Sharon Palmer

Published on April 5, 2024

The bright flavor and aroma of citrus is the calling card for this delicious, healthy recipe for Sunshine Whole Wheat Orange Rolls. Inspired by my abundant orange trees in Ojai, this yummy orange roll recipe is one of my favorites during citrus season. Many homes in California and Florida have orange trees, which offer a special treat. However, when all of those oranges are ripe, it’s time to find creative ways to showcase their sweet, juicy fruits. Even if you don’t have orange trees at home, you can celebrate citrus by using these delicious fruits year round. I remember the sweet orange rolls my mother made when I was a child—how I loved the fragrance baking in the oven, and savoring them while they were warm and yummy. So it was really fun to recreate that memory with these 100% whole grain Sunshine Whole Wheat Orange Rolls, which are very light in added sugars and fat, 100% plant-based (vegan), and 100% delicious, all in honor of my mom. I baked up a batch and the whole kitchen smelled wonderful! My family just lapped them up, and I felt really good about it, because these whole wheat rolls are packed with healthy ingredients. Give these yummy yeast rolls a try the next time you spy oranges!

Step-By-Step Guide:

Mix together soymilk, maple syrup and yeast with an electric mixer and let stand for 10 minutes.

Zest oranges with a zester, and juice them.

Mix in melted margarine, flaxseeds, salt (optional), enough flour to make a soft but not sticky dough, and orange zest from one orange.

Knead dough with electric mixer or by hand for six minutes.

Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

Make orange walnut filling by heating margarine, walnuts, orange juice with cornstarch, chopped oranges, and orange zest in a skillet.

Heat, stirring, until bubbly and thickened. Set aside.

Roll out dough on floured counter to a large rectangle.

Spread filling evenly over surface of dough.

Place in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.

Bake at 350 F for about 35 minutes, until golden brown.

Mix together orange juice, zest and powdered sugar to make a thin glaze; drizzle over the rolls.

If desired, garnish with additional orange zest.

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Sunshine Whole Wheat Orange Rolls

(13 votes, average: 4.31 out of 5)
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4.3 from 13 reviews

Author: The Plant-Powered Dietitian
Total Time: 2 1/2 hours (including time for rising)
Yield: 14 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

These healthy, yummy Sunshine Whole Wheat Orange Rolls are very light on added sugars and fat—these whole wheat rolls are also vegan and filled with the bright aromas and taste of citrus.

Ingredients

Scale

Bread Dough:

1 cup warm (110 F) soymilk, plain, unsweetened
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 .25-ounce package (2 ¼ teaspoons) rapid-rise yeast
3 tablespoons melted, dairy-free margarine
2 tablespoons flaxseeds, ground
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
2 ½ – 3 cups whole wheat flour
1 small orange, zested

Orange Walnut Filling:

2 small oranges
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Orange Glaze: (optional)

1 small orange, zested, juiced
½ cup powdered sugar

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Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer stand (or use a hand-held electric mixer), gently stir together soymilk, maple syrup, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Using electric mixer with dough hook attachment, mix in melted margarine and flaxseeds until smooth.
Mix in salt (optional), 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour, and the zest from one orange. If needed, add just enough additional whole wheat flour to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Continue to mix with the electric mixer on medium low for 6 minutes.
Remove dough from mixer bowl and place in a clean large bowl sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place in a warm place (about 80-90 F), cover with a clean towel and let rise in warm (not hot) place for 1 hour, until about doubled in size.
While dough is rising, make Orange Walnut Filling: Zest both oranges. Squeeze the juice of one orange and mix with corn starch. For the other orange, peel and chop it. Heat dairy-free margarine in a small skillet and stir in walnuts, maple syrup, orange juice (mixed with cornstarch), chopped oranges, and zest. Stir mixture until melted, thickened, and bubbly. Set aside.
Punch down dough and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry roller, roll into a rectangle about 12 x 17 inches.
Spread Orange Walnut Filling evenly over the surface of the dough.
Tightly roll up the dough horizontally, so that you are left with an approximately 17-inch tube of dough.
Slice roll with a serrated knife into approximately 1 ½-inch slices to create 14 cut rolls.
Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, and arrange cinnamon rolls in dish, cut side down.
Cover with a clean dish cloth and let rise in warm place for 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place baking dish in oven, uncovered, and bake for about 35 minutes, until cooked through and slightly golden.
Make the Orange Glaze (optional): Place the zest of one orange in a small dish. Add powdered sugar. Stir in orange juice, one tablespoon at a time, until you achieve desired texture for a glaze. Set aside.
Remove rolls from oven. Drizzle with the glaze.
Serve immediately. Makes 14 servings.

Notes

To make this recipe gluten-free, swap whole wheat flour with a gluten-free blend.

I used a mint green ceramic baking dish to prepare these rolls—so pretty for serving too. Try using a pretty ceramic baking dish for this recipe, like this one.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American