Incredibly soft and fluffy, these frosted orange rolls have a no-knead dough that is filled and topped with a sweet orange icing. Prep these sweet rolls the night before and bake them in the morning for a delicious holiday breakfast.
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar and salt. Stir in 3 cups of the flour. Mixture will be runny. Let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and shortening. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour. Dough will still be wet - this is ok, don't be tempted to add any more flour! Let rise until doubled, about an hour.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, cream butter for icing. Add orange zest, juice and powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated.
After second rise, dump dough on a well-floured surface and divide in half. With a floured rolling pin, roll each half into a large rectangle, about 15 inches long. Spread each rectangle with 1/3 of the icing. Roll up into a log from the long side. Cut each roll into 6 equal pieces. Place cut rolls into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes (see notes for overnight directions).
Preheat oven to 350°F.
After the final rise, bake rolls for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before frosting with the remaining icing. If freezing, allow to cool completely before cutting apart and placing in zip-top bags.
Notes
This recipe makes 12 large rolls. If you prefer to make smaller rolls, roll each half of the dough into a rectangle about 18-inches long and cut each roll into 9 pieces for 18 total rolls. Divide into 2-3 cake pans or place in an 11x14-inch pan. Rise as directed and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.The water and milk for the dough should be warm, but not hot to the touch. The inside of your wrist is a perfect place to test this if you don’t have an instant-read thermometer. If you do have a thermometer, you want to aim for around 115°F.For overnight rolls:
Roll out, shape, and cut the rolls. Place into your baking pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the pan into the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning, allow the pan to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven preheats. Bake and frost as directed.