Make Ahead
Orange-Scented Olive Oil Sticky Buns (Cinnamon Rolls)
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105 Reviews
veg.monique
January 1, 2021
I liked these buns but didn't love them. It seemed to be an excessive amount of olive oil in the dough (so much that it couldn't all incorporate into the dough) but after baking, I can't even taste the olive oil. Since regular sticky bun or cinnamon bun dough has barely any fat I found this recipe to be a bit of a waste of calories/fat as well as of good olive oil since I can't taste it. However I love the orangey filling and use it in as filling with a regular cinnamon bun dough.
Tracy
December 28, 2020
Has anyone tried to make these gluten free? Would they rise at all? I make a good gf mixture, but have not had a lot of success with trying to substitute it in yeast recipes.
ginnygetsfloury
December 28, 2020
I haven’t - I’d compare to a gf cinnamon bun recipe. You can always substitute the filling in another recipe
Kim P.
January 9, 2020
Made these once last January and randomly again this year and both times turned out spectacular. I didn’t have buttermilk so I thinned some plain yogurt with milk and lemon juice plus some vanilla bean and it was perfect!
teri
September 12, 2019
Sounds good. Too bad you can't be bothered to make a printable version.
Heather G.
September 12, 2019
I just printed it...it says "PRINT" right below the photo...to the right of SAVE, and REVIEW.
Dia S.
January 21, 2018
Wonderful! Thanks to Susie Hillman for recommending baking on parchment paper, which made turn out and clean up much easier. I did the second rise overnight in the fridge so I could serve them straight out of the oven for brunch. When I took them out of the fridge, they were swimming in syrup, but only a brief worry. They baked up beautifully sticky. A lovely dough and great recipe.
ginnygetsfloury
January 6, 2018
This was so good!!! I didn’t have olive oil so I used butter. I also added some orange zest and vanilla to the dough. I wanted cinnamon buns so I added a teaspoon of cinnamon to the filling. It worked great! Thanks for the recipe!
Michelle
December 24, 2016
Been making this once a year for 4 years now. Still loving them! I pretty much make them as written every time, though I often end up with anywhere between 14 and 17 rolls, since I never remember how big to roll the initial rectangle. :)
Ceecee
February 14, 2016
Thanks for a great recipe fiveandspice. I did used the vanilla almond milk and it worked out great. After reading some of the comments about the dough not rising (because I do not think mine rise at all), I will let it sit for about 2 1/2-3 hrs instead of the 1 1/2.
Ceecee
February 6, 2016
Hi, what can one use in place of the butter milk? Would sweetened vanilla almond or soy milk work?
fiveandspice
February 7, 2016
Yes, you could use either of those. Don't sweeten the milk replacement but do add about a tsp. of lemon juice to replace the acidity of the butt merlot.
madeleine
November 15, 2015
Could one add clove and a touch of cinnamon for a wintery version of this?
Tasho
November 15, 2015
For me they are perfection as they are... Used to make these for Easter and Sticky Buns for Christmas but make these for both now- add hot cup a Joe and you'll have all the warmth you need! These buns fill you with orange and sunshine!!
fiveandspice
November 15, 2015
I think you certainly could add spices if you like spiced rolls though. Both of those would go nicely with the orange flavor, I think.
jpriddy
November 9, 2015
Thank you for this—it looks like exactly what I have been looking for! With my family's various food allergies and preferences, I will sub only the buttermilk and be good to go for immediate family.
AmazonVal
November 15, 2014
These rolls are ridiculously good. I am making them again tomorrow with a couple tiny tweaks. I will add a bit of softened butter to the rolled-out dough prior to adding the sugar/orange zest mixture. Also am grating a little bit of dark chocolate over the sugar before rolling up. I can't wait to see how they turn out. I love, love, love the combination of orange and chocolate.
Kiki
October 13, 2014
I wanted to make this but I'm not a baker. It looks complicated. I guess I'll just buy the Pills*** brand and bake them. I need easy recipes.
Amanda H.
October 13, 2014
If you're not a baker, I definitely wouldn't recommend starting with sticky buns, which require kneading and rising. Maybe something like cookies, which you can mix and bake would be a better choice. Here's a nice easy one: https://food52.com/recipes/165-secret-cookies
Kathi
April 3, 2014
I have found that my oven light warms the oven JUST enough to help the dough rise. I just leave it on, put the dough in and no problems.
Tasho
December 26, 2013
So made these again at Thanksgiving and for Christmas breakfast- every time I make them I think they will not turn out- dough so sticky and wet- every time they turn out delicious ! This time I used Trader Joe's olive oil and everybody raved
MamaP
December 25, 2013
These were wonderful. I, too, thought the dough wasn't rising. So, I put it in the kitchen while I baked. No issue. This was also my first time making homemade, yeast-based rolls. I couldn't believe how easy it was and how well they turned out. They are now our Christmas tradition. They were truly wonderful. Thank you!
Hina K.
October 17, 2013
would using cake flour make these a little less dense?
fiveandspice
October 18, 2013
No, it would just mean there's less gluten in the flour to give them structure and make a workable dough. To keep them from being dense you have to add as little extra flour as possible and make sure to give them adequate time to rise. Rising time can vary dramatically based on ambient temperature and on your yeast.
Tasho
March 31, 2013
Made these last night for Easter Brunch- had orange sticky buns on recent vac to Florida tht my daughter and I fell in love with- googled around for possible recipe and found this- everybody loved them! And what we did to prevent them from sticking in pan when cooled was to flip them out onto a platter (flat baking aheet work just as well) then drizzle with icing- all if the YUMMY filling was on the rolls! Definitely a keeper- thank you so much!
Boozy
March 20, 2013
These sticky buns were absolutely lovely! I had a little bit of trouble getting them to rise, any tips on keeping dough happy in a winter kitchen?
fiveandspice
March 20, 2013
Oof, yeah, chilly winter bread rising can be a frustrating business, especially since that's the time of year when you most want fresh-baked yeasty goodies! The only advice I can really offer is either try to find the warmest least drafty place in your house (it doesn't have to be in the kitchen - I often set my breads by the radiator in the living room), or you can slightly warm the oven, turn it off, and when it's down to about 80 or 85 degrees (Farenheit), you can put the dough in there to rise, until you need to start preheating the oven that is. OR you can just allow them to take a longer time to rise. Cold slows the yeast down, but it doesn't stop it, so things may just take awhile longer (sometimes quite awhile) if it's cool.
Susie H.
January 9, 2013
Important tip! bake these on parchment paper or get them out of the pan before the sugar cools and cements them to the pan (buttered pan notwithstanding). I had to reheat mine in the oven after letting them cool in the pan, just to get them out.
mrslarkin
January 2, 2013
Made these lovelies for Christmas morning, and then again on New Year's Day morning with a cinnamon/pecan/currant/choco chip filling. So easy and delicious. Thank you 5&s! Happy New Year!
petalpusher
December 26, 2012
I finally have a free standing mixer with a dough hook and this recipe was my first experience...It couldn't have been a better introduction. A simple delicious recipe with mind blowing flavors and textures. Orange, lemon sugar is wicked good. These came out perfect. thank you fiveandspice.
fiveandspice
December 26, 2012
Woohoo! Honored that these were part of your dough hook's maiden voyage!
Icravephilly
December 25, 2012
I added cardamom and a little nutmeg to the filling mixture (also 1/4 turbinado sugar) and chopped walnuts sprinkled over the filling before rolling. I didn't have buttermilk, so I used heavy cream, a tiny bit of milk, orange flower water and vanilla for the glaze. Yeasty and delicious!
2nd S.
December 25, 2012
could I use soy milk instead as my granddaughter is allergic to dairy and egg?
TheKiku
December 23, 2012
Wow! These were really good! I was super scared mine weren't going to come out. I'm clearly not a baker - I have NO patience! I ran out of all purpose flour and had to use part cake flour, the filling was oozing out, I had holes in the dough...I was freaking out! But after all was said and done...DELICIOUS! I will definitely make these again!
fiveandspice
December 26, 2012
That's wonderful! I'm glad they worked out for you. They're definitely messy, but I figure that's part of the whole point of sticky buns! :)
kellie@foodtoglow
December 23, 2012
I am definitely making this dough tomorrow for baking on Christmas morning, adding in smidge of cardamom. We normally just have what I term an Orange Julius fruit salad (fruit mixed with Greek yogurt, oj, honey and vanilla), but this will be perfect with it. Thanks so much for the recipe Emily! I love your blog, btw.
emcsull
December 21, 2012
yet another comment. This would be perfect for one of my best friends, whose husband is allergic to eggs. But - BUT - she has foresworn dairy - what could she use instead of the buttermilk ?
fiveandspice
December 21, 2012
You could use instead 1.5 Tbs. of coconut (or almond) milk and .5 Tbs of lemon juice. It would be an imperfect substitute, but a good one nonetheless!
leah_shelton_pucciarelli
December 23, 2012
Cider vinegar works well with soy milk to make df "buttermilk" also
Dina M.
December 21, 2012
sitting at the breakfast table and eating one from the batch i made yesterday. first of all: YUM. the orangey inside does ooze out, but it makes the bottom of the roll taste as delicious as the top, with its crunchy, orangey syrup. i made them yesterday, kept them loosely covered with foil in my mud room, and heated them up for breakfast--perfect, since they take so long to prepare.
fiveandspice
December 21, 2012
Awesome!
fiveandspice
December 21, 2012
You could use instead 1.5 Tbs. of coconut (or almond) milk and .5 Tbs of lemon juice. It would be an imperfect substitute, but a good one nonetheless!
emcsull
December 16, 2012
so what if I have no bread hook for my mixer, can I just hand-knead ? Would it take a lot longer ?
Thanks emcsull
Thanks emcsull
fiveandspice
December 16, 2012
You can certainly mix and knead by hand. The only thing that will be tricky is working in the olive oil. You may want to add it before you add the flour if you are kneading by hand. And then, you'll just have to knead carefully adding as little extra flour as possible (so the dough may be a little sticky and crazy making! But, you can do it!) so that the final baked rolls are tough.
Sophia R.
December 12, 2012
These look amazing - I love sticky buns and have been experimenting with olive oil a bit lately (unsaturated fat and longer shelf life than butter!). Might have to give these a go on the weekend!
fiveandspice
December 12, 2012
I do hope you enjoy them if you give them a try! Let me know how it goes!
Essentialchef
December 6, 2012
I love that these are butter free and egg free, for the sake of reducing saturated fat. If I were to make these ahead, at least the dough and stop them before the final rise by putting them in the fridge. That way the majority of the work is done the night before and then we can eat them warm from the oven. My eyes would be a bit bleary if I were to do this whole recipe first thing in the morning, even with coffee!
fiveandspice
December 7, 2012
Yes! That's exactly what I do when I want to make these ahead. Nobody should have to get up three hours early to make breakfast! :)
Dina M.
December 21, 2012
i made them completely yesterday--kept them loosely covered with foil in the mudroom overnight. reheated perfectly this morning.
darksideofthespoon
November 5, 2012
Made these last night! Delicious. My only changes were I used left over vanilla bean sugar for the dough and filling, and added a handful of chopped dried cranberries. There are only 5 left!!!
japanna
February 11, 2012
terrific except next time I would cut back on the sugar in the filling, especially if making the larger size buns. maybe for e smaller size that intensity might be what you are after. i subbed in half superfine whole wheat and used yogurt for the topping. i found the dough to be very forgiving in terms of rise time. will be making these again. thanks for a great recipe.
fiveandspice
February 13, 2012
I'm glad you liked them! And, definitely the amount of the filling used should be adjusted to personal preference.
phzs
January 7, 2012
After the dough has risen I would cut a quarter of it and flatten to the bottom of the buttered pan and I would do the rest of the recipe with the remaining dough. In that way I could prevent the leaking of the filling.
misslofox
January 5, 2012
What a great recipe! I'm planning on making it at a Valentine's Day brunch I'm hosting in February. Do you have an olive oil you can recommend? I've never heard of one that's "fruity!" :)
fiveandspice
January 6, 2012
Great question! Actually most good quality olive oil has some fruitiness to it. They also tend to have a lovely greenish tinge. If you live near a Williams Sonoma - or often other cooking stores too - they usually let you taste a whole line up and you can compare. But, overall, I'd say you don't have to worry too much about finding the very finest olive oil for these buns, just don't use low quality olive oil.
Helen R.
December 27, 2011
Finally -- an eggless sticky bun! Thank you so much for this recipe. my 1 year old is allergic to eggs, so I am always on the look out for eggless breakfast dishes. I also have a question about measuring flour. Would you happen to know how many ounces are in Chang's cup of flour? 5oz per cup seems to be a more common conversion, but I noticed that many bread people, like Reinhardt use a 4.5oz per cup conversion. I find that I get much more consistent results when weighing flour, so I thought I'd ask.
fiveandspice
December 28, 2011
Hi Helen, if you make them I hope you like them! I think you won't find you miss the egg at all! With regards to flour weights, I don't know what weight the cups should be (as I said in response to another comment, I haven't switched over yet - I'm a slow adopter, even though I know I ought!). But, the thing with bread baking is, a lot of it is by feel, and flour quantity can be affected a lot even by the moisture in the air. So, I would start with the 4.5 oz per cup, and if the dough seems way too sticky, keep adding more flour until it comes together into a silky dough as it's kneaded. But, it should still be very slightly tacky - one of the biggest mistakes people make in bread baking (at least according to my friend Bea Ojakangas who is an amazing baker) is making their dough too dry.
mksgurl1
December 15, 2011
Oh My these look amazing ....definitly making for christmas morning
fiveandspice
December 28, 2011
Sorry I missed your comment! We've been traveling. I hope you enjoyed them!
ChefSteadfastMT
December 14, 2011
WOW! A-Amazing! Just had them today:)! Was home all day today and saw this recipe a bit ago and been thinking about making them. So today I took the plunge and they were amazing!!! Very sweet and the flavors blended so well together!! The method is a bit similar to Swedish Kanelbulle (Cinnamon Buns) so be on the lookout because I will upload that recipe up soon and those are delish too!
I really loved the way the filling sort of caramelized! Oh and for those who don't have access to buttermilk like those of us in Sweden please use natural yoghurt or sour cream for the topping! It worked out perfectly for me! Goodness I wish we had a thing to upload pics of the recipes we tried and how they turned out (Food for thought Food52;)!
I really loved the way the filling sort of caramelized! Oh and for those who don't have access to buttermilk like those of us in Sweden please use natural yoghurt or sour cream for the topping! It worked out perfectly for me! Goodness I wish we had a thing to upload pics of the recipes we tried and how they turned out (Food for thought Food52;)!
fiveandspice
December 14, 2011
That's fabulous! So glad you enjoyed them. They are a bit similar to Kanelbulle, certainly, and just as nice for coffee time! Sour cream definitely is a great substitute for buttermilk in the topping. You could also use kefir (do you call it that in Swedish? In Norway we call it either kefir or kulturmelk) which is similar to buttermilk, but I kind of bet sour cream would be even better.
fiveandspice
January 3, 2012
I would think so. I often use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream (though not the non-fat kind, which has a bit too sharp an aftertaste for me).
momcooks
December 13, 2011
Can I make these ahead and freeze them? Just trying to plan ahead for the Xmas morning crowds!
fiveandspice
December 13, 2011
You definitely ought to be able to! You just freeze the rolled buns after their second rise, but before you bake them. Put them into the refrigerator the afternoon of the day before (covered loosely with plastic) and let them thaw in there overnight (they'll rise a bit too). Then, in the morning, bring them closer to room temp while the oven preheats, then bake adding about 5 or so extra minutes to the baking time.
Dan P.
December 11, 2011
5nSpice .. we've gone a bit scale crazy lately and are always doing the conversion of cups to grams because we just don't get the eyeballing right doing cups alone. You always have such wonderful recipes, would you add the grams conversion to your recipes?
fiveandspice
December 11, 2011
Hi Dan! I suppose this will expose me as the baking dilletante I actually am, but I still don't generally bake with a scale. I only just got one very recently and am growing accustomed to it. But, I still tend to think and experiment in cup quantities, if you know what I mean, even though the scale is sooo much more accurate. However, as I get used to it, I will try to include gram conversions, and go back and add gram conversions to my already existing recipes as much as is feasible with the time I have. Thanks for the great suggestion.
gingerroot
December 1, 2011
Wow! These sound amazing, fiveandspice. I love the flavors you have here, and the journey of how you decided to use them.
fiveandspice
December 1, 2011
Thanks gingerroot! They came out really nicely! Especially after such a wending mental journey to get there - you definitely know how that goes! :)
boulangere
November 26, 2011
I love your play on brighter flavors than the traditional ooey gooey (not that there's anything totally wrong with ooey gooey) ones.
fiveandspice
November 27, 2011
Thanks Boulangere! I agree, nothing wrong with ooey gooey, but quite fun to switch up the flavors of your ooey gooey! :) And I have a pretty photo too, but now I can't figure out how to add it, since the recipe is already published. Aiaiai. Technology.
aargersi
November 23, 2011
Another beautiful FiveNSpice recipe! Looks like 'tis the season to master the sticky bun ...
TheWimpyVegetarian
November 23, 2011
I love the addition of the buttermilk in the filling! I considered adding some milk to mine, but decided not to in the end. But buttermilk sounds perfect! And I really like the oil in it too. I made some apple cakes recently for a bake sale that had quite a bit of oil in them, and really liked the flavor and texture. I'm glad you posted this! Happy Thanksgiving!
fiveandspice
November 23, 2011
Thank you CS! I agree, olive oil gives really lovely flavor and texture to sweet baked goods.
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