Meyer Lemon Rolls with Lemon Frosting
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Learn how to make soft fluffy lemon rolls made with fresh lemons! Lemon lovers will adore these Meyer lemon rolls with sweet and tangy lemon filling and frosting. Recipe makes 12 rolls.
The Best Lemon Rolls
These sweet, lemony rolls bake up golden and pillowy, perfect for breakfast or weekend brunch. When I want a citrus twist on classic cinnamon rolls, I reach for Meyer lemons. Flavored with fresh Meyer lemon zest and juice, these fluffy yeasted rolls are a lemon dream.
A few helpful tips before you begin:
- Lemons – If you can’t find Meyer lemons, feel free to use regular lemons. The only change is that the flavor of the rolls will be slightly more tangy and zesty.
- Room temperature ingredients – Yeast needs a warm environment to thrive, so bring milk, butter, and egg to room temperature before baking. Room temperature ingredients incorporate more easily into the dough and also keep the dough at the right temperature for optimal rising.
- Don’t over-mix or over-knead the dough – For pillowy soft lemon rolls, mix the dough just until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth and soft. Knead the dough on low speed for 3 minutes or just until smooth and elastic. You can tell you’ve kneaded dough for too long when it starts to feel dense and becomes difficult to stretch.
- Baking time – It can be a bit tricky to know when rolls are fully baked, so use a digital thermometer. Bake rolls until light golden and the internal temperature reaches between 195°and 200°F.
- Let rolls cool before frosting – Allow the rolls to cool for at least 30 minutes before spreading with icing (this prevents the frosting from melting off the rolls and into the pan).
Love baking with Meyer lemons? Find more inspiration in this round up of favorite fresh Meyer lemon recipes!
How to Make Lemon Rolls
Combine 2 cups (280 g) flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixer bowl. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds until incorporated.
Heat milk for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until very warm (120-130°F). Add warm milk, butter, and egg to flour mixture. Mix on low speed for 25 seconds until combined.
Mix in remaining 1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour on low speed for 20 seconds, just until incorporated and a soft dough forms.
Knead dough on low speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a large bowl coated with nonstick spray and cover with plastic. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
To make the lemon filling/frosting, combine butter, salt, powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until combined, then on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Turn dough out on a lightly floured board and roll into a rectangle. Spread 3/4 cup (195 g) of lemon filling over dough with an offset spatula, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Set aside the rest of the filling to frost the baked rolls.
Carefully roll dough up into a tight log and pinch edges to seal. Slice dough crosswise into 12 equal slices.
Place rolls cut side up into prepared baking dish. Cover loosely with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Bake rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 195°F to 200°F. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Spread lemon frosting over the warm rolls before serving.
Make Ahead Lemon Rolls
To make the rolls ahead, place rolls cut side up into prepared 13 x 9-inch baking dish and cover tightly with plastic. Let rest in the refrigerator overnight (up to 16 hours).
On baking day, let the rolls come to room temperature and rise on the counter until doubled in size (about 30 to 45 minutes) before baking as directed.
Storing Tips
Lemon rolls taste best freshly baked. Store leftover rolls tightly covered overnight at room temperature. You can also refrigerate the rolls for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Re-warm rolls in the microwave for about 15 seconds before serving.
Freeze Rolls After Baking
To freeze baked lemon rolls (unfrosted), cool rolls to room temperature. Tightly cover the entire pan with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze baked rolls up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to heat, defrost the rolls at room temperature (still covered to prevent condensation from forming). Warm rolls in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Frost as directed and enjoy!
To freeze individual lemon rolls, wrap each roll in plastic wrap, then store the rolls in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Defrost the rolls at room temperature (still wrapped to prevent condensation from forming). Warm rolls up individually in the oven at 325°F for 10 minutes, or in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Keep in mind that the lemon frosting will warm through and become more of a lemon glaze. Still delicious! 🙂
More Meyer lemon recipes you’ll love:
Did you try this Lemon Rolls Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!
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Meyer Lemon Rolls with Lemon Frosting
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learn how to make soft fluffy lemon rolls made with fresh Meyer lemons! These sweet, lemony rolls bake up golden and pillowy, perfect for breakfast or weekend brunch. Recipe makes 12 generously sized rolls.
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 1/2 cups (490 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 package (7 g) instant yeast
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1 cup (240 g) low-fat milk
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature
Lemon Filling/Frosting
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp (9 g) Meyer lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp (30 g) fresh Meyer lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp (30 g) milk
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make dough: Combine 2 cups (280 g) flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixer bowl; mix on low speed for 30 seconds until incorporated. Heat milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until very warm (120-130°F). Add warm milk, butter, and egg to flour mixture and mix on low speed for 25 seconds until combined. Mix in remaining 1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour on low speed for 20 seconds, just until incorporated and a soft dough forms.
- Switch out the flat beater for a dough hook, and knead dough on low speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and elastic. The dough is ready when it feels tacky but doesn’t stick to your fingers (if necessary, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time while kneading – see note below).
- Place dough in a large bowl coated with nonstick spray and cover with plastic. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
- Lemon filling/frosting: Combine butter, salt, powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until combined, then beat on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
- To check if dough has doubled, lightly flour two fingers and press them down into center of dough. If indentations remain, gently press down dough; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.
- Turn dough out on a lightly floured board and roll into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread 3/4 cup (195 g) of lemon filling over dough with an offset spatula, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Set aside the rest of the filling to frost the baked rolls.
- Carefully roll dough up into a tight log and pinch edges to seal. Trim off uneven ends and score dough into 12 equal slices. Use unflavored dental floss to slice dough crosswise (slip a long slice of floss under log of dough and cross on top to cut slices cleanly). Place rolls cut side up into prepared baking dish. Cover loosely with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. While the rolls rise, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 195°F to 200°F. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Spread lemon frosting over the warm rolls before serving (save any extra frosting to serve with leftover rolls the next day).
- Store leftover rolls tightly covered overnight at room temperature or refrigerate the rolls for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Re-warm rolls in a warm oven (325°F) or in the microwave for about 15 seconds before serving.
Notes
Extra flour: Feel the texture of the dough with your fingers before adding any additional flour. The dough should feel tacky (but not sticky). I very rarely need to add any additional flour during the kneading process.
Filling/frosting: Save any extra frosting tightly covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator to serve with leftover rolls the next day.
Make ahead rolls: Work up to step 7. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 16 hours. On baking day, remove the chilled rolls from the refrigerator and let rise in a warm place until puffy (about 45 minutes). Bake as directed.
Keywords: Meyer Lemon, Lemon, Rolls, Lemon Rolls, Breakfast
Lucky you, Laura! I know my family would love these beauties!
I want a meyer lemon tree so I can make THESE rolls. What a gorgeous plate of deliciousness that is.
Gorgeous lemon rolls! How wonderful to return from vacay and have fresh lemons to use in this recipe! Buon Anno,
Roz
Happy New Year! These rolls are a perfect way to get 2015 started 🙂
Happy new year Laura – what lovely rolls. I wish we could get Meyer lemons here in South Africa.
I always like a generous amount of icing on these rolls and as always you never disappoint Laura! Happy New Year! 😀
I am SO jealous of your beach days and your lemon tree! How awesome! 🙂
Happy New Year, Laura! Love these sweet rolls!
Scrumptious!! I’ll have to save this recipe for the next time I have meyer lemons. 😀
Ooh, these rolls are gorgeous, Laura! Such lovely photos, and I love that you used meyer lemons as opposed to the regular ones.
Happy 2015!!! 🙂
Happy new year Laura… I can almost taste these from here!
Lemon sweets are my favorite! I’m happy you shared this scrumptious recipe, what a tasty way to begin the new year!
Wow! Absolutely gorgeous rolls, Laura! I remember your Orange Sweet Rolls very well and I’m so glad you made this scrumptious Meyer Lemon Rolls version. Happy New Year! xo
Having recently made orange sweet rolls, I can just imagine how fabulous these must be. I am nurturing our newest container sized Meyer lemon, since our older one bit the bullet with last year’s frost. I love Meyer lemons, so this is a version that will be up and coming… after I do a little food cleansing from the holidays! Happy New Year!
I envy your lemon tree, even more so that it’s a Meyer Lemon tree, those are hard to come for me. Lovely looking rolls.