Orange Bowknots

I’m obsessed with the idea of brunch. I don’t know why. Everything is pancakes and bacon and muffins in my mind right now. I can’t seem to get enough! I’ve had breakfast for lunch and dinner several times lately. I’ve scoured the internet for muffin recipes to bake. I even put up an entire display at work of nothing but brunch related cookbooks! (With I Love Bacon front and center. Cause let’s be honest-- I’ve been waiting for a reason to feature that book.) I’ve got brunch on the brain, and I think it’s because of these rolls.

I came across the recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, back when I made the Honey Knot Rolls. And I’ve been dreaming about them ever since. What could be a better brunch treat than a sweet orange flavored roll covered with an orangey drizzle. It’s like a cinnamon roll. Only orange! I could just imagine a heaping basket of warm rolls, hanging out next to the big stack of pancakes. Mmm.. Too bad I have no one to host a brunch for to serve these.

But not hosting a brunch didn’t stop me from devouring about half the batch of these on my own within a day. What can I say, I have a bit of a carb obsession… Luckily for me, and my stomach, these freeze very well. Keep them in a zip top bag in the freezer for a few weeks. Next time you’re having brunch, or just a carb craving, pull them out, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds, and ta-da! A nice orangey snack.

My only complaint about them, I wish they were just a little bit sweeter. They’re more on the dinner roll end of the spectrum than dessert roll. Next time I’ll maybe add some honey to the mix to up the sweetness factor.

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Orange Bowknots
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
Makes 24 rolls




5 ¼ to 5 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 (1/4 oz) package active dry yeast
1 ¼ cups milk
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon orange zest, divided
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, divided
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together 2 cups of flour and yeast; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt, stirring until just warmed (120 to 130F). Add to flour mixture along with eggs. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on high for 3 minutes.
3. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in 2 tablespoons orange zest, ¼ cup orange juice, and 3 cups of remaining flour (or as much of it as you can).
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead in remaining ¾ cup of flour until dough is smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place into a bowl sprayed with cooking spray and turn to coat. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. While dough is resting, lightly grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
6. Roll each portion of dough into a 12x17 inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle into twelve 7-inch long strips. Tie each strip loosely into a knot. Place knots on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 20 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake knots, rotating sheets halfway, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from sheets immediately and transfer to wire racks to cool.
8. While knots are cooling, make orange glaze: In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Stir in orange juice, a little at a time, until glaze reaches a drizzling consistency, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Drizzle over warm knots, allowing glaze to set for about 10 minutes before serving.