Description
Delight in these irresistibly soft and tangy Lemon Rolls, featuring a luscious lemon-sugar filling and a zesty lemon glaze. Perfectly golden and bursting with citrus flavor, these rolls make an ideal treat for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp poppy seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
Filling
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- Fresh lemon zest for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and combine dry ingredients: Preheat your oven to 200°F. In a large bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, instant dry yeast, poppy seeds, and salt until well combined.
- Warm wet ingredients: In a saucepan, warm the buttermilk, granulated sugar, and unsalted butter until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool slightly if too hot.
- Mix wet into dry: Pour the warm buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Add eggs and zest: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the lemon zest to infuse the dough with citrus flavor.
- Add flour gradually and rest dough: Gradually incorporate additional flour until the dough is tacky but not sticky. Once combined, let the dough rest to allow yeast to activate.
- Prepare filling: In a separate bowl, mix the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, lemon zest, and softened unsalted butter until a smooth, spreadable filling forms.
- Roll out dough and spread filling: Roll the dough out on a floured surface to a 12×18 inch rectangle. Evenly spread the lemon sugar filling over the dough.
- Roll and slice: Starting from one long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Slice the log into 12 equal pieces.
- Proof rolls: Arrange the rolls cut side up in a baking pan. Place the pan in the warm 200°F oven and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes until puffy.
- Bake: Increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 28-32 minutes or until they turn golden brown on top.
- Prepare and apply glaze: While rolls bake, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and melted butter to make the glaze. Spoon the glaze over the rolls when they are slightly cooled, then garnish with fresh lemon zest.
Notes
- Warm the buttermilk mixture but do not let it become too hot when adding to yeast; it should be lukewarm to avoid killing yeast.
- Resting the dough allows the yeast to activate and improves dough elasticity.
- Let rolls cool slightly before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting and soaking in too much.
- Use fresh lemon zest for the best citrus flavor.
- Poppy seeds add a subtle nutty texture; omit if allergic or disliked.
