Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: About 1½ cups (enough for 12 rolls)
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, room temperature; 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar; Zest of 1 orange; 1–2 tbsp fresh orange juice; Pinch of salt

“Can you make an orange version??” It's one of the most-requested variations after people try the original filling.

Same base as our classic cream cheese frosting, with orange zest and juice swapped in for the vanilla. The zest is doing most of the work here, so don't skip it, since juice alone gives flavor but zest gives the aroma that makes this taste distinctly orange.

Prep: 10 min
Yield: About 1½ cups (enough for 12 rolls)

Ingredients

Frosting

4 oz (113g) cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
Zest of 1 orange
1–2 tbsp fresh orange juice
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar, orange zest, and salt. Beat on low until combined.
Add the orange juice one tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition, until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Add the second tablespoon only if it still feels stiff.
Spread over warm rolls, or refrigerate up to a week and bring back to room temperature before using.

Baker's tips

Zest the orange before juicing it: it's much easier to zest a whole orange than a squeezed one.
Pair this with our pillar cinnamon roll recipe for an easy orange roll variation, swapping the filling's cinnamon for orange zest too.
See the base recipe

Questions about this recipe

Can I use orange extract instead of fresh orange?: You can substitute ½ teaspoon of orange extract for the zest and juice, but fresh zest gives a noticeably brighter, more natural flavor, worth the extra two minutes if you have an orange on hand.
Will the frosting taste bitter from the zest?: Only if you zest too deep and catch the white pith underneath. Zest just the orange outer layer, stopping as soon as you see white.
Can I make this ahead?: Yes, it keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before spreading, since it firms up when cold.