Grandma's Orange Rolls with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1

Dissolve yeast in warm water and warm orange juice in a bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Beat warm milk, shortening, 1/4 cup white sugar, egg, and salt together in a separate bowl. Stir yeast mixture into milk mixture. Add enough flour to mixture to create a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes.

Step 3

Grease a large bowl and two 11x7x2-inch baking sheets.

Step 4

Place dough in the greased bowl and turn dough to coat all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Step 5

Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll each half on a lightly floured surface creating two 15x10-inch rectangles.

Step 6

Mix sugar, softened butter, and orange zest in a bowl until filling is smooth. Spread half of the filling onto each dough rectangle. Roll each rectangle around the filling, jelly roll-style, starting with the long end creating a log. Cut each log into 15 rolls.

Step 7

Arrange rolls on the prepared baking sheets. Cover baking sheets with plastic wrap and let rolls rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Step 8

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove plastic wrap from baking sheets.

Step 9

Bake rolls in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 10

Beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, softened butter, orange juice, and orange zest in a bowl until frosting is smooth. Spread frosting on the warm rolls.