This tasty orange raisin bread whips up quickly.  I recently had some gluten-free orange raisin buns while visiting England, and while I loved the flavor, the texture wasn't my favorite. I prefer the texture of these yummy and easy to whip together loaves. This recipe is based off another favorite - the cinnamon raisin bread I posted a few years ago. Enjoy!

Fresh, yummy orange raisin bread

Orange Raisin Bread

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Line 3 mini loaf pans with parchment paper or one large loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a mixer combine:

1 cups brown rice flour

1/2 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp tapioca starch

2 1/2 Tbsp sugar (This bread is not very sweet, but you can double the sugar if you'd like a sweeter bread)

2 tsp rapid-rise/quick yeast

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 - 2 Tbsp orange zest

Add, and let beat 3-4 minutes:

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup fresh orange juice, RT (you can use half mango juice, if you'd like a slightly more orange color to your final bread)

3 eggs

2 Tbsp butter, softened

1 Tbsp oil 

Fold in: 

1/2 cup raisins 

Orange bread dough with the raisins folded in.

Scoop into prepared baking pans, filling about 2/3 full.  Smooth the tops with wet hands, or just spray the top of the loaves with water after smoothing them with the spatula.  Let rise in a warm location until the dough has puffed up just above the sides of the pan.  ~30-40 minutes.

Pans filled with the orange raisin bread dough, ready to wet the tops and let rise.

Dough is risen and ready for baking!

Bake the loaves at 375 F.  Mini loaves will bake for ~30 minutes.  Large loaf will bake for ~45-50 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy! These slice reasonably well even while still a bit warm.  We prefer this bread with a dollop of butter. This bread will slice and toast nicely.  Delicious used in French toast, too.  Leftovers can be sliced and frozen.  Enjoy! 

Fresh from the oven!

Moved onto wire racks for cooling.

This bread slices nicely while still warm. 

Orange Raisin Bread Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

Favorite Orange Rolls made in a mixer!

I'm always looking for ways to cut corners, simplify my baking, but retain the taste and flavors.  This method of making orange rolls does just that!  Instead of needing to mix things in a bowl like my original recipe for orange rolls (though we like those, too) -- these can be made in a mixer.  Similarly to my cinnamon rolls in a mixer, the dough is a little stickier, so you'll want to use wet hands and a wet knife when cutting and placing on the pan to rise.  These freeze perfectly, too, so you can freeze leftovers for orange rolls anytime! Enjoy!

Fresh gluten-free orange rolls, piped with cream cheese frosting just out of the oven, so the frosting melts into them. Yum!

Gluten Free Favorite Orange Rolls in a mixer!

Makes ~24-30

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking liner.

In a mixer combine: (It's important to mix dry ingredients first in gluten-free cooking to avoid clumps)
2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup sorghum flour (or an additional cup of brown rice flour, but I prefer to add a little sorghum flour for natural sweetness)
3/4 cup arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1 Tbsp xanthan gum
4 tsp rapid-rise/quick yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt

Add and mix in gently, then increase speed and mix on medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping occasionally:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup water, room temperature
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs

While your dough is mixing, prepare filling:
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
2 - 3 Tbsp fresh orange juice
zest of one large orange

Line two large sheets of plastic wrap side by side on the counter, overlapping a bit.   2-3 foot long pieces work well.  Spoon out large scoops of the dough and place along the middle of the plastic wrap. Pull out another two large sheets of slightly overlapping plastic wrap to cover the dough.  

You’ll then flatten/roll out the dough between the sheets of plastic wrap. You want a rectangle between 12" x 20" and 20" x 36".  It just depends on what size you want your rolls. I tend to make a larger rectangle and slice thinner rolls so we have more rolls to go round!  Carefully peel off the top layer of plastic wrap.  Spread the orange filling evenly over the top of the dough.

A larger rectangle of orange roll dough with filling spread out before rolling up the dough.

Roll up the dough, using the plastic wrap to help.  Slice carefully. I like to dip my serrated knife in water between each slice and dip my fingers in water regularly to avoid sticking.  Slice ~1" thick slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Using a wet knife and hands makes clean cuts and avoids dough sticking.

Cut rolls, ready to rise. 

Let rolls rise uncovered in a warm location for ~30-40 minutes, until nicely puffed.  Bake at 350 F for 17-20 minutes, until light golden brown.  

Orange rolls after rising, ready to bake.

Orange rolls, fresh from the oven.  You don't want them any darker than these here.  I'd almost say aim for a little less brown than these. 

Remove from oven and place sheets on cooling racks.  Top rolls with frosting either while hot (and it melts into the rolls) or once cooled, for a slightly neater look.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix together:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp butter, softened/melted
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp zest from orange
fresh orange juice, to desired thickness/consistency

Put frosting in a ziploc bag to pipe on top of the rolls OR spread with a knife or back of a spoon.

Frosting piped onto orange rolls when hot out of the oven, so the frosting melts into them.  This is my favorite method to use.

Gluten Free Orange Rolls Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

Gluten-Free Orange Rolls - Yum!

These orange rolls are wonderfully delicious and a great alternative to cinnamon rolls.   My husband says he actually prefers these orange rolls to the cinnamon rolls, but he'll happily eat either.  I prefer to put the cream cheese frosting on while the rolls are nice and hot, but you can wait until they cool if you want the frosting to be more of a topping rather than seeping throughout the rolls.  We freeze extras and they heat up perfectly for breakfast or treats.  Enjoy! 

Mmmm... ready to taste-test!

Gluten-Free Orange Rolls - Yum!

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9x13 pan.

Place in a cereal bowl:

3 eggs (still in shells)

Pour warm/hot water over eggs.  This will bring them to room temperature.

In a 2 cup measuring cup, heat until just scalding (60-90 seconds in the microwave should do it):

1/2 cup milk

Immediately add to hot milk:

½ cup butter, chopped into smaller pieces

½ cup sugar

1 ½ tsp salt

In a small measuring cup or bowl combine:

1/3 cup warm water (110-115F)

4 tsp rapid rise yeast or active dry yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

Let yeast rest 5 minutes to foam and allow milk mixture to cool a bit.  

Meanwhile, mix in a large bowl:

4 ½ cups Kristin’s Gluten-Free Flour Mix * (see below for measurement amounts for just this recipe)

2 tsp xanthan gum (this is in addition to the xanthan gum in the flour mix)

Add to the flour mixture:

3 warmed eggs

Milk mixture (with sugar/salt/butter)

Yeast mixture

1/4 cup fresh or good quality orange juice

Mix well with a spoon, using the back of the spoon to help make the mixture nice and smooth.  Let this sit just a moment while you prepare the filling.

Mix together orange filling in a medium-sized bowl:

¼ cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

2-3 Tbsp fresh or good quality orange juice
zest of 1 large orange

Line two large sheets of plastic wrap side by side on the counter, overlapping a bit.   2-3 foot long pieces work well.  

Spoon out large scoops of the dough and place along the middle of the plastic wrap. 

Pull out another two large sheets of slightly overlapping plastic wrap to cover the dough.  You’ll then flatten out the dough between the sheets until you have – more or less – a two foot long piece of dough that is flattened to somewhere between 10-15 inches wide.  Try to make it nice and even.  You have to slightly adjust the plastic wrap as you’re doing this, since it sometimes gets caught underneath the dough.  But, you’ll find the dough doesn’t stick to the cling wrap, which is fantastic!  Carefully remove the top layer of plastic wrap, setting it aside to use to cover the rolls as they rise.

You can see how easily the plastic wrap comes off the dough!

Spread the orange filling evenly over the dough. 

Carefully roll up the dough, so you have one two-foot long roll of dough.   Pulling up the plastic wrap can help you get the dough to roll over if you’re finding it’s sticking to your hands a bit.   Once you have your long roll of dough, pat the ends slightly to flatten the messy ends.   Use a serrated knife to cut dough into 16 pieces. (i.e. cut in half, cut each half in half, continue until you have 16 slices)

You can use the plastic wrap to help you roll it up. I roll it most of the way using the wrap on the far side, then use the side of the wrap closest to me to roll up the last part.  Slice evenly.  

Place the slices in your buttered 9x13 pan.  You can press down the tops slightly, if you would like.

Cover pan with plastic wrap and set in a warm location to rise 25-30 minutes. 

These won't fully double in size, but they should look like they've puffed up a good amount.

Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned on tops.   You can make the cream cheese frosting (recipe below) while it’s baking.

Remove from oven and put on a wire rack to cool. 

You can either:

1. Add the frosting right away and it oozes into the cinnamon rolls

2. Let cool, then add frosting.  

These freeze really well and heat up quickly in the microwave!  We pop them into tupperwares once cooled and pull out and reheat on a plate for snacks/breakfast/treats.  Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting (this is a very generous amount, so halve the recipe if you want a lighter bit of frosting/glaze):

In a bowl, warm in the microwave 20 seconds, or let sit to come to room temperature:

3 oz cream cheese

2 Tbsp butter

Add, and mix with a spoon until smooth (ish):

½ tsp vanilla extract

Carefully add, ½ cup at a time:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Add and mix in OJ, until you reach desired consistency.

1 tsp orange zest
fresh or high quality orange juice, to consistency desired

Some people like a runny glaze, so they’ll find they end up adding more orange juice, others like a thick topping for cinnamon rolls, so just add very little OJ.  
Enjoy!

* If you don’t want to make up the flour mix since you’d have to make it twice for this recipe, just use the following: 

2 cups brown rice flour

1 cup sorghum flour

¾ cup + 1 Tbsp cornstarch OR 2/3 cup arrowroot starch

¼ cup + 1 Tbsp potato starch

¼ cup + 1 Tbsp tapioca starch

1 ½ tsp xanthan gum (ideally measure 1 1/3 tsp)