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This orange glaze recipe is so easy and straightforward to make, with just four simple ingredients. It’s perfect for topping breakfast rolls, cookies, and it’s the ultimate orange cake drizzle.
Learn how to make an orange icing that’s amazingly tangy and sweet.
You know breakfast rolls are just calling to be covered in icing. And, well… so are cookies, cakes, scones, muffins and more.
With that in mind, I made a sweet and refreshing orange glaze to drizzle, (okay, pour) over my Orange Rolls or Orange Pound Cake and I shamelessly couldn’t stop licking the beater.
I love all things lemon and orange! Be sure to check out this gorgeous Mandarin Orange Cake, Sweet Orange Bread, Cranberry Orange Bread, and more!
This recipe is a blend of my standard vanilla glaze and sweet orange glaze for a not-too-sweet, perfectly drizzly topping! If you’re a fan of fabulous glazes, icings and frostings, don’t skip my complete guide to 25+ Homemade Frosting Recipes.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Just three ingredients (optional fourth)
- Perfectly citrus-flavored
- Drizzles beautifully
- Easy to customize
Ingredients and Substitutions
You just need three ingredients to make this delicious glaze.
- Orange Juice – Freshly squeezed or store-bought. Fresh squeezed is more concentrated without added sugar.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, it’s your choice, but I always love a little salt to balance out the sweet.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar. This ingredient is a must for this recipe, as it is very light and combines well with the other ingredients. If you don’t have any powdered sugar, read how to make powdered sugar.
Variations
- Optional: Orange Zest – For even more orange flavor, add orange zest or a little orange extract.
- You can substitute the orange juice for fresh lemon juice to make a zesty lemon glaze!
How to Make Orange Glaze
It’s so easy to make this recipe.
- Combine ingredients together.
- Pour over your rolls or cake.
How to Zest an Orange
While fresh orange zest is not required for this recipe, it’s certainly a delicious and special addition. It’s easy to get a tablespoon of zest to really take your orange cake drizzle to the next level!
- Use a microplane held in one hand at an angle, or the finer side of a box grater.
- Holding the orange in your opposite hand, rub it down over the microplane holes.
- You’ll see the finely grated orange zest begin to appear. Be careful to not grate the white part under the peel, avoiding the bitter pith.
Tips
- Warm the glaze for the perfect pour / drizzle.
- Want a drizzle rather than a drench? Use a condiment bottle!
- For a thinner glaze, add more orange juice.
- For thicker orange glaze, add more powdered sugar.
- Ideally you want whatever you are glazing to cool slightly so the glaze doesn’t melt off.
- It can take up to two hours to fully dry, and set completely
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
Serving Suggestions
As you can see from the pictures, this glaze is perfect with my orange rolls and orange pound cake. But there are so many options! It’s such an easy way to elevate baked goods.
- Add to Bundt Cake
- Drizzle it on my Easy Pound Cake Recipe
- Add to Mini Muffins
- Top your Biscuit Donuts
- I’ve been known to dip my Bakery Sugar Cookies in it!
- Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Bread
Dietary Considerations
- Gluten Free
- Nut Free
- Vegetarian
How to Store
- Room Temperature – up to three days on baked goods.
- Refrigerator – This glaze can be refrigerated covered for up to one week when stored in an airtight container.
- Freezer – If you’d like, you can freeze this glaze in an airtight container for up to three months. However, it’s so easy to whip it up fresh that you’ll find yourself doing that!
More Frosting Recipes
Frostings + Glazes
Orange Glaze Recipe
A delightfully simple orange glaze that's tangy and sweet – perfect for rolls, breads, pound cakes, and more!
Yield
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter melted, salted or unsalted
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (finely grated, optional)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine all ingredients together until smooth.
- Pour over the top of rolls, scones, cakes and more!
Tips
- Grate orange zest using a microplane or box grater.
- Warm the glaze for the perfect pour / drizzle.
- Want a drizzle rather than a drench? Use a condiment bottle!
- This glaze can be refrigerated covered for up to one week.
Video
Nutrition Information
Calories: 89kcal (4%), Carbohydrates: 20g (7%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 1g (2%), Saturated Fat: 1g (5%), Cholesterol: 3mg (1%), Sodium: 9mg, Potassium: 9mg, Sugar: 20g (22%), Vitamin A: 38IU (1%), Vitamin C: 2mg (2%)
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Pam says
How much does this make? 2 Cups? 1 Cup? And the calories of 89Kcal are based on what quantity? 1 Tablespoon? 1 Teaspoon? Thank you.
Julie Blanner says
Hi Pam! You’ll find all of that information in the printable recipe card. Yield is on the right (use the up or down arrow to adjust how much you want to make). This makes 12 servings. Enjoy!
Caroline Shearin says
Julie, where did you find the adorable pan for your orange bread ? That is just too cute !! Love your recipes and helpful hints!!
Julie Blanner says
Hi Caroline! I just love it! It makes this easy recipe look as special as it tastes! You can get it here https://amzn.to/3rsxw5U