As someone who is a huge fan of sweet food, there is something special about using lemons to make a very delicious dessert.
It’s something that I will always love and a recipe for these soft lemon sweet rolls is definitely enough to satisfy all the cravings I have.
While it may take some time to prepare the lemon sweet rolls, it’s well worth the effort, so let’s get started.
Lemon Sweet Rolls
Delicious and soft sweet lemon rolls. A perfect dessert to serve your friends and family on a special occasion.
Ingredients
- Yeast Dough
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active-dry yeast
- 1 cup whole milk, lightly warmed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of an entire lemon, about 1 tablespoon
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Filling
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest of an entire lemon, about 1 tablespoon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese (brick-style), softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- zest of an entire lemon, about 1 tablespoon
Instructions
1. Prepare The Yeast: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the yeast, warm milk, and sugar. Let it sit for 5-7 minutes until it gets bubbly and fragrant—this is when the magic starts!
2. Mix the Dough: Next, add in the eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and a fresh burst of lemon zest. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and slowly add in the flour and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until the dough begins to come together.
If it’s a bit sticky, add more flour one tablespoon at a time until it’s smooth but still soft. Knead for 6-7 minutes, or go old-school and knead it by hand!
3. Let it Rise: Shape the dough into a ball, butter up a large bowl (or use baking spray), and place the dough inside.
Turn it around to coat it in the butter, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size—about 1.5 to 2 hours.
4. Roll Out the Dough: Once your dough has puffed up, punch it down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle (about 14×9 inches) with the long side facing you. If the dough sticks, sprinkle a little extra flour.
5. Add the Filling: Spread softened butter over the dough and sprinkle evenly with sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Be sure to leave a 1-inch border at the top and bottom to make rolling easier!
6. Roll It Up: Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a log, gathering any sugar that spills out. Pinch the seams to seal the log. Slice the log into 8 equal pieces using a sharp knife.
7. Prepare the Pan: Butter or spray a 9×13 inch baking pan and arrange your rolls with the cut side facing up.
If you’re planning ahead, cover the rolls with plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge for 8-12 hours. If you’re ready to bake now, let them rise again for another 1-2 hours until nice and puffy.
8. Preheat and Bake: When you’re ready to bake, take the rolls out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Once your rolls have risen, bake them until they’re golden brown, about 30 minutes.
9. Make the Icing: While your rolls bake, whip up the lemon cream cheese icing. Beat together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).
Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, then add milk and lemon zest. Keep mixing until smooth and creamy.
After the rolls are ready to be taken out of the oven, you can just spread the lemon cream cheese icing over the top. Serve it while it’s warm and dig in.
Even though we took our time to prepare this dessert, the results are fantastic and it’s a perfect dish if you want to treat yourself every once in a while.