Cake Mix Orange Sweet Rolls

When I made my Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls using cake mix, I couldn’t stop thinking about an Orange Sweet Roll version. My family loves Orange Sweet Rolls, and I knew they would love this recipe. Tender, sweet rolls with fresh orange zest in the dough smell absolutely heavenly baking. Drench them in my Orange Cream Cheese Glaze for an amazing sweet roll, perfect for breakfast or brunch.  These Orange Sweet Rolls made with yellow cake mix are absolutely delicious, and I can’t wait for you to try them!

If you are planning a brunch, check out my tips for planning an amazing brunch! 

Cake Mix Orange Sweet Rolls
adapted from my Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

These take about 4 hours from start to finish, mostly inactive prep time.

Makes 24 rolls – 2 9×13 pans

Rolls

1 box of Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix (16.5 oz)
2 envelopes (1/4 oz each) of Active Dry Yeast
2 1/2 cups of warm water
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
5 cups of all-purpose flour
Zest from five large oranges (reserve some for garnish)

Filling

2 stick of softened butter (1 cup)
1 cup of packed light brown sugar
1 cup of granulated white sugar

Orange Cream Cheese Glaze

8 oz of softened cream cheese
2 cups of powdered sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
about 1/2 a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (use oranges previously zested)

In a large bowl, combine flour with orange zest and whisk to evenly distribute.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine two packages of active dry yeast with warm water. Stir until dissolved. Add cake mix, flour, vanilla and salt. Use dough hook attachment to knead dough together, just for a minute or two. Move to larger bowl, cover, and let rise for about an hour. Punch dough down after an hour, and let rise again for another hour or until doubled in size.

Use plenty of flour on a clean surface and turn dough out. Shape into a ball, then roll into a rectangle shape, mine measured about 28×17. Spread softened butter over dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and white sugar. Start from farthest edge and roll dough tightly into a long skinny log shape. Slice into 24 rolls.

Place rolls in two 9×13 pans that have been greased with butter, or sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Let rise a final time in pan for about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, prepare cream cheese frosting. With paddle attachment on the stand mixer, combine room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar. Beat until well combined, then  add a pinch of salt. Add orange juice until you have a pourable consistency.

Pour on warm rolls and enjoy. Optional, sprinkle rolls with additional orange zest.

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