- Mix the water and coffee together. Add the corn syrup and milk and stir all together.
- Add to the powder sugar. Stir to make a smooth, lump free glaze. Do not be too vigorous with the stirring or there will be a lot of air bubbles.
- Spoon over one roll. If it is too thin and the glaze runs off too much, add a bit of powdered sugar to tighten it. If too thick, add a few drops of water to loosen it. Spoon glaze over one roll at a time and immediately sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Let the glaze set up.
- All yeast doughs are best served the same day. However, they may be kept under a cake dome for a day or so.
Notes
Nutrition
Kathleen in nyc says
Made these, sooo delicious. Everyone loved them!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Kathleen - I love macadamia nuts. My neighbor would bring them from Hawaii for me years ago. So much so I used them for the Sweet and Hot Macadamia Brittle and the Salted Macadamia Rum Toffee.
Patty says
Is there another flavor besides coffee that would be just as good? This sounds so wonderful except the coffee. Or can I just leave that out?
I have to agree with the above comments. Your recipes always sound so great. I've made several of them. Always delicious.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Patty - just use the glaze without the coffee. That's fine. Thank you for the kind words. Happy Thanksgiving to you.
Jacquie says
Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. You are encouraging and so very knowledgable. The recipes are easy to follow and the results are delicious.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Jacquie - Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate them.
Kathleen in NYC says
Hi Helen,
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!! I always learn so much.
I had always wondered why the glazes from purchased bakery goods had that wonderful, softer texture — and now I know. So excited to try this recipe out. Thanks again
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Kathleen - it's the little things that make such a difference. I think you'll like this
vickie says
is there a way to make these gluten free?
Helen S Fletcher says
Unfortunately no Vickie. GF breads are not as easy as cakes or cookies.
Elizabeth says
Helen, I love your recipes! You always have so many helpful hints. I can’t wait to try this one!
Helen S Fletcher says
Thanks Elizabeth. I appreciate your note.