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Soft, golden, and packed with lively lemon flavor, these rolls are like a summer party in every bite. You’ll get tender swirls and melty citrusy topping that soaks right into every layer. Want gooey middles or that punch from fresh zest? You’re about to make breakfast way more fun.
First time I whipped these up I was shocked just how light and fluffy they turned out. The zesty smell brought everyone running before I could even put them on the table.
Lively Ingredients
- Fresh lemon juice: keeps the glaze lively and gives it a tart kick just squeeze before using for the brightest taste
- Powdered sugar: creates super smooth icing no lumps if you sift it first
- Light brown sugar: makes the filling sticky-sweet and packed with flavor go for really soft and aromatic
- Fresh lemon zest: makes these rolls pop with oil and scent always zest right before you add to the dough
- Large eggs: add fluff and help your rolls rise tall use eggs that didn’t sit in the fridge too long
- Unsalted butter: makes the crumb melt-in-your-mouth, always add at room temp so it blends nicely
- Granulated sugar: wakes up the yeast and keeps the lemon bright use regular white sugar for best taste
- Buttermilk: keeps the dough moist and adds tang use rich, full-fat if you can find it
- Fine salt: evens out the flavors and keeps the dough balanced keep it somewhere dry
- Poppy seeds: add a little crunch and cheery speckles totally optional or swap them out
- Instant dry yeast: gives a quick rise look for packets from the fridge section so your dough lifts with no fuss
- All-purpose flour: is your base and what makes everything soft just measure it right and get a fresh bag for top results
The best part? Lemon zest, hands down. After grabbing a bag of lemons from our neighbor’s yard that summer, I couldn’t help but grate extra on top for even more zing each time.
Simple How-To Steps
- Frost and Finish:
- While your rolls rest for a bit, mix your icing—powdered sugar, butter, and lemon juice. Drizzle it over while they’re still warm, and don’t forget a little extra zest at the end if you’re feeling fancy.
- Bake It Up:
- Heat your oven to 350 F when the dough’s just about puffy. Bake twentyeight to thirtytwo minutes till you see golden tops and that citrus smell floats out.
- Slice and Let Rise:
- Grab some floss or thread to cut the log into twelve rounds. Place them in a buttered pan; let them rise in your turnedoff oven till they feel airy, maybe about half an hour.
- Shape and Roll It:
- Flour your counter then roll out the dough to a wide rectangle. Spread on your filling but leave a small edge clear so you can seal the roll. Roll toward the clean strip and pinch shut when you get there.
- Filling Time:
- Work lemon zest and sugars together with your fingers till it smells like summer, then blend in soft butter. It’ll turn thick and spreadable.
- Chill Out:
- Give your dough ten or twenty minutes to relax under a towel or plastic so it’s easier to stretch and shape.
- Lemon Zing:
- Toss in that fresh zest and keep mixing at medium till everything smells citrusy. Add flour little by little as you knead. Dough should bounce but not stick if you poke it.
- Add Eggs:
- Crack in one egg at a time, beat till the dough is elastic and pretty sticky. Scrape down the sides every so often to be sure everything gets mixed in right.
- Bring It Together:
- Pour your buttermilk mix into the dry stuff as you stir using a dough hook, whisk, or a sturdy spoon. Keep going till you see no patches of flour left.
- Heat Up Wet Ingredients:
- Microwave the buttermilk, sugar, and butter together till the butter melts mostly and it feels warm—not hot. Let it cool off if needed. You don’t want to upset the yeast.
- Dry Mix Magic:
- Toss flour, yeast, seeds, and salt in a big bowl or mixer. Give it a quick swirl so everything’s blended and lighter.
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Storing Leftovers
Keeps great in any sealed container for one day on the counter or pop in the fridge for up to four days. Warm a bit in the oven or microwave if you like the soft feel again. Freeze the iced rolls one by one for a quick treat later. Let them thaw on the counter tightly wrapped.
Swap Outs
No buttermilk? Stir a little vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk. Out of instant yeast? Use active dry, but let it rise a bit longer. Poppy seeds are completely optional. Want a creamier icing? Add a little cream cheese instead of just butter.
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How to Serve Them
You’ll want these on any special breakfast table. Great with iced tea or a big cup of coffee and maybe some berries on the side. Put out bowls of extra zest or even chopped candied ginger and let everyone make theirs extra lemony. Tie up a few in a box for a sweet homemade gift, too.
Kitchen Backstory
Think cinnamon rolls but with a bright twist. Lemon rolls are a favorite at American brunches, especially outdoors in the summer or around Easter. At my house, these mark the real first day of summer—lemons are at their tastiest and everyone gets cheery just smelling them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How do you get bright lemon flavor?
Toss tons of fresh lemon zest into the dough and filling, then use lemon juice in the icing so every bite pops with citrus.
- → Tricks for super fluffy rolls?
Keep your dough a little sticky and add flour little by little. The buttermilk and butter do all the heavy lifting for that soft feel.
- → Can you make these ahead?
You sure can. Shape them and pop in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temp and let them rise before baking the next day.
- → Best way to slice clean rounds?
Dental floss for the win. Cutting with floss keeps them neat and nothing gets squished.
- → Why does my filling seep out?
Don’t spread filling all the way to the edge. Leave a little space so you can pinch closed and keep the good stuff inside when they bake.
- → Is instant yeast a must-have?
If you’ve only got active dry yeast, just mix it with warm water and a pinch of sugar to get it started. Remember, it’ll take a little more time to rise.