Mini Orange Crescent Rolls (Print out)

Pillowy mini rolls filled with orange sugar and topped with a fresh citrus glaze for a quick treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough

→ Filling

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - Zest of 1 large orange (approximately 1 tablespoon)
05 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Glaze

06 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
07 - 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
08 - 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
02 - Unroll the crescent dough on a clean surface and pinch all perforations to seal, forming one large rectangle.
03 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract until well blended.
04 - Spread the orange filling evenly across the entire dough rectangle.
05 - Starting from the longer side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Using a sharp knife, slice into 12 equal pieces.
06 - Place the rolls cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet or in the mini muffin tin.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the rolls achieve a golden brown color.
08 - While rolls bake, whisk together powdered sugar and orange juice, adding juice gradually until reaching pourable consistency. Stir in orange zest if desired.
09 - Allow rolls to cool for 5 minutes, then drizzle with orange glaze and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They bake in under 20 minutes, which means you can have warm, glazed rolls ready before your coffee gets cold.
  • Fresh orange flavor tastes fancy and intentional, but the crescent dough does all the heavy lifting so there's zero stress.
  • The filling-to-dough ratio stays perfect every time because you're working with something predictable and forgiving.
02 -
  • Don't skip sealing those crescent dough perforations, or your filling will leak out during baking and you'll end up with orange-sugared parchment paper instead of orange-filled rolls.
  • Orange zest is where almost all the flavor lives—the juice matters for the glaze, but the zest is what makes these taste intentional and bright.
03 -
  • If your crescent dough is cold or cracking when you try to seal the perforations, let it sit on the counter for 2-3 minutes—it softens and becomes cooperative.
  • A microplane zester makes all the difference because it catches the fragrant oils in the orange skin without any of the bitter white pith, which changes the entire flavor profile.
Go back