This easy sweet orange twist loaf is a delicious dessert to make! Perfect for a busy day when you don’t have the time to bake a traditional cinnamon or orange roll recipe. This is a unique and beautiful treat to share at any gathering. It is especially fun to enjoy for Easter and Christmas.
After baking, this twist can be topped with creamy orange frosting. We like to slice the twist and top each serving with extra orange glaze. It would make a great dessert to share at a party, baby or bridal shower, or to gift to a neighbor or friend.
I am so excited to share this easy and fast cinnamon twist loaf recipe with you. It makes a huge, gorgeous sheet pan’s length twisted loaf! You can also cut the twist in half and bake in two bread loaf pans. Keep the baking temp and length of time the same.
This dessert is pretty darn fast to whip up. It usually takes me just over an hour and it is so delicious right out of the oven! You can make a simple glaze or cream cheese frosting to enjoy on top or with each slice!
Easy Sweet Orange Twist Loaf ingredient list:
- Sugar
- Whole milk
- Yeast (I recommend SAF instant)
- Orange zest (2 Naval Oranges)
- Orange Juice
- Flour
- White sugar
- Salt
- Butter
- Cinnamon
- Powdered Sugar
- Quality vanilla extract
- Cream cheese (if desired for frosting)
If you love this twist loaf idea, you must try my easy and fast cinnamon twist loaf. I created this recipe for those who needed something that comes together a little more quickly than traditional cinnamon rolls. You might also enjoy cutting the loaf in half after forming, and baking in two loaf pans to make more of a cinnamon bread. They turn out so beautiful! I also created this version with cinnamon and apples that’s really fun in the Fall!
One of our family’s favorite desserts is granny’s cinnamon rolls, but I don’t always have time to make them! I really wanted to create a recipe that would give us our cinnamon roll fix without all the rise time. Don’t get me wrong, it is SO worth letting cinnamon rolls rise to create that tender, fluffy bite. But this recipe is quick and pretty darn amazing, if I do say so.
- Make sure you only let your dough rise for 10 minutes before rolling out. This will make the dough easier to work with as it won’t be as soft and risen yet.
- Pay attention to the size you are rolling out. You want your rectangle to be really close to 11×13. The twist will stretch and expand as you form it, and as it bakes!
- The tighter you roll up your dough the more layers your twist will have once cut. I like to roll the dough very tight so it creates a beautiful texture once I form the twist. This recipe makes one very large twist. It can be sliced into up to 12 slices to share after baking.
- If you want to make this twist into 2 loaves, you can slice it in half before baking and place it into 2 loaf pans (prepared with nonstick spray). Baking time stays the same.
Supplies for baking:
Having a kitchenmaid mixer is not a necessity for this recipe, but it does make it easier to make. Here is a great size on sale!
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Rolling pin
- Pastry knife or large sharp knife
- Parchment Paper (not a must but it helps make clean up SO easy and helps the loaf not stick to the pan).
- Baking sheet (linking my very favorites, here!)
- Zester
Visual process for Easy Sweet Orange Twist Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Whole Milk Warmed
- 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Yeast I use SAF Instant
- 1/4 Cup White sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 3 1/2 Cups All purpose flour
Filling
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 3/4 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon All-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
- 2 Tablespoons Salted butter Melted
Sweet Orange Glaze Topping
- 2 Tablespoons Salted Butter Room temperature
- 2 Ounces Cream Cheese, room temp (1/4 of the brick)
- 3 Cups Powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Orange zest
- 1/4 Cup Orange Juice
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Prepare dough in a mixer. Combine warm milk with yeast and sugar. Mix and allow to proof (activate and bloom) for about 5 minutes or until foamy. Add orange juice. The milk will look like it is curdling that's okay! Everything will mix together nicely.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt and 3 1/2 cups flour. Let mix on medium speed until well combined. Dough should be smooth and elastic. Turn dough onto a floured counter. Allow to rise covered with a tea towel for about 10 minutes.
- Mix sugar, flour, orange zest and cinnamon together for the filling.
- Sprinkle flour on top of the dough if it is sticky. Roll dough into a rectangle about 11×13. Brush rectangle with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle and spread orange sugar mixture to cover the dough.
- Roll dough lengthwise like you’re making cinnamon rolls.
- *Add roll to a baking sheet with parchment for easy clean up. Tuck the top end under.
- With a pastry knife or sharp knife make a slice down the center of the roll leaving about a 1/2 inch attached at the top. Carefully (without pulling) twist dough ropes and tuck the end under.
- Allow to rise (covered with a tea towel) for 20 minutes. This will really help it form into a beautiful shape. I like to preheat my oven while the twist rises.
- Bake at 375° for 20-23 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool slightly before adding the creamy orange glaze.
- Creamy orange glaze topping: Mix ingredients together and add to twist after it has cooled 10-15 minutes. The glaze will melt onto the twist and create a sweet and delicious topping to compliment the filling! You can use any extra to top slices as you cut them.
- *If you do not like cream cheese in the frosting, you can remove it and the glaze will still be delicious!
I really hope you love this recipe like my family does. If you happen to make it, please let me know! You can tag me over on Instagram @Handmade.farmhouse. It brings me so much joy to see.
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