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Lemon Rolls with Lemon Icing Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.2 from 27 reviews
  • Author: Emma
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 32 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x
  • Category: Breads & Rolls
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These tender Lemon Rolls combine a tangy lemon zest and sugar filling with a soft, buttery dough, finished with a zesty lemon icing, perfect for a bright and flavorful breakfast or snack.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour + addition flour added later in the process (530g)
  • 4 1/2 tsp or 2 packets instant dry yeast (14g, 1/2 oz.)
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp poppy seeds – optional
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6g)

Wet Ingredients and Dough

  • 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, or the zest of 2 large lemons (6g)

Filling

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100g)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest, or the zest of 2 large lemons (6g)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)

Icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar (250g)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (60g)
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (28g)

Additional

  • Fresh Lemon Zest
  • 9 x13-inch Pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • Stand Mixer w/ Dough Hook or Danish Dough Whisk
  • Ruler
  • Dental Floss

Instructions

  1. Lemon Roll Dough
    Preheat your oven to 200 F / 95 C. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 1/4 cups flour, 4 1/2 tsp or 2 packets of instant dry yeast, 1 Tbsp + 1 Tsp poppy seeds, and 1 tsp salt.
  2. Warm Buttermilk Mixture
    In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup butter (cut into Tbsp-sized pieces). Heat for 1 minute in the microwave, then stir to combine the ingredients. The butter should be mostly melted, and the mixture should feel warm but not hot to the touch. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast!
  3. Mix Dough
    Slowly pour the warm buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed with a dough hook or by hand with a dough whisk. If you don’t have a dough whisk, you can use a large wooden spoon. The dough should be quite sticky at this point.
  4. Add Eggs and Lemon Zest
    Mix in 2 large eggs, one at a time, on a medium-low speed until a sticky dough ball forms. It will take a while for each egg to get incorporated, but keep mixing until they are fully combined. Then continue to mix on a medium-low speed for a couple of minutes until the dough becomes more elastic. Once combined, mix in the zest of 2 large lemons on a medium speed until incorporated.
  5. Add Additional Flour
    As the dough mixes, add additional flour 1 Tbsp at a time until the dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl. I usually add about 3 additional Tbsps of flour. My favorite way to know if my dough is ready is to poke it with my finger. It should feel tacky but not sticky. As you pull your finger away, there should be no residue on your finger.
  6. Rest Dough
    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and set aside to let the dough rest for 10-20 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out.
  7. Make Lemon Roll Filling
    As the dough rests, make the lemon roll filling. In a medium-sized bowl, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, and the zest of 2 large lemons. Massage the zest into the sugar with your fingertips to help release the oil from the zest. The mixture should be aromatic as you do this.
  8. Add Butter to Filling
    Add 1/2 cup softened butter (the butter should be soft to the touch, and almost a bit melted) to the mixture. Whisk until combined, then set aside.
  9. Roll and Cut Dough
    Once the dough has rested, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle that’s roughly 12 in x 18 in. It should be about 1/2 cm thick.
  10. Spread Filling
    Spread the lemon roll filling over the dough, leaving 1/2 inch of dough on the long side of the rectangle uncovered (this will help you seal off the roll and keep it tight).
  11. Roll and Slice
    Then roll the dough horizontally, toward the uncovered strip and cut 12 equal pieces using dental floss. Place the rolls in a greased or lined 9×13-inch pan.
  12. First Rise in Oven
    Turn the oven off! I REPEAT, TURN THE OVEN OFF. Then cover the lemon rolls with foil and place them in the oven for about 30 minutes to give them an assisted rise. They should look puffier and have grown in size once they’ve risen.
  13. Preheat Oven
    Remove them from the oven and take off the tinfoil. Turn the oven back on and heat it to 350 F / 175 C.
  14. Bake Rolls
    Once the oven is preheated, bake the lemon rolls for 28-32 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.
  15. Make Icing
    The last step is to make the icing! Whisk 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice, and 2 Tbsp melted butter until combined.
  16. Cool and Ice Rolls
    Let the rolls cool for 10-20 minutes, then spoon the icing over the rolls and top with fresh lemon zest.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients for best results.
  • Heating the buttermilk mixture just to warm (not hot) helps activate the yeast without killing it.
  • The dough should feel tacky but not sticky; add flour gradually.
  • Using dental floss to cut rolls gives clean slices without squashing.
  • Turning the oven off and letting the rolls rest inside for 30 minutes provides an assisted rise.

Find it online: https://yumrecipesfood.com/lemon-rolls-with-lemon-icing-recipe/