Sweet Lemon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Sweet lemon rolls with cream cheese glaze; a citrusy flavor throughout the dough and a light cream cheese glaze on top. Think a cinnamon roll, but minus the cinnamon and instead all the lemon! The dough I use for this recipe comes together in less than an hour, because sometimes you want a delicious sweet roll that you don’t have to wait overnight for. Hello instant yeast! The dough is then rolled out and sprinkled with a lemon juice and white sugar filling and then rolled up like a cinnamon roll and baked to perfection. This means there is gooey, lemon sugar throughout the bun!

The Ingredients

Many dough recipes use standard baking yeast, which does produce a wonderfully fluffy dough, but it also typically requires 2-3 rises and for it to be left overnight before baking. While I can thoroughly appreciate the time and effort that goes in to baking this type of dough, I am also some times in the mood for a dessert roll that I don’t have to wait overnight for. That is why we use instant yeast in this recipe instead! It still does require some rise time, but these are in the oven within an hour of starting them, and you can’t beat that if you ask me!

The Steps

I always recommend starting any recipe by grabbing all of the ingredients out of your fridge or pantry to ensure you have everything you need before starting.

The first step in this recipe is to make the dough. You are going to add your butter to a large glass bowl and melt it in the microwave. Once melted, add your milk and stick it back in the microwave for a few more seconds so the combined mixture is warm. You will want to stir this with a fork to combine it and then add your instant yeast and sugar to it, sprinkling the yeast over top and then gently mixing with a fork. Let this sit aside for about 10 minutes so that the yeast can activate. You will know it has activated because it will start to get slightly bubbly.

Once the yeast has activated, add your egg, salt and vanilla. Combine this well with a whisk.

It is time to start gradually adding your flour. Continue adding the flour until your dough start to form in to a ball. Transfer this to a floured surface, like your counter, and continue to knead it with your hands. Do this for a few more minutes until you have a smooth ball of dough.

Place this ball of dough back in to the glass bowl and let it sit aside for another 10-20 minutes to allow it to rise, it should rise a few more inches here!

Once your second rise is complete, transfer the dough back to your floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out in to a rectangle shape with the long edge towards you. You want the dough to remain about 2 inches thick all around.

Once rolled out, you will combine your sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and then gradually spread over the surface of the dough. Spread it all around the dough, about 1 inch from the edge.

Once spread, you will roll the dough in to buns! Roll the long edge up in to itself pinching as you go to keep it together. Once it has been rolled entirely, used a serrated knife to slice 3 inch rolls from the dough. It should make about 9 rolls.

Transfer these sliced rolls into a greased baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let these cool completely before adding the glaze.

Print Pin

Sweet Lemon Rolls

Course Dessert

Keyword baking, dessert, lemon, sweet treat

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

For the lemon sugar

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

For the glaze

• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tbsp milk

Instructions

• The first step in this recipe is to make the dough. You are going to add your butter to a large glass bowl and melt it in the microwave. Once melted, add your milk and stick it back in the microwave for a few more seconds so the combined mixture is warm.
• You will then want to stir this with a fork to combine it and then add your instant yeast and sugar to it, sprinkling the yeast over top and then gently mixing it to combine with a fork. Let this sit aside for about 10 minutes so that the yeast can activate. You will know it has activated because it will start to get slightly bubbly.
• Once the yeast has activated it is time to add in your egg, salt and vanilla. Mix this well and then start gradually adding your flour. Continue adding the flour until your dough starts to form in to a ball. Transfer this to a floured surface, like your counter, and continue to knead it with your hands. Do this for a few more minutes until you have a smooth ball of dough.
• Place this ball of dough back in to the glass bowl and let it sit aside for another 10-20 minutes to allow it to rise, it should rise a few more inches here!
• Once your second rise is complete, transfer the dough back to your floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out in to a rectangle shape with the long edge towards you. You want the dough to remain about 2 inches thick all around.
• Once rolled out, you will combine your sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and then gradually spread over the surface of the dough. Spread it all around the dough, about 1 inch from the edge.
• Once spread, you will roll the dough in to buns! Roll the long edge up in to itself pinching as you go to keep it together. Once it has been rolled entirely, used a serrated knife to slice 3 inch rolls from the dough. It should make about 9 rolls.
• Transfer these sliced rolls into a greased baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let these cool completely before adding the glaze.
• For the glaze, combine all ingredients and whisk together well before drizzling over your rolls.

If you love these rolls as much as I do, let me know! Leave me a review, tag me on Instagram, or send me an email. I love to see what you come up with! Happy baking!