These Lemon Rolls are made with the easiest and fluffiest brioche dough, wrapped around tangy lemon curd, baked and then frosted with lemon cream cheese frosting. A truly decadent breakfast, you'll also love these with an afternoon cup of coffee or tea.
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These Lemon Rolls are soft, lightly sweet, and filled with lemon curd instead of the usual cinnamon sugar. The dough is made with buttermilk, melted butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice, so the lemon flavor runs all the way through instead of just sitting on top.
I first made a version of these because I had leftover lemon curd and a very strong no curd left behind code of honor. This updated recipe is softer, simpler, and more lemon-forward, with a chilled lemon curd filling that behaves better when you roll, slice, and bake the dough.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Soft - Bread flour, buttermilk, egg, and melted butter make the dough tender, fluffy, and strong enough to hold that lemon curd filling.
- Bright - Lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon curd, and lemon cream cheese frosting give you lemon flavor in every layer.
- Make-ahead - You can shape the rolls the day before, refrigerate them up to 12 hours, and bake them the next day.
- Brunch-ready - These lemon yeast rolls feel special enough for a holiday but not so fussy that you get stressed out.
- Flexible - Use homemade lemon curd or store-bought, and bake them same day or overnight depending on your schedule.
If you are here for the lemon icing situation, you will also love my Iced Lemon Loaf Recipe. It is bright, buttery, and finished with a thick vanilla lemon icing that sets beautifully after about 10 minutes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
After my years in bakeries and restaurants, I am a true believer in mise en place, which is a French culinary phrase meaning "put in place." I literally gather all of my ingredients together, measured and ready, so there are no last minute surprises. It's a great habit to get into. I am going over the ingredients that make the biggest difference and the easiest swaps, but the full measurements are in the recipe card.
- Bread flour - Bread flour gives these lemon yeast rolls a soft, chewy structure that can handle the lemon curd filling. All-purpose flour can be used in a pinch, but the rolls may be a little softer and less sturdy.
- Lemon - You will use both the zest and the juice. Zesting the lemon directly into the sugar and rubbing it in with your fingers releases the lemon oils and gives the dough a bigger lemon flavor.
- Buttermilk - Buttermilk adds tenderness and a little tang. Let it come to room temperature before mixing so it does not slow down the yeast. You can use whole milk or the milk of your choice, but they may be slightly less soft.
- Instant yeast - Instant yeast can be mixed right into the dry ingredients. Active dry yeast can be used, but it should be dissolved in the buttermilk first and the rise may take a little longer.
- Lemon curd - Homemade lemon curd is amazing here, but store-bought lemon curd works well too. Whisking in a little cornstarch helps thicken it so it stays tucked inside the rolls during baking instead of running out into the bottom of the pan.
- Cream cheese - Cream cheese makes the frosting tangy and sturdy enough to melt slightly into the warm rolls without disappearing completely. You can use low-fat or full fat or even replaced with mascarpone cheese.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
More Lemon to Love Get more great lemon flavor with my Lemon Crepes Recipe. Classic French crepes wrapped around a tangy lemon cream will make you feel like your having a Spring brunch in Paris.
Variations
Once you have the dough down, you can take these lemon rolls in a few different brunchy directions.
- Blueberry orange rolls - Keep the summer sitrus vibes going with an orange scented dough and a filling of my homemade blueberry jam.
- Raspberry lemon rolls - Add a thin layer of raspberry jam under the lemon curd for a tart berry swirl.
- Lemon poppy seed rolls - Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds to the dough with the dry ingredients for a lemon muffin kind of situation, but in fluffy roll form.
- Meyer lemon rolls - Use Meyer lemon zest and juice for a softer, slightly floral lemon flavor.
Cynthia's Recipe Review
These lemon rolls are just what I want when cinnamon rolls feel too heavy but I still want something soft, frosted, and ridiculously decadent in the best possible way.
Do you need a stand mixer?
Making the dough for these fluffy lemon rolls is going to be so much easier if you have a Stand mixer. Although you can knead it by hand, it may take up to 20 minutes to get the same result as you will with a mixer.
My one piece of advice is to place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together as much as possible with a wooden spoon or dough whisk and then cover and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour. This will chill the butter and make the dough easier to knead.
Making brioche dough: just the highlights
The process of making the brioche dough can seem overwhelming. Here is a list of all the easy steps, in order, to reduce your dough stress.
- Melt your butter. Add milk, lemon juice, and your egg and whisk.
- Mix lemon zest into your sugar and place it, and all your other dry ingredients together in the stand mixer.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine.
- Knead for 7 minutes on medium, checking for stickiness and adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour, if needed.
- Cover and let dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Easy right? I find that reading the instructions for something a couple of times before starting helps. You got this and I can't wait for you to eat your delicious lemony rolls!
💡Great idea: My Pistachio Sweet Rolls are like lemon rolls' sophisticated cousin. My fluffy brioche dough is wrapped around the cream from my pistachio croissants in a cinnamon rolls and baklava mashup that you've got to try!
Instructions
Sweet rolls can look like a lot, but this is really just mix, rise, roll, fill, slice, rise again, bake, and frost. Follow the process pictures and remember that a little lemon curd escape is not a crisis. Just swoop it up with the top of each lemon roll and bring it along for the ride.
Making the brioche dough + 1st rise
Step 1: In a small saucepan on the stovetop, melt your butter. Remove from heat. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl, zest the lemon directly into the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until it smells bright and lemony. Add bread flour, kosher salt, and instant yeast and whisk to combine.
Step 2: In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the melted and cooled butter, room temperature buttermilk, lemon juice, and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Mix with a large silicone spatula until the flour is mostly hydrated and a rough dough forms. Transfer the bowl to your stand mixer. Knead with the dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 4: The dough should be smooth, wrapping around the dough hook, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is sticking to the sides, add 1 tablespoon of flour and knead for another 3 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm spot of your kitchen for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Filling and shaping rolls + 2nd rise
While your dough is rising whisk the cornstarch into your lemon curd until smooth. Place in the refrigerator. This will help it to thicken just a bit and stay thicker while baking.
Step 5: Note: I like to allow the dough to rise in a rectangular casserole dish because it starts encouraging the dough into the shape I will roll later.
Step 6: Roll the dough into a 9 inch by 12 inch rectangle, using a bench scraper to help square the sides. Spread the chilled lemon curd evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½ inch strip bare at the far end.
Step 1: Roll the dough into a long log, doing your best to keep the lemon curd in place. Some filling may sneak out, and that is fine.
Step 2: Pinch the end of the dough closed all the way across so the roll holds together. Use a sharp knife to slice the log into 8 equal pieces. You can also use dental floss to loop around the log and slice the rolls.
Step 3: For an easier, cleaner shape, you can also use a knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough into 6 to 8 strips and roll each strip up by hand.
Step 4: Place the rolls in a parchment-lined or buttered baking dish. Dollop any curd that dripped onto the counter on top of the rolls, filling in any gaps in the swirls. Cover and either refrigerate overnight or place in a warm spot for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until puffy.
3. Baking
Step 1: If refrigerated overnight, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F. If desired, drizzle 2 tablespoons of heavy cream over and around the rolls before baking.
Step 2: Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden and baked through in the center.
4. Frost and serve
Step 1: While the rolls bake, use a hand mixer to beat together room temperature cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, milk, and a pinch of salt until creamy. Add 1 more tablespoon of milk if you want a thinner frosting.
Step 2: Allow rolls to cool about 15 minutes. Scoop or spoon lemon cream cheese icing on top of the still warm rolls.
Step 3: Spread the lemon cream cheese frosting over the warm lemon rolls.
Step 4: If you want a little more lemon drama, spoon about 1 teaspoon of lemon curd on top of each roll and swirl it into the frosting.
Finish: Let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes before serving so the frosting melts slightly into the tops but does not completely run away. Serve warm, preferably with an iced latte, tea, and a friend who also appreciates a dramatic lemon moment.
Cynthia's Helpful Tips
- Room temperature - Room temperature buttermilk and egg help the dough rise more evenly and keep the melted butter from firming up into little bits. I find microwaving my buttermilk for about 40 seconds and submerging my egg in a cup of warm water for about 10 minutes does the trick.
- Lemon sugar - Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers before mixing the dough. This is the easiest way to pull more lemon flavor from one lemon.
- Chilled filling - Refrigerate the lemon curd filling before spreading it on the dough. Cold curd is thicker, easier to spread, and less likely to leak everywhere.
- Soft dough - The dough should be soft and a little tacky, not dry. Add extra flour only 1 tablespoon at a time so the rolls stay fluffy.
- Center check - To make sure the middle rolls are baked, gently pull at the side of a center roll with a fork. If the dough looks raw or wet, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.
Recipe FAQs
I am not a huge fan of bottled lemon juice and only use fresh lemon whenever possible. If the craving strikes, but your store is out of lemons, use the best lemon juice you can find. Don't try to save money here. Quality does cost more when it comes to bottled citrus.
Yes, you can substitute active dry for instant yeast on a one-to-one basis. You'll need to activate it in the buttermilk before combining the wet ingredients, then add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
Yes you can. Although letting the dough rise slowly overnight develops more flavor and gives you softer rolls, you can let the shaped lemon rolls rise for a couple more hours at room temperature and then bake as directed.
Your lemon sweet rolls will keep best covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or 4 days if refrigerated. If keeping longer, freeze and then individually wrap each roll and store in a zip top bag for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour.
Reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes or in a microwave for about 20 seconds.
That's an old grandma trick that I started using at the bakery to help keep rolls soft and pillowy for days after baking. It also combines with any curd that might leak out on the bottom to turn it kind of syrupy and more delicious.
Did you try this recipe?
Please consider leaving a comment with a ⭐️ rating below and tell me all about it! It helps me to continue to improve my content and lets others know what you think!
I appreciate it so much!
-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Soft Lemon Rolls with Lemon Curd and Cream Cheese Frosting
Recommended Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- 9 inch cake pan ~ or~
Ingredients
Dough
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) bread flour plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more if needed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- ½ cup (125 g) buttermilk room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- Juice of ½ lemon saving the remaining half for the frosting
Filling
- ½ cup lemon curd homemade or store-bought plus more for finishing
- 1 tablespoon (10 g) cornstarch
Optional before baking
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) heavy cream
Frosting
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) milk plus 1 tablespoon more if needed
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the dough
- Add the sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Zest the lemon directly into the sugar, then rub the zest and sugar together with your fingers until fragrant.
- Add bread flour, kosher salt, and instant yeast to the lemon sugar and whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the room temperature buttermilk, egg, melted and cooled butter, and juice from half of the lemon.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a large silicone spatula to mix until the flour is mostly hydrated and a shaggy dough forms.
- Place the bowl on the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead on medium-low to medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, stretchy, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. A small amount of dough sticking to the bottom of the bowl is fine.
- If the dough is still sticking heavily to the sides of the bowl, add 1 tablespoon of bread flour and knead for another 3 minutes. Add the second tablespoon only if needed.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl or rectangular casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Make the filling
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon curd and cornstarch until completely smooth.
- Refrigerate the lemon curd filling while the dough rises. This helps thicken it and makes it easier to spread.
Shape the rolls
- Line or butter a cast iron pan, a cake pan, or other casserole dish
- Lightly flour your counter. Turn the risen dough out onto the counter and gently press out the air.
- Roll the dough into a 9 inch by 12 inch rectangle. Use a bench scraper to square the sides as needed.
- Spread the chilled lemon curd filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ½ inch strip bare along the far long edge.
- Starting at the filled long edge, roll the dough into a log. Try to keep the roll snug without squeezing out all the lemon curd.
- Pinch the seam closed across the length of the log.
- Slice the dough into 8 equal rolls and place them in the prepared baking dish.
- Alternatively, for a cleaner spiral, slice the filled dough into 6 to 8 strips with a knife or pizza cutter and roll each strip up individually.
- Scoop up any of the lemon curd that came out of the rolls, and dollop it on top of the rolls in the pan.
Second rise
- For same-day baking, cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until puffy.
- For overnight lemon rolls, cover the pan tightly and refrigerate overnight, up to 12 hours.
Bake
- If the rolls were refrigerated overnight, remove them from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- If using, drizzle 2 tablespoons of heavy cream over and around the rolls.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden on top and baked through in the center.
- To check the center, gently pull at the side of a middle roll with a fork. If the dough looks raw or wet, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.
Make the frosting
- While the rolls bake, add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon milk, and a pinch of salt to a mixing bowl.
- Beat with a hand mixer until smooth, creamy, and spreadable. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of milk if you want a thinner frosting.
Frost and serve
- Let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes.
- Spread the lemon cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls.
- If desired, spoon about 1 teaspoon of lemon curd on top of each roll and swirl it into the frosting.
- Serve warm.
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
Notes
- For the best lemon flavor, rub the lemon zest into the sugar before adding the flour.
- Use room temperature buttermilk and egg so the dough mixes smoothly and rises well.
- Do not add too much extra flour. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
- Chill the lemon curd filling before spreading it on the dough so it stays in place better.
- Some lemon curd may leak during rolling or slicing. Scoop it back onto the rolls or into the gaps before baking.
- To make ahead, shape the rolls, cover the pan, and refrigerate overnight. Let the pan sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes before baking.
- Storage: Keep lemon rolls covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes or microwave one roll for about 20 seconds.
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