Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
4.60 from 10 votes

One bite of these fluffy Glazed Gluten Free Orange Rolls and you will want to make this all of the time. These orange rolls are topped with a sweet orange glaze. They almost have the same fluffy texture of a Krispy Kream Donut, without the frying! There is also a dairy-free option.

Gluten free orange rolls rolled like cinnamon rolls.

The aroma of these freshly baked orange rolls will fill your house with the scent of sweet citrus. If you enjoy the sweet and tangy flavor of oranges, then making these gluten free orange rolls would be a great way to satisfy your cravings.

My new orange roll recipe is a sweet, pastry-like roll you can serve for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. They are made from a gluten free yeasted dough and orange juice, which gives them their distinct citrus flavor.

Please read the whole post; I know it is long, but I jam-packed this post with many tips and tricks for each flour blend. I did extensive testing and shared the best two gluten free flour blends to use so you can make them perfectly, without fail.

If you love to bake, check out my delicious gluten free bread recipes. There are all types of bread, both sweet and savory! If you love citrus, you will also want to try these fluffy Gluten Free Lemon Rolls.

Sandi you are a genius! I canโ€™t believe I actually made these delicious orange bunnies! My husband, who has celiac disease and is very strict about avoiding gluten, took one bite and said โ€œI love the texture of the bread!โ€ He really misses good bread. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

sherre t., blog comment

Allergen Information:

These homemade, fluffy orange rolls are gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and oat-free. Make them dairy-free using plant-based butter and milk.

A gluten free orange roll shaped like bunny butts for Easter.

Ingredient Notes:

For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.

  • Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested two gluten free flour blends. Both had VERY different wet-to-dry ratios. Following the directions for the flour blend you are using is critical. I tested Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend in the bunny-shaped rolls and Cup4Cup in the cinnamon roll-style rolls. Note: Cup4Cup recently changed its flour blend formulation, and it doesn’t behave as the old formulation. I havenโ€™t had a chance to retest this recipe with the new flour blend formulation. I will probably test my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend (gum-free) next. It tends to behave very similarly to Steve’s blend. One reader said Namaste Gluten Free Flour worked well, but she did have to add more flour. She didn’t mention a quantity. Two readers have written to let me know that Walmart Great Value Gluten Free Flour Blend worked in this recipe.
  • Sugar – Use cane sugar so your rolls don’t turn brown.
  • Xanthan Gum – If you decide to use a flour blend I did not test, check to ensure it has a binder. If it doesn’t, add a teaspoon of guar or xanthan gum.
  • Yeast – I used active dry yeast. I will not test rapid yeast, so if you try that, let me know how it works. Note that Red Star “Platinum” is NOT gluten free!
  • Oranges – You can use any variety. I used navel orange for the bunny rolls and mandarins for the rolls. You can also use orange juice, but you want fresh oranges for the zest.
  • Eggs – Use size large.
  • Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter. If you are dairy-free, you can use plant-based butter.
  • Milk – You can use regular or plant-based milk. I made both test batches with Milkadamia dairy-free milk.

If you are looking for more Easter recipes, try these Gluten Free Easter Cookies too!

Main Observations on the Two Tested Flour Blends:

  • Steve’s GF Bread Blend had more of the texture of real gluten yeast rolls. The Cup4Cup was a fluffier, more airy texture…maybe a little less substantial and starchy.
  • As I will mention a few times, I needed a LOT more flour using the Cup4Cup flour.

I have 100s of easy-to-make gluten free dessert recipes if you love to bake! Let me know which you try!

Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:

Photos of steps 1 an d2 making the orange rolls.

Step 1: Use a digital scale to measure or weigh your gluten free flour. Pour it into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the salt and add the sugar. Whisk to blend them.

Step 2: Proof the active dry yeast in warm milk or plant-based milk. Let it sit for 5-7 minutes until it is frothy.

Photos of steps 3 and 4 making orange rolls.

Step 3: Add the yeast mixture, eggs, orange juice, and melted butter to a stand mixer. Put on the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low and blend the wet ingredients.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients and orange zest.

Photos of steps 5 and 6.

Step 5: Turn the mixer low and gradually increase the speed until your dough forms.

Step 6: Remove the dough and put it onto a silicone mat. You do not need to dust the mat with flour using Steve’s blend. If you use Cup4Cup, you may need to dust it with flour.

๐Ÿ”‘ Sandi says: You only get one good rise with gluten free dough. It is important to shape your dough quickly and then let it rise. If you rise the dough and shape it, your rolls will not puff up.

Photos of steps 7 and 8 making the bunny shaped rolls.

Step 7: Cut the dough into evenly sized pieces. Roll them into a long rope.

Step 8: Bring one side over the other side, making a circle.

Email This Recipe To Me!

I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

Photos of shaping the dough into a bunny.

Step 9: Twist the dough again and pinch the ears to a pointy shape.

Step 10: Roll a small piece of dough into a ball. Press it gently down in the hold. This will be the bunny tail. Place the rolls onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Repeat this until you use all of the dough.

The bunny shaped rolls before and after rising the dough.
I used Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend for this version.

Step 11: Preheat the oven to 200ยบ F and then turn the oven off. Place a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the dough. Put it into the oven to rise for 45 minutes.

This is a photo to show you before and after the rise. See below if you are making these gluten-free orange rolls rolled up like cinnamon rolls.

Photos of making these into orange cinnamon rolls.

Step 12: If you make these in a rolled style, spread the dough into a rectangle. You can use a rolling pin or your hands.

Step 13: Mix the melted butter, sugar, and orange zest in a bowl. Spread the sugar mixture over the dough. I love using this sugar and orange zest blend in my Gluten Free Cruffins recipe.

Step 14: Roll the dough tightly. Use sewing thread to cut out the rolls. I slide the thread under the log, then twist the ends up and cross them. This will cut out the roll shapes.

Carefully place the dough rolls in a 9×13 pan. (Line the pan with parchment paper.)

Photos of the orange rolls before and after rising.
I made this version with Cup4Cup.

You can see the rise with the Cup4Cup got a little crazy. I needed a bigger pan.

Step 15: Bake the rolls at 350ยบ F for 20-25 minutes. The baking time will vary depending if you are making bunny shapes or rolls packed in a pan.

A cookie sheet full of baked gluten free orange bunny rolls.

Step 16: This is what the baked bunnies will look like. Carefully slide the parchment paper with the bunnies onto a wire cooling rack.

Photos of mixing up the orange glaze and dipping the rolls into the glaze.

Step 17: Mix up the glaze in a small bowl. Mix that up if you are making the icing for the rolled orange rolls. You want the gluten free orange rolls to be cooled before icing or adding glaze.

Step 18: Hold a bunny roll over the glaze and use a spoon to pour the glaze over the front of the bunny. Don’t glaze the back side. If you make rolled rolls, spread the icing over each cinnamon roll shape. Hold the bunny gently so that the excess glaze drips off the roll.

Lced orange bunny rolls on a piece of parchment paper.

Step 19: Let the glaze firm up and eat! These gluten free orange rolls make the perfect gluten free orange bunny rolls for Easter! You can add a tuft of cotton candy (when they cool) for the tail.

Check out these big fluffy gluten free orange rolls rolled up with an orange icing.

Step 20: Mix up the icing for the rolls if you made rolls. Spread it over the rolls after they have cooled.

You can also use this gluten free orange sweet bread dough to make a version of my Gluten Free Monkey Bread recipe. If you love baking with orange juice, try these Gluten Free Orange Scones too. I have so many gluten free cinnamon roll recipes in a variety of flavors for you to try!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you use this gluten free orange bread dough for other things?

Yes, you can use this orange bread dough any way you like! This orange bread dough would be great to make fried donuts with!

How do you store these gluten free orange rolls?

Store either style of these gluten free orange rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep fresh for up to 4 days. I highly recommend freezing them. You can freeze the cooled rolls in a zip-style freezer bag.

How do you thaw these orange rolls?

You can thaw these rolls by letting them sit out for 30 minutes or warm them in the microwave oven for 30 seconds.

If you love these orange rolls, you will love my incredible Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls recipe! Over the holidays, these Gluten Free Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are also amazing.

A close up of an orange bunny roll on a white plate.

More Gluten Free Rolls Recipes:

Love This Recipe?

If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Include which flour blend you used. This helps others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!

Gluten free orange rolls rolled like cinnamon rolls.

The Best Gluten Free Orange Rolls

Sandi Gaertner
These are absolutely delicious gluten free orange rolls. They can be shaped like cinnamon rolls or bunny rolls for Easter.
4.60 from 10 votes
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
vegetarian icon
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rise Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Gluten Free Bread Recipe, Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes, Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 255 kcal

Ingredients
  

Yeast Mixture

  • ยพ cup milk or plant-based milk * see note
  • 2 ยฝ teaspoons active dry yeast Do not use Red Star Platinum, it has gluten.
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Rolls

  • 2 ยฝ cups gluten free flour blend *Important to read notes!
  • โ…“ cup sugar use white cane sugar
  • โ…› teaspoon salt
  • ยผ cup warm water Use for Steve's Blend ONLY!
  • 2 large eggs
  • ยผ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ยฝ cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest

Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

See notes for orange sugar filling

Email This Recipe To Me!

I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200ยบ F and then turn the oven off. This is where you will rise the dough.
  • Proof the active dry yeast in warm milk or plant-based milk. Let it sit for 5-7 minutes until it is frothy.
  • Measure or weigh your gluten free flour. Pour it into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the salt and add the sugar. Whisk to blend them together.
  • Add the yeast mixture, eggs, orange juice, and melted butter to a stand mixer. Put on the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low and blend the wet ingredients together.
  • Add the dry ingredients and orange zest to the stand mixer.
  • Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed until your dough forms. If you notice your dough is sticky, add more flour. Every flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio and this will factor in depending on what you are using.
  • Remove the dough and put it onto a silicone mat. If you use Steve's blend, you do not need to dust the mat with flour. If you use Cup4Cup, you may need to dust it with flour.
  • Important: You only get one good rise with gluten free dough. It is important to shape your dough quickly, then let it rise. If you rise the dough and then shape it, your rolls will not puff up.

To Make Bunny Shapes

  • Cut the dough into evenly sized pieces. Roll them into a long rope.ย ย Bring one side over the other side, making a circle.
    Photos of steps 7 and 8 making the bunny shaped rolls.
  • Twist the dough again and pinch the ears to a pointy shape.
    Photos of shaping the dough into a bunny.
  • Take a small piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Press it gently down in the hold. This will be the bunny tail. Place the rolls onto a parchment paper-linedย cookie sheet. Repeat this until you use all of the dough.
  • Preheat the oven to 200ยบ F and then turn the oven off. Place a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the dough. Put it into the oven to rise for 45 minutes.

To Make Cinnamon Roll-Style Rolls

  • If you are making these in a rolled style, spread the dough out into a rectangle. You can use a rolling pin or your hands. Make the rolls before the rise!
  • Add the melted butter, sugar, and orange zest to a bowl and mix it. Spread the sugar mixture over the dough.
    Photos of making these into orange cinnamon rolls.
  • Roll the dough tightly. Use sewing thread to cut out the rolls. I slide the thread under the log, then twist the ends up and cross them. This will cut out the roll shapes.ย 
  • Carefully place the dough rolls in aย 9×13 pan. (Line the pan with parchment paper.)
    Photos of the orange rolls before and after rising.

Baking Instructions For Both

  • Bake the rolls at 350ยบ F for 20-25 minutes. The baking time will vary depending if you are making bunny shapes, or rolls packed in a pan.

Glaze

  • Mix up the glaze in a small bowl. If you are making the icing for the rolled orange rolls, mix that up. You want the gluten free orange rolls to be cooled before icing or adding glaze.
  • Orange Rolls Glaze: Note if you are making cinnamon roll style, skip the butter so your glaze is thicker like icing. Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the glaze
  • Bunny Shape Rolls: You want your glaze thin so use the recipe above as directed. Hold a bunny roll over the glaze and use a spoon to pour the glaze over the front of the bunny. Don't glaze the back side. If you are making rolled rolls, spread the icing over each cinnamon roll shape. Hold the bunny gently so that the excess glaze drips off the roll.

Notes

  1. This is not the recipe to hit the Jump to Recipe button on. Read the whole post because it has a lot of information and step-by-step photos.
  2. Warm the milk or non-dairy milk. It should be no hotter than 110ยบ F.
  3. The flour measurement is for Authentic Foods Steve’s Gluten Free Flour Blend. You need less of this flour than other flour blends. I have only tested this recipe with Steve’s blend and Cup4Cup. You will need a LOT more flour for Cup4Cup. See below for the specific amounts. I have not tested this recipe with other flour blends. Some store-bought blends do not work with yeast so read the labels, and check the brand website. Note you will most likely need more flour if you are not using a blend I tested.
  4. The weight of Steve’s GF Bread Blend is 377.09 grams.
  5. If you want to make this recipe dairy-free, use plant-based butter. Note Cup4cup has dried milk powder so you will need to use Steve’s blend if you are dairy-free. I do plan to test my DIY gluten free flour blend in this recipe. I have tested my blend in my cinnamon rolls and it worked great, so I believe my flour blend will work well. I haven’t measured it for weight in this recipe, so I don’t know if you would need to add more flour. Also, note my DIY blend is gum-free for those who can’t have xanthan or guar gum.
  6. If you choose to use a flour I haven’t tested, I can’t guarantee the results. Do make sure the blend you use has a binder like xanthan or guar gum. (Steve’s blend uses something else.) If there is no binder, add one teaspoon of xanthan or guar gum.
  7. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. These also freeze really well in a zipper freezer bag.
Cup4Cup Modifications:
Note: Cup4Cup changed its flour blend formulation, and it doesn’t behave as the old formulation. I havenโ€™t had a chance to retest this recipe with the new flour blend formulation.
I needed to use a lot more of this flour. I used 390 grams (2 1/2 cups) then added an additional 170 grams (or 1 1/4 cups of flour.) Note, I store my flour in my refrigerator so it is possible moisture affected this. You need to really read the post above and look at all of the photos of the dough. You want your flour to be workable. You will need to dust your silicone mat with flour if you use Cup4Cup.
Sugar Orange Zest Filling:
If you are making this cinnamon roll-style, melt 1/4 cup butter and add 1/2 to 3/4 cups cane sugar to 2 TBSP orange zest. Mix into a paste. I give a sugar quantity range b/c it will depend on how sweet you want the rolls, and how large your dough rectangle is.
ย 

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 4gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 42mgPotassium: 72mgFiber: 3gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 245IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

4.60 from 10 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




32 Comments

  1. Canโ€™t wait to try these! Thank you thank you! Quick question, Step 3 in your blog post section says to mix the butter, sugar, and orange zest into the dough. But then step 13 says to spread the butter, sugar, and zest across the rolled door. Am I understanding right that if we are going to do the cinnamon-roll like method, we should skip Step 3? Thank you!!

  2. 4 stars
    My daughter recently went gluten free. Orange rolls are a family tradition, so finding a gluten free recipe that worked has been a challenge for us. Your recipe was the closest to the Pillsbury rolls that the rest of us so love. However, the recipe was challenging as a lot of the measurements are not standard, e.g., 1 1/3 eggs. We had to eye the 1/3rd egg part, as well as any of the 1/3 or 2/3 tsp measurements, since our standard measuring spoons didn’t have a 1/3rd designation. Providing the flour in grams was helpful. To make this recipe easier to make it would be really helpful to have all the measurements in grams. Thank you!

    1. Hi Annalee, what gluten free flour blend did you use? If your rolls didn’t rise (hense more a biscuit) my guess is you may have used a flour blend that doesn’t work with yeast.

  3. I donโ€™t know if you have done this or anyone has mentioned this, but when I cut my rolls I use dental floss. It works great I keep a roll in the drawer for slicing dough. I love reading your recipes. I make my own flour mixture up and being GF and sugar free has helped me.

  4. 5 stars
    You are my “go-to” source for gluten-free cooking. I have a daughter and 2 grandkids who have Celiac and it is so important to cook gluten-free for them when they come to visit. I made an entire Thanksgiving meal this year all gluten-free and most choices I got from your website. The orange rolls were a big hit and very much enjoyed. in addition to great recipes, your recipe tips and extra advice are so helpful and your pictures are beautifully done. Thank you so much!

    1. You absolutely made my day (maybe even my week.) I am so glad that you made a gluten free Thanksgiving meal for your family. Those orange rolls are fun to make and shape, maybe the kids can help you make them next year :-).

  5. 4 stars
    These looked so good so I had to try them! Unfortunately I didnโ€™t read the recipe before I made them so I purchased bobs red mill gf cup to cup flour. I think I ended up using an extra cup or more of this flour(I used the whole bag minus 2 tbsp for rolling). The rolls were okay since I had to keep adding flour I think it made them a little dense/tough, I may try again now that I know how much I need to use. The recipe was a little confusing to make rolls..I followed the first part up until rising then went to the roll instructions. I had already added the butter, zest and sugar to the dough but it said to add more for the filling? I had to keep going back and forth from the first instructions to the roll instructions, just a little confusing so not sure that I made them completely correct but they had good flavor. Thanks!

    1. Hi Sadi, I know my readers love using that Jump to Recipe button to bypass ads, but I put a huge amount of time into writing the recipe, with tips for success in the post above. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 doesn’t work in yeast recipes, as they state on their website, so your rolls turning out dense makes a lot of sense. I can try to clarify more, but I can’t put an entire post worth of testing/tips/and notes into a recipe card.

      1. I’m getting ready to try this recipe, it sounds delicious! I did have a question before I get started. Is the sugar orange zest filling ingredients you have listed in Notes IN ADDITION TO the Ingredients listed under the Rolls?
        So I would add all Rolls ingredients to the dough which include zest, sugar and butter, and then make the filling with additional butter, sugar and zest?

      2. Hi Pam, use the recipe as stated and then the zest/butter/sugar mixture is what is spread on the dough before you roll it. I hope that makes sense.

  6. 5 stars
    Sandi you are a genius! I canโ€™t believe I actually made these delicious orange bunnies! My husband, who has celiac disease and is very strict about avoiding gluten, took one bite and said โ€œI love the texture of the bread!โ€ He really misses good bread. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hopefully there will be some left for the grandkids on Easter!

    This is the first GF yeast recipe Iโ€™ve been brave enough to try. I used Steveโ€™s GF flour, added the extra water per the instructions, then I had to add extra flour until the dough wasnโ€™t too sticky to work with.

    1. I am so excited your husband loved these rolls. I keep telling everyone that Steve’s GF Bread Blend is life-changing :-). I hope you have a good weekend. Thank you!

  7. 5 stars
    I just finished glazing these bunny rolls, I’m going to freeze them for Easter. They are outstanding!! I used Steve’s GF Bread Flour, and followed your recipe as written. The dough was a dream to work with. I made them bigger at 100 grams each, so I got 9 good-sized bunnies… 8 for the freezer and one for taste testing of course. Thank you for all of the work you do developing and testing these recipes, and writing them with such clear, thorough instructions and lots of pictures!! I realize this is an incredible amount of work. I forgot to link to Amazon through your website for the flour so I “bought you coffee” instead.

  8. Could I make this recipe without the orange juice? I would like to make bunny roll for Easter just not orange flavour. Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. 5 stars
    I have been craving orange rolls forever! I made them this morning and they are FANTASTIC. Surely cannot tell that they are GF. I didn’t see amounts for the butter, sugar & zest to spread on the rolled out dough, so made up my own. Can’t say enough wonderful things about this recipe. I love yeast doughs, and this one will be adapted to many other things because it is so quick and easy to make.
    Thank you so much – I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
    PS FYI – I use King Arthur one-to-one flour – I needed about 4 cups for the dough.

    1. Thank you for the heads up on the filling. I just added that in. You are the first, besides me, to test the recipe. Thank you so much. I am surprised the KA 1:1 worked…it notoriously doesn’t work well in yeast recipes. That will give some of my readers hope.

      1. 5 stars
        I made these orange rolls with Steve’s GF bread flour. I followed the directions exactly and they came out perfectly. I left a few unglazed and froze them sliced . I toasted them and the were even better! They were very easy to make once I read through the directions and I had a thorough understanding. It was so nice to enjoy baked goods. They are truly a joy to bake and eat. My non GF husband was also thrilled and couldn’t get over how good they were. He said he’d never had a GF bread so good. I encouraged my GF daughter to bake them and she called me and we talked about them for a long time! I will make them many more times. It’s become my Sunday ritual to try a new Fearless Dining recipe.

    1. Hi Parli, I haven’t tested any egg replacers. If you try one, please let me know how they turned out. I would recommend Bob’s Egg Replacer as I have had good luck with it in other recipes.

      1. Hi Peggy, I know that blend is pricey, but you do need to use a lot less of it. I have quite a few recipes on the blog using it including gf monkey bread, cinnamon raisin bagels, cinnamon rolls (regular and gingerbread), hamburger and hot dog buns, challah (braided bread), panettone (Christmas bread), and soft pretzels recipes.