• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy

Wife Mama Foodie

Making Healthy Taste Good

Breakfast, Dessert

February 15, 2020

Blood Orange Sweet Rolls

These blood orange sweet rolls are made with coconut sugar and enhanced with the citrusy flavor of blood oranges. Can also use regular oranges instead. Vegan friendly with a refined sugar free option included. Recipe and photos updated February 2020.

Blood Orange Sweet Rolls | Vegan friendly with refined sugar free option
Growing up, my mom would make me orange sweet rolls for breakfast every once in a while. It was a treat I always looked forward to. I would unravel each roll, eat the outer edge first and work my way to the center, which was my favorite part. Each time, I would save the soft, doughy middle section for my last bite, which I savored as I did my “happy dance.”

I literally had a happy dance I did, unintentionally, whenever I ate my favorite foods. I would teeter my head from side to side and swinging my feet as they dangled from the kitchen chair to some unknown beat (I seem to have always marched to the beat of a different drummer 😉 ) Since I was little, any foods consisting of bread have always been my weakness, which I partly blame my mom for, since she apparently couldn’t get enough doughy bread while pregnant with me.

Blood Orange Sweet Rolls | Vegan friendly with refined sugar free optionBlood Orange Sweet Rolls | Vegan friendly with refined sugar free optionThis strange bread addiction has also passed to my children, who both have the same obsession for bread as I do. They don’t seem to have inherited a love for any of their father’s favorite foods…but his silly sense of humor, now that’s a different story!

I’ve been working on a recipe to recreate those yummy rolls that I grew up enjoying and used blood oranges, since they’re in season right now, but you can definitely use regular oranges if you can’t find these particular oranges in your area. Blood oranges look like a lot like regular oranges on the outside, but when opened, often have a beautiful red to reddish-purple color flesh. They are sweet with a slight tart flavor, like berries, and usually less acidic than regular oranges.

Blood Orange Sweet Rolls | Vegan friendly with refined sugar free optionBlood Orange Sweet Rolls | Vegan friendly with refined sugar free option
Since these blood orange sweet rolls themselves use unrefined sugar, I experimented with a couple of different glazes that didn’t rely on powdered sugar. At first I used cream cheese as the base, and although tasty, I felt like the slight tang competed too much with the citrus flavor, which was what I wanted to shine.

Since I’ve had success creating a creamy texture with cashews, like in my Raspberry No-Bake Bars, I tried them in lieu of the cream cheese. I like cashews because when blended the have the creamiest texture and a very mild flavor, which is perfect for incorporating any flavor you’d like.

Blood Orange Sweet Rolls | Vegan friendly with refined sugar free optionBlood Orange Sweet Rolls | Vegan friendly with refined sugar free option
I’m also including a traditional buttercream, if you want a more classic taste!

Soft, fluffy blood orange sweet rolls with a hint of citrus and a creamy frosting make these rolls hard to beat, especially since they’re made with healthier ingredients! I promise you, your friends and family won’t even notice! Enjoy!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Blood Orange Sweet Rolls


  • Author: Joscelyn Abreu
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 12–14 rolls 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Cinnamon rolls enhanced with the citrusy flavor of blood oranges. Free of eggs and dairy, plus includes a refined sugar option!


Ingredients

Scale

Sweet Rolls:

  • 3–4¼ cups (405g–570g) unbleached all-purpose flour, just enough to form a soft dough plus a little more for dusting (can use up to half whole-grain flour—spelt, einkorn, or whole wheat, if you’d like)
  • 1 tablespoon rapid rise or instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (2–3 oranges)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (177ml) warm almond milk or other milk of choice (approximately 110º F)
  • ½ cup (118ml) regular orange juice or blood orange juice (approximately 110º F)
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) avocado oil oil or other oil
  • ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup, cane sugar, or other sweetener of choice

Filling:

  • ½ cup (113g) softened butter (can use dairy-free)
  • ¾ cup (110g) coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 1 heaping tablespoon (9g) cinnamon
  • Blood Orange-Cashew Glaze or Blood Orange Buttercream (recipes below)

Blood Orange-Cashew Glaze: (Refined sugar free)

  • 1 cup Raw Cashews, (pre-soaked in purified water for at least 2–3 hours)
  • 3–4 tablespoons maple syrup/honey, to taste
  • zest and juice of 2 blood oranges, more juice may be needed (about 1.5 Tbsp zest and 6-8 Tbsp juice)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

Blood Orange Buttercream:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, use more or less to taste
  • 1–3 tablespoons blood orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

To Make Dough For The Rolls:

  1. Combine milk/water, orange juice, and sweetener into a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Heat until mixture is heated to 110-115ºF. Be careful mixture is not too hot or you can kill the yeast. It should feel like warm bath water.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add 1.5 cup flour, instant yeast, orange zest, and salt. Mix gently to incorporate and then add in the milk/orange mixture. Mix until smooth, about 2-3 minutes (if using a stand mixer, change to the dough hook.) Slowly begin adding flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix until blended. The precise amount of flour needed will vary depending on the humidity in your kitchen. Continue to add flour just until it forms a soft dough, be careful not to add too much.
  3. Place dough in a large, lightly greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 15–20 minutes.
  4. Take the risen dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface (I also like to use a large piece of parchment or plastic wrap to keep it from sticking.) Roll dough into a 10×15-inch rectangle. Brush or rub softened butter all over the top of the dough. Mix together coconut sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the butter. Starting on the longest side, begin rolling dough the dough into a tightly wound log.
  5. To cut the rolls, I prefer to use plain dental floss instead of a knife. It cuts them easily without squishing the rolls. To do this, cut a piece of floss about 12-16 inches long. Slide floss under the roll and bring the ends up and cross over each other to cut each slice cleanly. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased or parchment lined 9×13-inch pan. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
  6. *TIP: If your home is on the cooler side, turn your oven on to the lowest setting for 2-3 minutes (mine is 170ºF) and then turn the oven back off. Place a small pot of boiling water onto the bottom of the oven. This warm and moist environment should be the perfect place for your covered bowl of dough to rise.
  7. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Uncover pan and place into the preheated oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes, just until lightly golden. Do not over-bake. Drizzle with orange glaze or buttercream.

To Make The Glaze:

  1. I gave two options for frosting the sweet rolls. Pick one or the other.
  2. For the cashew glaze (free of refined sugar)–place rinsed and drained, pre-soaked cashews into a food processor or high powered blender. Add syrup, zest, and half of the juice, vanilla extract, salt and process until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add more juice as needed just until you get the desired consistency. Drizzle on top of the orange rolls and serve.

Orange Buttercream:

  1. Beat softened butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, beating until smooth. Pour in a little orange juice, then continue to beat buttercream until fluffy. Alternate powdered sugar and orange juice, until buttercream is desired consistency. Add extra powdered sugar, if buttercream is too soft, or extra juice if it’s too thick. Mix in the vanilla and optional zest. Spread buttercream over warm rolls.
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Category: Breakfast, Dessert

Did you make this recipe?

tag @wifemamafoodie on Instagram and hashtag it #wifemamafoodie

 

October 5, 2018

Apple Fritter Pancakes

Apple Fritter Pancakes | Vegan friendly and free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar with gluten-free option.
Apple-y desserts are my husband’s favorite. I like the flavor of apple too, although I prefer chocolate;) Being the great loving wife that I am though, I try to make them for him often:)

I make apple pie once in a while, but it takes quite a bit of time to make. You have to make the dough, let it chill in the fridge, peel and slice a bajillion apples, roll out the dough, put it in the pan, crimp the edges, etc… and if that didn’t take up enough time, then you have to wait over an hour for it to cook in the oven! Talk about torture!! I must admit, I am not the most patient of people. I believe the sooner things are ready to eat, the better.

Apple Fritter Pancakes | Vegan friendly and free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar with gluten-free option. xApple Fritter Pancakes | Vegan friendly and free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar with gluten-free option.That’s why the majority of the apple treats we make are in the form of waffles, french toast, or crisps. These pancakes are probably the fastest of of them all, taking less than 20 minutes to throw together and cook. Now, that’s what I’m talking about! 

Apple Fritter Pancakes | Vegan friendly and free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar with gluten-free option.Apple Fritter Pancakes | Vegan friendly and free of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar with gluten-free option.
I made these “fritter” pancakes mildly sweet, since most people like to top their pancakes with syrup or powdered sugar anyway. However you want to top them, you’re sure to enjoy the warm, crispy outside and fluffy, apple-filled center. They’re the perfect warm treat to enjoy during those chilly, fall mornings.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Apple Fritter Pancakes


  • Author: Joscelyn Abreu
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Combine breakfast & dessert with these apple fritter pancakes! Juicy apples and the warm flavor of cinnamon are abundant in this delicious breakfast treat!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups regular or gluten-free all-purpose flour I use King Arthur or Glutino
  • 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cup almond milk or other milk of choice (a splash more may be needed)
  • 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil or other oil of choice, plus more for pan
  • 2 cups apples (about 2–3 apples), peeled and chopped small (Gala or Granny Smith work well)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add milk, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil and stir just until combined. Gently fold in chopped apples. Batter should be thick (like in the photo above) but if it is too thick to stir, just add a splash more milk.
  2. Place a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is melted and pan is hot, pour batter by the 1/4 cupfuls into the pan. If necessary, use your spatula or a spoon to gently spread dough into a round pancake, so it cooks evenly. Cook about 1-2 minutes per side. Turn down the heat and cover the pan with a lid, if pancakes are browning too fast or not cooking in the middle.
  3. Remove when lightly browned and center is cooked. Continue to cook in batches until all the batter is used up, adding more oil to the pan when needed.
  4. If desired, top pancakes with a dusting of powdered sugar or maple syrup. Makes 10-12 pancakes
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Category: Breakfast, Dessert

Did you make this recipe?

tag @wifemamafoodie on Instagram and hashtag it #wifemamafoodie

You may also enjoy these similar recipes:

Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes

Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes | Wife Mama Foodie

Pumpkin-Spice Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes | Wife Mama Foodie

Apple-Cinnamon Waffles

Apple-Cinnamon Waffles | Wife Mama Foodie

June 9, 2015

Berry Breakfast Crisp

Berry Breakfast Crisp | Gluten, dairy, refined sugar free, & vegan friendly
There are so many choices for breakfast, don’t you agree? I tend to gravitate toward the sweeter options, like oatmeal, pancakes, or muffins, while my husband prefers the more savory dishes, pretty much anything with meat or eggs.

I like sweet things, but I try to use whole ingredients to keep it as nourishing as possible. I use un-refined sweeteners and keep those to a minimum. I also incorporate whole, gluten-free grains, and fresh fruit whenever possible. 

Berry Breakfast Crisp | Gluten, dairy, refined sugar free, & vegan friendly…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Hello! My name is Joscelyn and I love to share recipes that are healthy and delicious. Many of them are also free of dairy, gluten, and refined sugar! Pick out a recipe and let's get cooking! Read More…

Search

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Posts may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I may receive a small commission on your purchase. It doesn’t affect the cost of the product at all and gives me the ability to pay for and maintain this blog. I never link to products I wouldn’t use myself. Thank you so much for your support!

Copyright © 2023 ·wifemamafoodie.com