Indulge in the bright and refreshing flavors of lemon with these soft and fluffy Lemon Rolls. Made with a simple dough recipe that results in a brioche-like texture, these rolls are perfect for a stress-free brunch or special breakfast.
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.
Why you'll love this
Bright and Refreshing Flavor
Lemon is the star ingredient in this recipe, giving the rolls a bright and refreshing flavor. The combination of zesty lemon and sweet icing makes for a perfect balance of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds.
Soft and Fluffy Texture
These rolls are soft, fluffy, and melt in your mouth. They are made with a simple dough recipe that results in a brioche-like texture. Plus, the lemon curd in the filling add a subtle tanginess to the rolls.
Easy to Make
Making homemade rolls may seem daunting, but my recipe is easy to follow with step-by-step instructions. You can make the dough ahead of time and let it rise overnight, making them a great option for a stress-free brunch or special breakfast.
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.
Equipment needed to make this
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
Do my lemon roll ingredients need to be room temperature?
Yes, 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.
Can I make the dough by hand?
Yes you can, however, 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.
How much do the liquid ingredients weigh 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.
More rolls recipes you'll enjoy
Franzbrötchen - German Cinnamon Rolls
Gemberbolus - Dutch Ginger Rolls
How to make Lemon Rolls:
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 cube of butter or 2 (if your cubes are small, no more than 5 grams or ⅓ tablespoon of butter at a time) and incorporate until you cannot see any butter remnants in your dough.
Continue by adding another piece of 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.
Place in the fridge and allow to rise until doubled in size 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.
Combine the lemon curd and softened butter until it’s smooth.
Smear the lemon curd over the dough leaving the ¼ inch edge without any filling.
Sprinkle over the sugar evenly over the lemon filling.
Slowly and carefully roll your dough from the base of your wide rectangle into a tight scroll.
Cut into 12 even pieces and place in 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.
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!
Lemon Rolls
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 58 minutes (rising and chilling time)
- Yield: Makes 12
- Category: Breads
Description
This fluffy and light lemon rolls recipe with a lemon curd filling that is tart and sweet and a great lazy day breakfast!
Ingredients
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
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely chopped
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
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 cube of butter or 2 (if your cubes are small, no more than 5 grams or ⅓ tablespoon of butter at a time) and incorporate until you cannot see any butter remnants in your dough.
- Continue by adding another piece of 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 lemon curd over the dough leaving the ¼ inch edge without any filling.
- Sprinkle over 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 in 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
Recipe by Roamingtaste
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 430 calories per serve
Keywords: breakfast bread, brunch
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