If you crave a buttery, tender roll swirled and glazed with bright, tangy orange, these orange sticky buns are for you. Just 4 ingredients, about 20 minutes, and a tray of sticky-sweet rolls that will have everyone licking their fingers!
For our family, Thanksgiving and Christmas center around food — and a special holiday breakfast is part of that. We often keep lunch light and save room for festive dinners, but one thing always appears at breakfast: orange rolls. We don’t make them from scratch; instead, we pop open a can (or three) of Pillsbury® Orange Sweet Rolls and wait while the kitchen fills with that irresistible orange aroma. The tangy icing is unforgettable, and this simple tradition has become a holiday favorite for us.
Wanting the same flavor with a homemade twist but without extra time or dishes, I experimented using refrigerated dough as the base. Pillsbury® Crescent® rolls make these ridiculously easy: combine one can of crescent dough with just three more ingredients — orange marmalade, orange juice concentrate, and brown sugar — and you get buttery, tender buns that are sticky and bright with orange flavor.
To prepare, unroll the crescent dough into one large rectangle. There’s no need to fuss and pinch all the seams together — leaving the dough as one sheet works perfectly. Spread about 1/4 cup orange marmalade evenly over the dough so each bite has citrus sweetness.
Starting at the widest edge, roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll to form a log. Light, even rolling keeps the spiral neat and ensures the marmalade stays in place.
Generously grease eight wells of a muffin tin with nonstick spray. In the bottom of each well place 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate. Use concentrate rather than juice — it delivers concentrated orange flavor and helps create the sticky sauce as the buns bake.
Slice the rolled log into eight even rounds using a serrated knife and place each round on top of the sugar and concentrate in the muffin wells. If a piece looks a little uneven, don’t worry — it will bake up beautifully and hold its shape.
Bake at 375°F for 15–17 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. As soon as they come out of the oven, run a knife around each roll and invert the pan onto a platter so the sticky orange sauce coats the buns. If you wait too long, the sauce will cool and the buns will be harder to release.
These rolls are best served warm. The caramelized orange glaze with the soft, buttery spirals is quick to make and perfect for holidays, brunches, or any morning you want something special without fuss.
📖 Recipe
Easy Orange Sticky Buns
Ingredients
- 1 can Pillsbury® Crescents®
- ¼ cup orange marmalade
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate (frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Unroll the crescent dough into one large rectangle; there’s no need to pinch seams together.
- Spread orange marmalade evenly over the dough. Starting at the widest edge, roll the dough into a log like a cinnamon roll.
- Grease eight muffin wells with nonstick spray. Place 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate into the bottom of each well.
- Cut the log into eight even rounds and place each round into a muffin well on top of the sugar and concentrate.
- Bake 15–17 minutes, until golden brown.
- Immediately run a knife around each roll and invert the pan onto a platter so the sticky orange sauce coats the buns. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 149 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 24 g |
Protein: 1 g |
Fat: 6 g
These orange sticky buns are quick to make, deeply flavored by the orange concentrate, and perfect for making holiday mornings feel special without spending hours in the kitchen. Enjoy warm and sticky — and share your favorite holiday breakfast traditions, big or small.
This recipe was shared as part of a sponsored conversation on behalf of Pillsbury. The opinions and text are my own.