Lemon Rolls

Lemon rolls are soft and fluffy sweet rolls filled with lemon sugar filling and topped with rich cream cheese frosting.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 40

Rising 1 15

Total Time 2 30

Servings rolls

Calories 528kcal

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon instant rise yeast
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup salted butter melted
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-4 ½ cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

6 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest

Cream cheese frosting

8 ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup salted butter at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pour milk into a microwave-safe measuring cup.
Microwave in 30-second intervals until it reaches about 110-115 degrees F. (If it gets too hot, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to come down in temperature)
Add warm milk, granulated sugar, and yeast to the bowl of your stand mixer. Use a fork to lightly stir it all together. Let sit for 5 minutes for yeast to bloom.
1 cup whole milk, 1 tablespoon instant rise yeast, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Add eggs, ½ cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Use the fork again to lightly beat the eggs.
2 large eggs
Pour in 3 cups flour and ½ teaspoon salt. Use a paddle attachment on your stand mixer to combine the ingredients.
Continue to add flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. You may not need to use all of the flour.
Switch to the dough hook and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Grease a clean bowl lightly with oil.
Remove dough from the mixing bowl and place it in the greased bowl, turning to coat in oil on all sides.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, add ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Use your hands to rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the oils.
In a separate bowl, add 6 tablespoons butter. Microwave for about 15 seconds to soften the butter without melting it. Set aside.
Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle until it’s about ½ an inch thick.
Spread the softened butter all over the dough and sprinkle the lemon sugar mixture on top.
Working from the longer side of the rectangle, cut 12 2-inch strips out of the dough. Roll each strip tightly into itself to create a “cinnamon” roll.
Place the rolls, swirl-side up, in the greased baking dish.
Cover with the same clean dish towel and allow to sit in a warm place for 30 minutes.
While waiting for the rolls to rest, clean the bowl of your stand mixer.
Beat together cream cheese and ¼ cup butter with the paddle attachment.
Add in powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Beat again until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Bake lemon rolls for 40-50 minutes, or until baked in the center and golden brown on top. If the rolls are browning too quickly, tent with foil.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Spread frosting on top of warm rolls.
For decoration, add additional lemon zest over top.

Notes

Whole milk: Whole milk helps to make the dough rich and soft. You can use 2% milk for a leaner dough.

Yeast: To use active dry yeast, substitute an equal amount of yeast.

Butter: If you're using unsalted butter, you will need to adjust the salt in the dough and add a pinch or two of salt to the filling and to the frosting.

Kosher salt: Or 1/8 teaspoon of table salt.

Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat or 1/3-less fat cream cheese for the frosting. Fat-free cream cheese doesn't blend well and won't give you rich, creamy frosting.
Nutrition values are estimates.

Nutrition