This post is sponsored by TripAdvisor.  All thoughts, opinions, and grammatical errors are my own.

Drive on I-65 in north central Alabama and you are bound to see a billboard for All Steak‘s World Famous Orange Rolls.  I have heard about these so-called rolls for years and had to try them for myself.  The restaurant is located in the small town of Cullman, Alabama, which lies about 50 miles north of Birmingham and 55 miles south of Huntsville.

All Steak’s Orange Rolls are listed as one of Alabama’s 100 dishes to eat before you die.  The bright orange rolls look like little rosettes and come in individual muffin liners and are covered in a sugar syrup.

Could All Steak’s Orange Rolls make TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards for Restaurants?  The Awards honors the top restaurant spots worldwide based on millions of reviews and opinions of TripAdvisor travelers.  There is an algorithm that takes into account the quantity and quality of reviews for restaurants worldwide over a 12-month period.  We’ll just have to click over to TripAdvisor to see the results.

Authentic All Steak Orange Rolls

While I am able to drive to All Steak and am able to buy their rolls, not everybody is.  I thought it would be great to come up with a roll that is similar in taste to the world famous rolls that we can all make at home, wherever that might be.

The original orange rolls are not as doughy or “fluffy” as traditional cinnamon rolls, so I had to think of what could be used for the dough.  While I was shopping for ingredients, I saw canned crescent rolls and thought that would be a good substitute for homemade dough, plus it would greatly shorten the prep time.  It ends up that crescent rolls do make a pretty good substitute for the dough.

To make them, start off by zesting one orange and adding a teaspoon of the zest to a quarter cup of sugar.  This will be the filling for the rolls.

Next, unroll the crescent rolls and pinch the seams, forming two rectangles.  Slather 1 tablespoon of butter over each half and then sprinkle the orange sugar on top.  Roll each rectangle up, starting with the longer sides.  Cut each half into six mini jelly rolls and place them into parchment muffin liners.

Bake them in your preheated oven for about 14 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

While they are baking, make an orange syrup to spoon over them once they have cooled.  The syrup is made with the remaining zest from the orange, 3/4 cups of sugar, 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice, and 3/4 cups of water.  In about 5 minutes the mixture should be boiling on medium-high heat and the sugar dissolved.  Lower the temperature to medium and allow the syrup to “cook” for about another 5 minutes.  Let the mixture cool while the rolls are cooling.

Spoon a little of the syrup – somewhere between a teaspoon and tablespoon – over each roll.  While these rolls are not as gooey as All Steak’s, they still have the orange flavor and are reminiscent of the restaurant’s signature favorite.  Sure – they are not an exact clone, but they are delicious and are a good substitute if you cannot make the trip to Cullman.

All Steak's Orange Rolls (Recipe Clone)

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Ingredients

• 1 package crescent rolls
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• ¼ cup sugar

Orange Syrup

• 1-2 teaspoons orange zest
• ¾ cups sugar
• ¼ orange juice
• ¾ cups water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Unravel crescent rolls into two large rectangles, pinching seams to seal.
3. Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over each rectangle.
4. Combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of orange zest and sprinkle evenly over the two rectangles.
5. Roll up each rectangle tightly, beginning on long side.
6. Cut each rectangle into 6 slices and place each slice into a muffin pan that has been lined with parchment liners.
7. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
8. Spoon 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of orange syrup over each roll.

Orange Syrup

1. In a medium saucepan, combine ¾ cups sugar, 1-2 teaspoon orange zest, ¼ cup orange juice, and ¾ cups water.
2. Cook over medium-high heat just until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Now, if you have had the orange rolls at All Steak, have you left a comment on TripAdvisor to let other travelers know what you think of them?  Remember, your comments play a part in the Travelers’ Choice Awards.

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Be sure to leave your tips and reviews of your favorite – and not-so-favorite – restaurants.  Got pictures?  You can share those, too.  Make sure you use the hashtag #TravelToTaste.

Thinking about traveling and TripAdvisor reviews is making me long to go back to some delicious destinations, like Brio in Las Vegas:

Mezza Chicken Limone

The Roanoker in Virginia:

Scratch-made Biscuits

And not to be forgotten is Rips On the Lake just outside of New Orleans:

Catfish with Crawfish Étouffée

What is your favorite restaurant?

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