Lemon Rolls
These are the best lemon rolls! They're soft and fluffy lemon rolls, with a gooey lemon sugar filling
and lemon cream cheese frosting.
5 from 63 votes
PREP TIME COOK TIME PROOFING TIME TOTAL TIME
30 mins 20 mins 2 hrs 30 mins 3 hrs 20 mins
COURSE CUISINE SERVINGS
Breakfast, Dessert, American 12 rolls
Snack
INGREDIENTS
For the Lemon Rolls
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk
2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar (to bloom the yeast)
4 ¾ cups (593 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated white sugar
2 eggs, whisked
½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened
½ tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoon (20 g) lemon zest (about 2 lemons zested)
For the Lemon Filling
½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened
½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
½ cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
2 tablespoon (20 g) lemon zest (about 2 lemons zested)
2 tablespoon (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (for pouring in between the rolls)
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
¾ cup (97 g) powdered sugar
½ tablespoon (5 g) lemon zest (about ½ lemon zested)
½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Lemon Rolls
1. To start, bloom your yeast. Mix your active dry yeast, sugar, and warm milk together and let sit
for 10 minutes.
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast,
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar (to bloom the yeast)
2. Next, in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mix flour, salt and sugar
together.
4 ¾ cups (593 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 ½ teaspoon salt,
2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated white sugar
3. To the dry ingredients add the whisked eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and softened butter and mix.
2 eggs, whisked, ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened, ½ tablespoon vanilla,
2 tablespoon (20 g) lemon zest (about 2 lemons zested)
4. Add in the yeast mixture and mix until everything is blended. Switch to a dough hook and
knead on medium speed for 7-10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the edges of the
bowl, forms a ball and springs back when pressed.
5. Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap
or a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, (outside or a cold oven with the light on
works well for this), for 1- 1 ½ hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
For the Lemon Filling
1. While the dough rises, make the filling by mixing butter, brown sugar, white sugar, lemon zest,
lemon juice and salt together in a small bowl.
½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened, ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar,
½ cup (100 g) granulated white sugar,
2 tablespoon (20 g) lemon zest (about 2 lemons zested),
2 tablespoon (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt
Assembling and Baking the Lemon Rolls
1. Grease a 9x13" casserole dish and set aside.
2. Once the dough has had a chance to rise, remove it from the bowl, punch the dough to
release the air, and roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into about an 18 x 12
inch rectangle. It should be about ¼ inch thick.
3. Next, spoon the prepared filling over the dough and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
4. Roll up the dough tightly into a long log shape starting from the end closest to you. Cut of a
bit off the ends to make the log even. Cut 12 rolls about 1 ½ inches wide using unflavored
floss or a very sharp knife.
5. Place the rolls in a greased 9x13" casserole dish and pour room temperature heavy cream in
between each roll. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them proof in a warm spot for about
an hour, or until they have doubled in size.
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (for pouring in between the rolls)
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees about 15 minutes before the rolls are done proofing.
7. Once the rolls have proofed, bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a light golden color.
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
1. While they bake, make the cream cheese frosting by adding the softened butter to a medium
bowl and mixing it on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.
¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
2. Add in the cream cheese and mix until combined on medium speed.
4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, cold
3. Sift the powdered sugar into the mixture a little at a time and mix on low speed until all is
combined.
¾ cup (97 g) powdered sugar
4. Then add in the lemon zest and lemon juice and combine on low then high speed until the
frosting is fluffy.
½ tablespoon (5 g) lemon zest (about ½ lemon zested), ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
5. Let the rolls cool for 5 minutes, then cover the warm rolls with the cream cheese icing. Then
serve!
KEYWORD
cinnamon rolls, Easter dessert, Easter recipe, Lemon, lemon rolls, Mother's Day, Mother's Day
dessert, spring dessert
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