Easiest Orange Rolls
Flaky biscuits in a buttery, orange glaze.
How can any orange rolls, so easy to make, be so tasty? Mom knew and she served them frequently, so I followed suit with my own family and now the recipe has moved on to the 4th generation! Technically. I suppose they should be named, orange biscuits, but no matter - you call them anything you like, as long as you call your family when they’re ready!
The shortcut of using refrigerated biscuit dough is the secret to a quick bread to serve with dinner, which is how we usually have them. It’s curious that when it comes to breads, they can easily cross-over from dessert to the main course part of the meal. The tangy sweetness of this glaze goes so well with the savory of the main menu and provides a palette-pleasing contrast - a bite of savory, then a bite of sweet, back to a bite of savory, and so on.
Dinner guests at our table in the Middle East found the apparent dichotomy of this combination, unusual and in some cases inedible. Sweet and Sour chicken, I found early on, was a difficult bite for them to swallow, their senses whirling about in confusion. So learned to gently lure them into these interesting taste contrasts, only occasionally, and then only for people that had spent some time among Western cultures. Come on, I wanted to say….open minds and open palettes. There’s a world of flavor beyond felafel and shwarma out there! (though if you have to be stuck in one cuisine, Middle-Eastern is not a bad choice.)
So quick and so simple, these Orange Rolls are great for a snack, breakfast, brunch, dinner bread or dessert. I’m not confused - this recipe is a keeper!
Easiest Orange Rolls
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
Rind of one orange, finely grated
2/3 cups sugar
1 can refrigerated biscuits (8 biscuits)
To prepare the glaze: In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in the sugar and orange rind over medium-high heat, until thoroughly combined - about 3 minutes.
-Cover the bottom of a glass round or square baking dish with 1/3 of the glaze. Remove the biscuits from the packaging and place them on top of the glaze in the baking dish. Spoon the rest of the glaze over the biscuits.
-Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes until biscuits are raised and golden. Remove from oven and serve, spooning glaze from the bottom of the dish over each biscuit. (These are also good cold or reheated in a microwave.)
Pour about 1/3 of the glaze mixture into the bottom of baking dish.
Place biscuits in the baking dish and pour remaining glaze over the top.
Bake until biscuits are golden and glaze is bubbling.
Scrumptuous orange rolls in 20 easy minutes!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
-If you have a biscuit dough recipe you like to make, go ahead and try this recipe with your own homemade biscuits. I have never made my own biscuits for this, only because I like the simplicity of it and it is my go-to when I want something super easy, but undoubtedly, you might even be able to improve upon this recipe with your homemade substitution!
