Soft, buttery, and full of bright citrus flavor, these Orange Vanilla Brioche Twists are a fresh take on a classic sweet dough. Made with an active sourdough starter, they have a tender, pillowy texture and a subtle depth that makes each bite more satisfying than your average roll. This recipe makes 12 twists, each layered with a rich orange and vanilla filling that bakes into beautiful swirls then finished with a sweet orange glaze for a glossy, tangy-sweet touch. Perfect for a cozy morning or sharing with friends, these twists are irresistibly flavorful and sure to disappear fast.
Equipment:
- Food scale for measuring ingredients
- Mixing bowl for mixing dough and bulk fermentation (heat safe)
- Dough whisk or fork for mixing
- Small pot for warming ingredients
- Bowl scraper to help clean up bowl edges
- Bench scraper for dividing dough
- Rolling pin
- Plastic wrap for covering during bulk fermentation and final proofing
- A set of measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Microplane zester for zesting oranges
- Large baking sheet – approx. 17” x 12”
Dough Ingredients:
- 280g Bread flour
- 130g Milk
- 200g Sourdough starter at peak
- 1 Large egg
- 80g Sugar (can substitute honey)
- 57g Butter, melted
- 5g Salt
Filling Ingredients:
- 75g Sugar
- 55g Butter, softened
- 1 tbsp. Orange zest
- 1 tsp. Vanilla bean paste
- 2 tbsp. Flour
Glaze Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Vanilla bean paste
- 1-2 tbsp. Orange juice
Dough Instructions:
Grab your kitchen scale, small pot and mixing bowl to get started. First, pour the milk into your pot and add your butter and heat together until just melted. Pour into your mixing bowl and wait 10-15 minutes for the mixture to cool down. Then, add your sourdough starter (for best results, make sure your starter is at peak). Stir them together using your dough whisk or mixing spoon. Next, add the egg, sugar, flour, and salt, and mix until all the dry bits are fully incorporated. Once all ingredients are well combined and you have used your bowl scraper to clean up the sides of your bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
Now that the dough has rested for 30 minutes it is time to knead it. Using your bowl scraper, grab your dough from the bowl and place on your countertop. Stretch the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, then fold it back over itself and repeat. If kneading is new to you, see my post on brown butter bagels for a visual on kneading to help guide you. Continue kneading for 8-10 minutes. It may be a bit messy at first but the dough will come together nicely. Aim for a smooth, elastic texture that is slightly tacky but not sticky. Use your bench scraper as needed to clean the counter and help keep the dough manageable. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap, rest for 30 minutes.
Perform 1-2 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes to 1 hour apart. This step is flexible, fit it in whenever you have a free moment. To do a stretch and fold, gently stretch one side of the dough upward and fold it over itself, then rotate the bowl and repeat on all 4 sides. Once you’ve completed your sets, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours. I usually time mine to bulk ferment overnight so it’s ready to shape first thing the next morning.
Shaping:
Once the dough has doubled in size, jiggles when shaken, and has visible bubbles on the surface, it’s time to mix up your filling and shape the dough into twists. First, combine your sugar, softened butter, orange zest, vanilla bean paste and flour in a small bowl and set aside. Next, use your bench scraper to loosen dough from the bowl edges then turn the dough out onto a floured counter. Flour the top of your dough, grab your rolling pin and roll the dough out into a rectangle. Use flour as needed to prevent sticking to your counter. Take your filling and spread on the bottom half of your rectangle only and then fold the top dough over, seal the edges by pressing them together.
Next, we are going to divide the dough into 12 equal strips and shape them into twists. Take your bench scraper and divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Then, take each of these 4 portions and divide them into 3 equal strips, for a total of 12 strips. To shape a twist, grab one strip and gently pull it to lengthen. Hold each end and twist them in opposite directions. Take one end of the now-twisted strip and wrap it around itself in a circular shape. When you reach the last bit of dough, tuck it under the roll.
Take your twist and place them equally spaced on your sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1-3 hours, until they’re soft, puffy, and airy to the touch.
Baking:
Preheat oven to 350°F (180℃). Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and internal temperature reads 205-210°F (96-98℃). Once they’re done, let them cool for at least 15-20 minutes before adding glaze.
Adding glaze:
Combine powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste and orange juice and mix well. Add more or less orange juice depending on how thick you would like your glaze. Drizzle over cooled twists and enjoy!
Orange Vanilla Brioche Twists
Equipment
- Food scale
- Mixing bowl (heat safe)
- Dough whisk or fork
- Small pot
- Bowl scraper
- Bench scraper
- Rolling Pin
- Plastic wrap
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Microplane zester
- Large baking sheet Approx. 17” x 12”
Ingredients
- 280g Bread flour
- 130g Milk
- 200g Sourdough starter at peak
- 1 Large egg
- 80g Sugar
- 57g Butter melted
- 5g Salt
Filling:
- 75g Sugar
- 55g Butter, softened
- 1 tbsp. Orange zest
- 1 tsp. Vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp. Flour
Glaze:
- 1/2 Cup Powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Vanilla bean paste
- 1-2 tbsp. Orange juice
Instructions
- Heat the milk and butter in a small pot until just melted, then pour into a mixing bowl and let cool for 10–15 minutes. Stir in the sourdough starter, then add the egg, sugar, flour, and salt, mixing until fully combined with no dry bits remaining. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- After the 30-minute rest, transfer the dough to your countertop and knead by stretching it away with the heel of your hand, then folding it back over itself. Continue for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky, using a bench scraper as needed to manage it. Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and let rest for another 30 minutes.
- Perform 1–2 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 to 60 minutes apart, by gently stretching one side of the dough up and folding it over itself, rotating the bowl and repeating on all four sides. After completing the sets, cover and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 8–12 hours.
- Once the dough has doubled, looks bubbly, and jiggles slightly, prepare the filling by mixing sugar, softened butter, orange zest, vanilla bean paste, and flour. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, roll into a rectangle and spread the filling over the bottom half. Fold the top half over and press the edges to seal.
- Next, we are going to divide the dough into 12 equal strips and shape into twists. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, then cut each piece into 3 strips, for a total of 12 strips. Take one strip and gently pull it to lengthen, then twist the ends in opposite directions. To shape the twist into a roll, take one end and twist it around itself in a circular shape, tucking the last end neatly underneath to secure it. Take your twist and place them equally spaced on your sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1-3 hours, until they’re soft, puffy, and airy to the touch.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180℃). Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and internal temperature reads 205-210°F (96-98℃). Once they’re done, let them cool for at least 15-20 minutes before adding glaze.
- Combine powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste and orange juice and mix well. Add more or less orange juice depending on how thick you would like your glaze. Drizzle over cooled down twists and enjoy!
