Description
These Lusciously Soft Lemon Rolls combine a tender, fluffy dough with a bright lemon flavor, topped with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze. Perfect for breakfast or a delightful dessert, these rolls are enriched with lemon zest and juice for a refreshing citrus twist, baked to golden perfection and finished with a smooth icing.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Topping and Icing
- Sugar (for sprinkling before rolling, approximately 1/4 cup)
- Lemon zest (for sprinkling before rolling, about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for icing)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (for icing)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and active dry yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the melted butter, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the yeast-milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the dough back into the bowl, cover it with a clean cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Prepare for Rolling: Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Evenly sprinkle sugar and lemon zest over the dough.
- Shape Rolls: Starting from one edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough log into even slices, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.
- Second Rise: Grease a baking dish and arrange the sliced rolls in it. Cover the dish and let rolls rise again for 30 minutes until puffy.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through.
- Prepare Icing: Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a smooth glaze.
- Finish and Serve: Allow the rolls to cool slightly, then drizzle the lemon icing over the top before serving.
Notes
- Use warm milk for activating yeast to ensure proper fermentation but not too hot to kill yeast.
- Kneading is essential for developing gluten to achieve soft rolls.
- Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for best results.
- Adjust lemon juice and zest quantities for stronger or milder citrus flavor.
- Serve lemon rolls slightly warm with the glaze for best texture and flavor.
- These rolls freeze well—freeze before the second rise and thaw before baking.
