Lemon Rolls

This soft and fluffy homemade Lemon Rolls recipe is made with a simple dough that results in a brioche-like texture. The dough can rise in the fridge overnight and be finished on a lazy day morning where you'll be smearing the cream cheese frosting on top for an ideal brunch.

The lemon curd filling add a subtle tanginess that perfectly balances the sweet frosting. Follow the step-by-step instructions for a delicious and easy-to-make pastry that will leave your taste buds delighted.

The rise time on these rolls might be my favorite thing about them as they rise in the fridge meaning you can make the dough the night prior and roll the dough out for a 1 hour rise time in the morning before a quick bake and then getting to serve this whilst it’s still early or in time for brunch for a lazy day breakfast.

Table of Contents

• Why you'll love them
• Ingredients and substitutions for the best Lemon Rolls
• How to make Lemon Rolls
• Equipment needed to make a batch
• FAQ’s for the best Lemon Rolls

Why you'll love them

Bursting with Citrusy Bliss

Lemon Rolls offer a burst of tangy and refreshing citrus flavor in every bite. The subtle tartness of the lemon zest perfectly complements the soft and pillowy dough, creating a harmonious explosion of taste that will awaken your taste buds.

Homemade Goodness at Its Best

Experience the joy of baking your own Lemon Rolls from scratch. From mixing the dough to rolling and shaping each individual roll, this recipe allows you to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in your kitchen while producing fresh, oven-baked delights.

Ingredients and substitutions for the best Lemon Rolls

• Yeast: Yeast doesn’t just help give our cinnamon rolls that fluffy bread texture,
• Milk: This helps give our rolls that nice soft crumb and the golden crust. You could substitute with water in equal measure if you prefer.
• Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content which makes our dough easier to shape. If you don’t have any on hand you can substitute all purpose or plain flour in equal measure, however, if you live in the UK…you will notice how incredibly soft the dough will be and how hard it will be to shape.
• Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar helps to sweeten without flavoring the dough, you could substitute in equal measure with light brown sugar, if you prefer. Light brown sugar helps give our filling that warm center and icing or confectioner’s sugar in that frosting helps to create a melt-in-your-mouth texture you know and love.
• Eggs: Adding moisture and binding the dough together, the eggs help with rising as they act as a leavening agent as well as giving our rolls that nice light crumb thanks to the fat from the yolks.
• Butter: Unsalted room temperature butter will incorporate into the dough to create the soft fluffy texture. You could substitute non dairy butter in equal measure, however, I have not tried this so cannot confirm the result.
• Cream cheese: Tangy room temperature cream cheese adds the perfect level of indulgence to round out these Cinnabon style rolls.
• Lemon curd: Though it will be a little squishy to roll and cut, you want high quality lemon curd and for ease, store bought is easiest here.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Lemon Rolls:

Get the yeast going: Place the yeast and milk in a bowl and allow to dissolve.

Shaggy mixture: Once bubbling, add the flour, sugar and lemon zest and beat on low until the mixture resembles a shaggy mixture.

1

Add eggs: Add one egg and combine until fully combined and repeat until your dough is formed.

Toss the butter in slowly: On a low mixer setting add in 1-2 cubes of butter and incorporate until well combined. Repeat until all the butter is mixed through your dough.

Mix and mix: Beat until the dough looks slightly glossy and is pulling away at your bowl.

Rise: Place the dough into the fridge to rise until doubled in size.

2

Roll: Roll your dough out to an equal rectangle.

3

Filling: Combine the lemon filling until smooth.

4

Smear and sprinkle: Smear the filling over the dough and sprinkle over the sugar.

5

Roll and rise: Roll into a tight scroll and slice into 12 equal pieces. Place into your baking tin and rise.

6

Bake: Bake until golden.

Frosting: Combine the frosting ingredients.

7

Smear on top: Spread the frosting over the cooled rolls.

Enjoy: Dig in!

Equipment needed to make a batch

Large mixing bowl: You’ll need a large mixing bowl to prepare the dough.

Stand or hand mixer: A stand mixer is best here due to the length of kneading time. Though a hand mixer will do the job if you use the lowest setting and work slowly so as not to overwork it. You can also make the dough by hand.

Offset spatula: One of these will help you spread your filling and frosting nice and evenly. A butter knife also works if you don’t have an offset spatula on hand.

Baking tin: A large baking tin or roasting tray works best to fit your dozen rolls.

Rolling pin: A rolling pin will help you achieve a nice consistent dough, however, you could substitute a wine bottle for similar results.

Bench scraper: This isn't necessary, however, will make shaping the nice even edges of your dough to give you a perfect rectangle shape.

FAQ’s for the best Lemon Rolls

More rolls recipes you'll enjoy

Cinnamon Rolls

Franzbrötchen - German Cinnamon Rolls

Gemberbolus - Dutch Ginger Rolls

Lemon Rolls

Sylvie Taylor

This soft and fluffy homemade Lemon Rolls recipe is made with a simple dough that results in a brioche-like texture. With an overnight rise in the fridge, these can be finished on a lazy day morning with a thick smear of cream cheese frosting for an ideal brunch.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Rising and chilling time 3 hours hrs

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 430 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Dough

• 7 grams / 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 200 milliliters / ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk lukewarm
• 560 grams / 4 cups bread flour
• 60 grams / ⅓ cup superfine/caster sugar
• 2 grams / 1 teaspoon lemon zest finely chopped
• 110 grams / 2 large eggs room temperature
• 80 grams butter cubed and room temperature

Filling

• 20 grams / 1 ½ tablespoons butter very soft
• 165 grams / ⅔ cup lemon curd
• 50 grams / ½ cup superfine/caster sugar

Frosting

• 100 grams / 3.5 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 15 grams / 1 tablespoon butter room temperature
• 170 grams / 1 ½ cups confectioner’s/icing sugar
• 5 grams / 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

 

Dough

• Place the yeast and milk in a bowl and allow to dissolve for 3 minutes.
• Once bubbling, add the flour, sugar and lemon zest and beat on low until the mixture resembles a shaggy mixture.
• Add one egg in and combine on low until fully combined, repeat with each egg until you have a dough formed.
• On a low setting with your mixer, add in 1-2 cubes of butter and incorporate until you cannot see any butter remnants in your dough.
• Repeat by adding the butter and mixing until it is fully incorporated into your dough.
• Beat for a further 5 minutes until the dough it looks slightly glossy and is pulling away at the sides of your bowl.
• Lightly butter a bowl and place the dough therein, placing in the fridge to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
• Remove from the fridge, lift and allow the dough to fully deflate.
• Return to the fridge and repeat to allow to rise until doubled in size.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.
• The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and lightly grease your baking tin.
• Roll your dough out to an equal rectangle and ¼ inch thickness.

Filling

• Combine the lemon curd and softened butter until it’s smooth.
• Smear the mixture over the dough leaving the ¼ inch edge without any filling.
• Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the lemon filling.

Assembly

• Slowly and carefully roll your dough from the base of your wide rectangle into a tight scroll.
• Cut into 12 even pieces and place into your baking tin with 1 ½-2 inches gap between each.
• Allow to proof at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375F.
• Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and then increase the temperature to 200C/400F and bake, until golden on top, approximately 10 further minutes.
• Remove and allow to cool.

Frosting

• Meanwhile, for the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until smooth.
• Add in 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla extract and combine until smooth and looking slightly glossy.
• Add the remaining sugar and combine until the mixture is thick but slowly drizzles from your whisk.
• Spoon evenly on top of your rolls and smear over until every one is well coated.
• Dig in!

Notes

• Room temperature ingredients: The eggs and butter need to be room temperature so that they mix better with the dough and room temp butter will incorporate better into your dough to create that smooth texture. The cream cheese and butter will also incorporate best at room temperature ensuring your frosting is nice and smooth.
• You can make the dough by hand: You will have to knead the dough to achieve the same results as a mixer for approximately 20 minutes and is best done without any additional flour on your work surface.
• Liquid weight in grams: The weight of milk is 207 grams. The large eggs weigh between 63-67 grams each or 2.22-2.36 ounces and the vanilla extract is 4 grams.
• Lemon curd: Though it will be a little squishy to roll and cut, you want high quality lemon curd and for ease, store bought is easiest here.
• Can prepare ahead of time: Simply prepare the rolls as instructed, but instead of baking immediately, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them come to room temperature, then bake as directed.
• You can freeze them: It’s best to freeze without the frosting. After baking and cooling, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature or heat them up in the oven for a few minutes.

Recipe by Roamingtaste

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal

Keyword bread, breakfast, brunch

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!