Soft Lemon Rolls with Glaze (Printable version)
Light, airy dough filled with fresh lemon zest and sugar, topped with tangy lemon glaze for a bright morning treat.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
→ Lemon Filling
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - Zest from 2 lemons
11 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
→ Lemon Glaze
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
14 - Zest from 1 lemon (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine warm milk with yeast and a pinch of sugar in a large bowl. Let stand 5-10 minutes until mixture becomes foamy.
02 - Add melted butter, eggs, remaining sugar, and salt to yeast mixture. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated.
03 - Gradually incorporate flour, mixing until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Knead on lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use stand mixer with dough hook for 5-6 minutes.
04 - Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm location for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in volume.
05 - While dough rises, blend softened butter, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth and spreadable.
06 - Punch down risen dough and roll out on lightly floured surface into a 16x12 inch rectangle.
07 - Spread lemon filling evenly across dough surface, maintaining a 1/2 inch border along edges.
08 - Roll dough tightly from the longer edge. Slice cylinder into 12 equal portions.
09 - Arrange rolls in greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover and let rise 30 minutes until puffy.
10 - Heat oven to 350°F.
11 - Bake 23-27 minutes until rolls achieve golden-brown color.
12 - Allow rolls to cool slightly. Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth, drizzle over warm rolls. Garnish with additional lemon zest if desired.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The balance of tart lemon and sweet sugar creates this bright, addictive flavor that feels special without being fussy.
- They are surprisingly forgiving, even if you are new to yeast doughs, and the rising time does most of the work for you.
02 -
- Do not rush the rising time, even if you are tempted to put the dough somewhere warm to speed it up.
- Roll the dough tightly so the filling stays inside and you get those beautiful swirls.
03 -
- Zest your lemons before juicing them, or you will have a surprisingly hard time trying to zest a squeezed lemon.
- Room temperature eggs blend into the dough more easily and help with even rising.