Lemon Sweet Rolls: Soft and Tangy with Cream Cheese Frosting

Lemon Sweet Rolls

Lemon sweet rolls taste like sunshine and fresh lemon, and they come together more easily than you might expect. Picture a soft, fluffy milk bread dough rolled around a bright lemon sugar filling, layered with sticky lemon curd, and finished with a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting.

They are shaped and baked exactly like classic cinnamon rolls, but there is no cinnamon anywhere in the mix. Fresh lemon carries the whole thing, balanced with just enough sweetness to stay cozy and comforting.

That balance is what makes these rolls feel lighter and brighter than a typical cinnamon roll. They are the kind of bake I reach for in spring, when the lemons at the market look too good to pass up, and they show up at weekend brunches just as happily.

My neighbor dropped off a bag of lemons last April, and by Sunday morning the whole kitchen smelled like citrus and warm bread.

Serve them warm, while the frosting is still soft and the curd is a little gooey. One pan makes twelve generous rolls, which is exactly the right number for a small gathering, a lazy brunch, or a bake sale table. If you love citrus desserts, this is the recipe to keep in your back pocket.

How to Make Them Step by Step

The method follows the familiar rhythm of any yeast roll, with one extra step at the very start that makes all the difference.

First, make a tangzhong. Cook part of the water and flour in a saucepan until it thickens into a roux, then transfer it to a bowl to cool while you gather the rest of the ingredients. That cooked paste is the quiet secret behind a dough that stays soft and tender.

Next, knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. A stand mixer with a dough hook does the heavy lifting, and the dough is ready when it feels elastic and passes the windowpane test, which means you can stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through it. If it tears instead of stretching, keep kneading.

Then roll out the yeast dough and spread the filling over it. Lemon curd can be homemade or store bought, and while homemade is my favorite, store bought works in a pinch.

Cut and roll the dough with a pizza cutter rather than floss for clean swirls, then place the rolls in a 9×13 baking pan with a little breathing room between them.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise in a warm spot. They are ready for the oven when they have doubled in size and the dough feels airy and bubbly when you press it lightly with a fingertip.

While they bake, make the lemon cream cheese icing and whip it until light and fluffy, then set it aside. After baking, cool the rolls briefly on a wire rack, frost them, and spoon more lemon curd over the top.

These rolls are bright and lemony all year long, and the same base dough and method are used for orange cream cinnamon rolls, just with a different curd stirred into the filling.

Ingredients

This recipe is built from four components: a tangzhong, the roll dough, a lemon sugar filling, and a lemon cream cheese frosting. Keep them separate as you shop and you will not miss a thing.

For the tangzhong

• 2/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup bread flour, with measuring notes below

For the roll dough

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 2/3 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• The tangzhong from above
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cool room temperature

For the lemon sugar filling

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cool room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon curd, store bought or homemade

For the lemon cream cheese frosting

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 ounces cold cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• Extra lemon curd for the tops

Room temperature ingredients matter here. Cold milk or a cold egg can slow the dough down, and butter at cool room temperature blends into the filling without turning greasy.

Instructions

1. Make the tangzhong. Whisk 1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour with 2/3 cup (155 g) water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens into a roux, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Rub 1 tablespoon lemon zest into 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar until it looks like wet sand.
3. In a stand mixing bowl, whisk together 3 2/3 cups (485 g) bread flour, the lemon sugar, 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt. Add 1/3 cup (78 g) heavy cream, 1/3 cup (78 g) whole milk, 1 (55 g) large egg, and the tangzhong. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes, until a rough dough ball forms.
4. With the mixer running on low, add 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, letting each piece fully incorporate before adding the next. Then continue kneading for 12 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Form the dough into a smooth round ball. Place it seam side down in a large, lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside to rest for 30 minutes.
6. Make the filling. Combine 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste until smooth.
7. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 21×15 inch rectangle. Spread the lemon sugar mixture evenly across the dough, leaving a 1 inch border clean at the top. Then spread 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (100 g) lemon curd on top.
8. Using a pizza cutter, cut twelve 1 3/4 inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then transfer the rolls to a parchment lined or buttered 9×13 baking pan.
9. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 1 to 2 hours, until they have doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C).
10. Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops are light golden brown.
11. While the rolls bake, make the frosting. In a stand mixing bowl, beat 4 ounces cold cream cheese with 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter until combined. Mix in 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, then keep beating on low speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. Mix in 2 teaspoons lemon zest and 1 tablespoon heavy cream.
12. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls, add extra lemon curd on top, and serve warm.

Notes

Measure your flour properly. Never scoop the measuring cup straight into the bag, because that packs in too much flour and can leave you with a dough that feels wet and sticky.

Instead, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup or spoon, and level it off. A kitchen scale gives the best results, and if your dough still feels overly sticky, check your flour weight first and knead a little longer.

Because these rolls are topped with lemon curd, keep them in the fridge when you are not serving them.

To make ahead, assemble the rolls, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let them double in size at room temperature for a few hours before baking. Do not make them more than one day ahead, or the yeast will begin to ferment.

For the brightest flavor, zest the lemons right before you use them, and rub that zest into the sugar so the oils release and perfume the whole dough.

Reheat in the microwave or oven until gooey and melty before serving.

If the dough fights you, it is usually the flour, not your technique. Weigh it, knead it longer, and give the dough the rest it asks for.

Recipe details

The recipe makes twelve rolls and takes about 2 hours 30 minutes from start to finish, with 30 minutes of that in the oven.

Nutrition per serving, from the source recipe:

• Calories: 546 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 66 g
• Protein: 7 g
• Fat: 29 g
• Saturated fat: 18 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Sugar: 33 g
• Sodium: 251 mg
• Cholesterol: 91 mg

FAQs

Lemon Rolls

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Lemon Sweet Rolls Lemon sweet rolls taste like sunshine and fresh lemon, and they come together more easily than you might expect. Picture a soft, fluffy milk bread dough rolled around a bright lemon sugar filling, layered with sticky lemon curd, and finished with a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting.

• Total Time: 150 min
• Yield: 12 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Tanghzong
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup bread flour

For the Roll Dough
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 2/3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
Tangzhong from above
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cool room temperature

Lemon Sugar Filling
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cool room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons lemon curd

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cold cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 teaspoons lemon zest
Lemon curd for the tops

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1-First, make the tangzhong: First, make the tangzhong. Whisk the water and flour in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened into a roux, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2-Rub the lemon zest into the sugar: Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it looks like wet sand.
3-Whisk together the flour, lemon sugar, yeast,: Whisk together the flour, lemon sugar, yeast, and salt in a stand mixing bowl. Add the heavy cream, milk, egg, and tangzhong. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes until it forms a rough dough ball.
4-With the mixer running on low, add: With the mixer running on low, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding more. Then, continue kneading for 12 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5-Form the dough into a smooth round: Form the dough into a smooth round ball. Place it seam-side down into a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
6-Combine the butter, brown sugar, lemon zest,: Combine the butter, brown sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth.
7-Roll out the dough on a lightly: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 21×15-inch rectangle. Evenly spread the lemon-sugar mixture across the dough, leaving a 1-inch border at the top clean. Then spread the lemon curd on top.
8-Use a pizza cutter to cut twelve: Use a pizza cutter to cut twelve 1 3/4-inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then carefully transfer them to a parchment-lined or buttered 9×13 baking pan.
9-Cover the pan with plastic wrap and: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise for 1-2 hours or until the rolls double. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F/162°C.
10-Bake the rolls for 30-35 minutes or: Bake the rolls for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are light golden brown.
11-While the rolls are baking, make the: While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter until combined. Then, mix in the powdered sugar. Keep beating on low speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, then mix in the lemon zest and heavy cream.
12-Let the pan cool on a wire: Let the pan cool on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes, then spread the cream cheese frosting on top. Top with extra lemon curd and serve warm!

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

• Prep Time: 120 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 546kcal
• Sugar: 33g
• Sodium: 251mg
• Fat: 29g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 66g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 7g
• Cholesterol: 91mg