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Lemon Sugar Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing…the perfect brunch rolls for the spring and summer months ahead. Soft buttery dough swirled with sweet lemon sugar then generously topped with creamy vanilla cream cheese icing. There’s nothing not to love about these lemony rolls, every bite is melt in your mouth delicious. These rolls are a great make-ahead breakfast or a special brunch item for any upcoming occasions. Eat these warm…with plenty of that icing smeared on top – trust me.
Happy Good Friday guys! Whether you celebrate Easter or not, the holiday always gives me the feeling that spring has really arrived. After spending the last week in California, I am so ready for warmer days and sunshine. Of course, it’s not exactly eighty degrees (but it is sunny) back home in Colorado, but the quick trip has definitely inspired some fresh spring recipes.
And possibly a vacation to Florida. I’m really dreaming of that right now, which you all might have guessed from my recent stories about my Nonnie. She just always makes me think of Easter and vacations spent in Florida. I miss them so much!
Anyway, as I write this I am in the airport headed home (Wednesday night). But come Friday (when you see this) I’ll be home. I’m sure it will feel nice…even if it is cold. And we still have spring and Easter to think about this weekend, so that’s nice. And that kind of brings me to these sweet rolls.
More times than not, when it comes to breakfast recipes, I sway towards something with cinnamon-sugar. Usually something like cinnamon rolls or a Dutch baby, which we all know I love. But I’ve never created a sweet roll that didn’t have cinnamon…or chocolate.
However, I love using lemon as a key flavor in sweet recipes. So I thought these sweet lemon rolls would be perfect for this weekend!!
And while my Nonnie didn’t bake many sweet rolls, she loved brunch just as much as my mom and I. She would order a stack of waffles with maple on top or pancakes. Guess we know where I got my love of sweets from!!
Here are the details.
While these rolls seem a little fancy, I promise you they are the easiest to make. You can even make them the night before, so they’re great for entertaining!
To make the dough, simply mix flour with a bit of yeast, warm milk, and honey. You’ll want to let this mix proof until it’s foamy on top and smells like bread. And then the remaining ingredients go into the mixing bowl. I love to use a pinch of cardamom in the dough, which helps to highlight the lemony, vanilla flavors throughout the rolls.
While the rolls rise, mix up the filling. It’s simply granulated sugar and lemon…yes, lemon sugar! If you have any vanilla beans lying around, the vanilla beans mixed with the sugar will make these rolls just that much more delicious!
Once the dough has doubled in size, roll the dough out, spread with butter, then top with the lemon sugar. Roll the dough up into a log, cut it into rolls, and place them onto a baking dish. Now you can either let the rolls rest, get puffy, and then bake. Or you can keep the rolls in the fridge overnight to rise and bake in the morning. Either option works, it just depends when you’d like to enjoy your rolls.
While the rolls bake…
Mix up the cream cheese icing, which is reason enough to make these rolls. If you grew up eating classic cinnamon rolls, this icing is going to be your favorite. You’ll want to beat the cream cheese together with the powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla.
As the rolls bake, the kitchen will fill with the sweet lemony smells, it’s like spring, but in a very sweet way.
When you pull the rolls out of the oven, slather on that icing while they are still warm. The icing melts over the rolls and everything becomes the gooiest mess, which is exactly what you want!
The rolls kind of just melt in your mouth. The bread is soft and buttery, but the swirl of lemon sugar is the real special touch. And of course, the icing is just the finishing touch these rolls need to make them over the top delicious. Even little Asher, who is a hard-core cinnamon roll purist loves these! She said, “please make them on Sunday”!!
Looking for other spring brunch recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
Buttery Raspberry Crumble Bars
Berry and Cream Cheese Croissant French Toast Bake
Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones
Baked Blackberry Ricotta French Toast
Lastly, if you make these Lemon Sugar Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Sugar Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories Per Serving: 567 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup warm whole milk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons salted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing
Cream Cheese Icing
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons softened butter, at room temperature
- 1/2-1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. To make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the milk, yeast, and honey. Let sit 5-10 minutes, until bubbly on top. Add 3 ½ cups flour, the cardamom, salt, eggs, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add the remaining ½ cup of flour.2. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.3. To make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and the remaining 1-2 tablespoons lemon zest. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment. 4. Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Turn out the dough, punch it down, and roll it into a rectangle about 10 x 16 inches. Spread 6 tablespoons softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the lemon sugar evenly over the butter and lightly push into the butter. Starting with the long edge closest to you, carefully roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edge to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12-16 rolls. Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish. Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes or transfer to the fridge to rise overnight (see notes).5. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.6. Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and creamy.7. Spread the icing over the warm rolls. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Overnight Rising: Cover the rolls and transfer to the fridge to rise overnight. In the morning, remove the rolls from the fridge and let come to room temp while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
This looks amazing and I am planning to make it for Mother’s Day! Can you prep them more than a day in advance, for example do Steps 1-4 on Friday evening, then bake on Sunday morning? Or will they overproof in the fridge?
Hi Kyra,
That will be totally fine for you to do! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Made these today and they were a HUGE hit! The dough is perfection. Light and fluffy and the lemon flavor is amazing. The icing is perfection too! I thought it might be too much, but it adds to the gooey goodness. Thank you for another recipe that hits it out of the park.
Hey Casaday,
Happy Sunday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xT
Happy Easter, Gerards! 🐣 Holy cow, you weren’t kidding about the cardamom. What a great compliment to the lemon zest! These rolls had unbelievable flavor and were a smash hit at Easter brunch. You know a dish is amazing when the guests devour them, or the hosts refuse to part with the leftovers! 😂 BTW as much as I love your recipes, I do hope you continue to expand the HBH brand and provide more lifestyle content. I love your style and creativity!
Lol thanks so much Jen!! So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit and I love that you have been enjoying the lifestyle content as well! Happy Monday! xT
I’ve made these every year since you posted this recipe. My family actually requests them every time we have a get together. Thank you!!
Hey Liz,
Happy Monday!!🌞 I appreciate you making this recipe each year and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it always turns out well for you! xx
Happy Easter, Tieghan! Although I’m like you and adore anything cinnamon-sugar, these Lemon Rolls scream springtime and will be perfect for Easter brunch! My family raves about all your recipes. I enjoy cooking and love to bake, so keep ‘‘em coming!
Thanks so much for your kind message Lori!! I hope your family loves this recipe! xx
I have made these at least 10 times, it is my families most requested breakfast item. Each time they come out so delicious. I was intimidated at first to use yeast but truly this recipe is user friendly. I usually utilize the overnight fridge proof and they bake with no issue. Absolutely love this recipe!
Hey Maria,
Happy Friday!!🌼🐰 I really appreciate you making this recipe so often and sharing your review, so glad to hear it always turns out well for you! xx
Any suggestions for those of us without a stand mixer/dough hook?
Hi Nikki,
You bet, just mix with a wooden spoon and knead by hand until you have a smooth dough ball. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
This was one of the most delicious, fluffy, and aromatic dish I have ever made! Our house smells amazing. The roll itself without the cream cheese frosting is delicious, but of course better with the frosting! I even got a caramelized side to it which is great juxtaposed to the fluffy center. I’m always craving this type of treat but never buy it because of all the sugar, this is great since I can control how much goes in! Thank you for an amazing recipe!
Oh I forgot to ask, how long and what’s the best way to store these?
An airtight container at room temp for 5-7 is great!
Hey Teresa,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xx
Hi Tieghan! I’ve made these a few times and they are ahhhhhmazing! I’m on a time crunch and was wondering if using a store bought cream cheese frosting would work just as well as your home made version?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thanks, Mary
Hey Mary,
Happy Holidays!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try! Yes of course, store bought is just fine for you to use:) 🎄❄️
I used Trader Joe’s whipped cream cheese! 🥰
Made these again for brunch and they were fabulous! Thank you, and Merry Christmas! X
Hey Anne-Marie,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was delish! xx
Hi Tiegan,
I made this recipe the other day. It was easy to make and came out delicious. However I found a mistake in the recipe card. You have mentioned 4 cups of APF weigh 937.5g while it ways only half of it. Hope you will correct the mistake. Cheers!
Hi Tina,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Thanks for sharing that info, unfortunately it’s an online calculator that converts the measurements. Have a great weekend:)
I wanted to make sure to comment on these, because I’ve made them twice now and the recipe is fool proof, absolutely delicious, and such a crowd pleaser. My dad has declared they are his new favorite and he wants them for his birthday dessert every year. Brilliant recipe, easy instructions. Thank you! ???
Hey Cara,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback!! 🙂
Can these also be frozen before baking?
Hi Michele,
Yes, that will work well for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan