Orange Peel Cinnamon Buns Recipe

This Orange Peel Cinnamon Buns recipe transforms classic homemade cinnamon rolls into a one-of-a-kind barbecue dessert by baking them inside fresh orange peels. Featured on Maddie and Kiki’s BBQ Barn Season 2, these soft cinnamon buns absorb subtle citrus aromas while cooking on the grill, creating a dessert that’s warm, fluffy, fragrant, and topped with sweet vanilla icing and crunchy toasted pecans. Whether you’re hosting a backyard brunch, camping, or looking for a creative barbecue dessert, this recipe is guaranteed to impress.

The Inspiration

Cinnamon buns are beloved comfort food around the world, known for their pillowy dough, buttery cinnamon filling, and sweet icing. This recipe takes that familiar favourite and gives it an inventive barbecue twist by using hollowed-out orange peels as natural baking vessels. As the buns cook, the orange peels gently steam the dough while infusing it with fresh citrus oils, resulting in an incredibly aromatic dessert with a subtle orange flavor.

This creative grilling technique perfectly reflects the adventurous outdoor cooking style of Maddie and Kiki’s BBQ Barn Season 2. Rather than relying on an oven, the barbecue becomes an outdoor bakery, demonstrating that desserts can be just as exciting over live fire as savory dishes. Finished with a drizzle of vanilla icing and toasted pecans, these orange peel cinnamon buns are both visually stunning and irresistibly delicious.

Ingredients

4 large navel oranges

For the Dough

3 cups (710 ml) bread flour
3 tablespoons (45 ml) sugar
¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) salt
2 ¼ teaspoons (11.25 ml) active dry yeast
1 cup (240 ml) warm whole milk
¼ cup (60 ml) butter, melted

For the Filling

2/3 cup (180 ml) brown sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) cinnamon
¼ cup (60 ml) butter, melted

For the Icing

1 cup (240 ml) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 teaspoons (10 ml) milk

To garnish

¾ cup (180 ml) pecans, toasted, chopped

Methods

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast together until evenly dispersed, set aside.
In a small pan heat the milk and butter together until the butter is just melted (not too hot). Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture.
Mix thoroughly. Knead the dough with hand or with stand mixer for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is no longer sticky.
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover. Let rest/rise for 45 minutes.
Slice the oranges in half crosswise and remove the flesh from the inside using a paring knife or grapefruit spoon.
Leave a little flesh inside the peels.
In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon and butter, and set aside. Divide the ball of dough into 2 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into a long, narrow rectangle.
Crumble the brown sugar mixture over the entire surface of both rectangles of dough.
Starting at one of the short ends of one of the pieces, carefully roll up the dough into a log, then pinch the edge of the dough to seal.
Slice into 4 equal pieces, then repeat with the other rectangle of dough. Insert each cinnamon bun into an orange peel, pushing down gently. Set aside to rise an additional 30 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.
Turn on half of the barbeque to medium or 350 F (175 C). Place the stuffed oranges in a deep metal baking dish and cover the dish with tin foil.
Place the baking dish on the unlit side of the grill and close the lid.
Cook the oranges for the first 15 minutes covered with tinfoil.
After remove the tinfoil and continue cooking for the final 15 minutes with the grill turned up to high or 400 F (205 C) and lid closed.
Cook for 30 minutes total, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cinnamon bun comes out clean. Remove from grill let cool for 5 minutes.
Drizzle icing over the top and garnish with pecans. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

These Orange Peel Cinnamon Buns are perfect for brunch gatherings, holiday breakfasts, camping trips, and backyard barbecues where you want to surprise guests with an unexpected dessert. Serve them warm with freshly brewed coffee, espresso, hot chocolate, or chai tea for a cozy pairing. They also make a memorable addition to brunch spreads alongside fresh fruit, yogurt, and breakfast casseroles.

For dessert, pair them with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to complement the warm cinnamon and citrus flavors. Present each bun in its orange peel for an eye-catching serving style that highlights the recipe’s unique grilling method and creates a memorable dining experience.

Final Thoughts

This Orange Peel Cinnamon Buns recipe is a creative celebration of classic baking and outdoor barbecue cooking. Soft homemade cinnamon rolls infused with the natural aroma of fresh oranges create a dessert that is both comforting and innovative. The combination of warm cinnamon, sweet vanilla icing, crunchy toasted pecans, and bright citrus notes delivers layers of flavor in every bite.

Find more recipes from Maddie & Kiki’s BBQ Barn here!