Description
Delightfully soft and fragrant Lemon Rolls made with a lemon-infused dough, sweet lemon filling, and topped with a tangy lemon icing. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, these rolls combine the brightness of fresh lemon zest with a buttery, tender crumb for an irresistible treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Lemon Roll Dough
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (530g)
- 4 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast (14g, 1/2 oz)
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp poppy seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (240g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest (6g)
Lemon Roll Filling
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100g)
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest (6g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
Lemon Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar (250g)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (60g)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (28g)
Additional Topping
- Fresh lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine 4 1/4 cups flour, instant dry yeast, poppy seeds (if using), and salt. Mix together until evenly distributed.
- Warm Wet Ingredients: In a separate microwave-safe bowl, combine buttermilk, granulated sugar, and butter cut into tablespoon pieces. Heat for 1 minute until butter is mostly melted and mixture is warm to the touch, not hot to avoid killing yeast.
- Mix Dough: Slowly pour the warm buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed with a dough hook or by hand with a dough whisk until combined and sticky. Add eggs one at a time on medium-low speed, mixing well after each addition until a sticky, elastic dough ball forms.
- Incorporate Lemon Zest and Flour: Mix in 2 tablespoons lemon zest on medium speed. Gradually add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, while mixing until dough pulls away from sides and feels tacky but not sticky. Usually about 3 tablespoons added.
- Rest Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rest for 10 to 20 minutes to ease rolling.
- Make Filling: While dough rests, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Massage zest into sugars to release oils, then whisk in softened butter until smooth. Set aside.
- Roll Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12 inch by 18 inch rectangle about 1/2 centimeter thick.
- Spread Filling: Spread lemon filling evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border along one long edge uncovered for sealing.
- Form Rolls: Carefully roll dough horizontally towards uncovered edge to form a tight log. Use dental floss to cut the log into 12 equal-sized rolls.
- First Rise: Place rolls in a greased or parchment-lined 9×13 inch pan. Turn oven off and place covered rolls inside for 30 minutes to rise and puff.
- Bake Rolls: After rising, remove foil and increase oven temperature to 350 F (175 C). Bake rolls for 32 minutes or until golden brown.
- Make Icing: While rolls bake, whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and melted butter until smooth.
- Cool and Ice Rolls: Let rolls cool for 10 to 20 minutes. Spoon lemon icing over rolls and garnish with fresh lemon zest before serving.
Notes
- Use instant yeast for best results; if substituting active dry yeast, activate it in warm water with sugar first and allow a longer rise.
- Use a ruler to roll dough to precise 12 x 18 inches for even sizes and baking.
- Cut rolls with dental floss for precise, clean slices without squashing.
- If rolls are difficult to cut, chill the dough log for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up.
- Bake rolls in metal pans for even heat distribution; lower oven temp to 325 F if using glass pans.
- Allow rolls to cool 10-20 minutes before icing to let icing melt properly without sliding off.
- Make rolls a day ahead by assembling, refrigerating covered overnight, then allowing to warm and rise before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
