These Lemon Sweet Rolls are made with an easy homemade dough that requires only 8 ingredients and a one-hour rise. Spread with a buttery sweet lemon filling, then finished with a lemon cream cheese frosting, there is lemon in every layer. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and more!

partially frosted lemon sweet rolls with cream cheese frosting

Nothing says breakfast to me more than sweet rolls. Think of these like cinnamon rolls, but with citrusy lemon in its place. And if you love these, make sure to check out Raspberry Sweet Rolls, too!

This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that we love and help bring you new recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Pillow-soft homemade dough is ready in under 1 hour!
Bright, sunny and bursting with fresh citrus flavor!
A family-favorite best served to the ones you love.
Easy to make ahead with my tips on how to prep these for an overnight rise.

Ingredients

The ingredients for these lemon rolls come in three parts – dough, filling and icing! Here’s a look at what we need:

Dough

coconut milk – coconut milk from the carton or in a can both work. I love the subtle sweet flavor coconut milk provides. Just make sure to get full-fat for the richest flavor.
instant yeast – instant yeast (also known as rapid rise yeast) proves faster than active dry or fresh yeast, which is how this dough is ready in only one hour. You will need 1 packet or 2 1/4 teaspoons.
cane sugar – for sweetness and to help feed the yeast.
unsalted butter – make sure to melt and cool the butter ahead of time. If it’s too hot, it could scramble the egg and / or ruin the dough.
egg – for binding ability and an enriched flavor.
bread flour – bread flour has a higher protein content than regular all-purpose flour (more on this below) and I highly recommend it for this sweet rolls recipe. My go-to is always Bob’s Red Mill.
lemon zest – a bit of lemon infused into the dough takes it over the top.
salt – to enhance all those sweet, citrusy flavors.

Filling

unsalted butter – softened unsalted butter is much easier to spread than butter that is fridge-cold. Leave it on the kitchen counter while the dough is rising. You can also try microwaving on 10% power for 45 seconds.
white sugar – for neutral sweetness and color.
lemon zest – yes, more zest! Lemon in every layer really makes these sweet rolls shine.

Cream Cheese Frosting

cream cheese – I love a full-fat cream cheese, but feel free to use Neufchatel (low-fat), if that is all you have on hand.
lemon zest – make sure to zest the lemon before juicing.
lemon juice – start with 1 Tablespoon. If you feel you would like a thinner icing, add another 1 Tablespoon.
organic powdered sugar – for sweetness and smooth texture.

ingredients on board for lemon sweet rolls; milk, yeast, sugar, butter, bread flour, lemons, eggs and salt

What Is Bread Flour?

Bread Flour is flour that has been milled from hard red spring wheat that contains a higher protein content when compared to all-purpose flour. Bread flours typically have a gluten content of 12-16% (depending on the brand) whereas all-purpose flour comes in at about 8-11%.

In other words, bread flour contains more gluten and will give the sweet rolls a fluffy, chewy, pull-apart texture and golden brown color.

I love Bob’s Red Mill bread flour, which is easy to find in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or online.

If you’d like, you can learn more about bread flour from here, on Bob’s Red Mill’s site.

Bob's Red Mill purple bag of Unbleached Enriched Artisan Bread Flour on round wooden board next to blue eggs, milk glass and lemons in front

How to Make Lemon Buns

Don’t be afraid of these lemon sticky buns. The dough is easier than you think and ready for the oven in only 1 hour after only two quick-rising times.

Proof Yeast

In a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat milk for about 20-30 seconds. Allow the temperature of the milk to reach 110ºF (or lukewarm). If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast. Add yeast and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and pour in the milk. Stir until combined, then allow to sit for 10 minutes, until the top is foamy.

Add Butter and Egg

Once the milk and yeast mixture is foamy, whisk in melted butter and egg until combined.

yeast and warm milk sitting in bowl, next to flour, lemon zest, melted butter, eggs and glass of milk

yeast milk mixture in glass bowl with melted butter and egg sitting in center of bowl, next to flour, lemon zest, spatula, lemon, egg shell and glass of milk

Add Flour and Knead

Add in 1 cup flour, then lemon zest and salt. Gently mix with a wooden spoon, then add remaining flour ½ cup at a time, stopping at 3 1/2 cups. Knead the dough with the dough hook attachment for about 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is soft but not overly sticky. OR, knead by hand on a floured surface, using a few additional tablespoons of flour. If the dough feels very sticky, add in more flour, a tablespoon at a time.

Allow Dough to Rise

Lightly grease a large bowl and shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm environment until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

TIP: Set oven to warm or preheated to 170ºF, then turn off. Place bowl in the warmed oven and allow to rise.

flour and lemon zest sitting on top of wet ingredients in glass bowl, next to lemon zest, spatula, lemon, egg shell, bag of bread flour and a spatula

spatula sitting in bowl of bread flour mixing into dough for lemon sweet rolls, with Bob's Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour in background next to egg shells, glass of milk, bowl of flour and a lemon

Roll, Spread and Shape

Once the dough has doubled in size, grease a 9×13″ baking dish with butter or coconut oil or line with parchment paper. Lightly coat a large rolling pin and your kitchen counter with flour. Roll the dough out into a 15×9″ rectangle.

Then, evenly spread softened butter, leaving about a 1″ border. Sprinkle sugar and lemon zest all over and gently pat to allow the sugar to absorb into the butter. Using your hands, gently roll the dough into a log, placing the seam side down.

Use the floss method to slice into about 1.25” rolls. You should get about 12 rolls. Place in the greased baking pan, leaving some space in between each. Cover with the same kitchen towel and put the pan in a draft-free environment. You can use the warm oven tip above. See notes below for overnight adaptation.

Note: While unflavored floss is best, you won’t be able to taste the mint if that’s all you have on hand.

lemon sweet roll dough rolled out into a rectangle on marble board, with lemon, lemon zest, sugar, butter and flour bowl lined up next to dough

floss cutting into log of lemon sweet rolls, next to measuring tap, prep dishes and pan of cut rolls placed down in parchment lined baking pan

Rise Once More, Then Bake

After about 15 minutes of rising time, remove the rolls from the oven (if they are in there) and/or uncover the tea towel.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake cinnamon rolls for 20 minutes, until lightly golden on top. Then, if necessary, cover the top of the rolls with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Covering the rolls for the last few minutes will prevent them from getting too brown.

up close overhead view of perfectly baked and golden lemon sweet rolls

cream cheese frosting mixed in glass bowl with lemon zest

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer beat softened cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and confectioner’s sugar. Beat on low speed until combined.

If you’d like a thinner glaze, add an additional tablespoon of lemon juice. Spread on lemon rolls while still warm.

cream cheese frosting glazed onto baked lemon sweet rolls, next to lemons and bowl of cream cheese frosting

Make Ahead: Overnight Rise

Rather than having to make this recipe for lemon rolls the morning of, it’s so easy to make these ahead of time so that all you have to do the next day is pop them in the oven. Here’s how to do it:

Follow steps 1-5, but rather than giving the cut rolls that second rise, wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Allow to rest overnight.

The next day, remove from the fridge an hour before baking (this takes the chill off and gives time for the dough to rise at room temperature).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 25-30 minutes, covering the dough with foil at the 20-minute mark. Slather with lemon icing and enjoy!

plate of lemon rolls frosted with cream cheese frosting, with bag of bread flour sitting behind next to baking pan

Serving Suggestions

This lemon rolls recipe can be served in a number of different fashions. You could try:

Breakfast and Brunch: Treat you and your loved ones to a special treat first thing in the morning! I like to think these sweet lemon rolls are the perfect treat on Saturday or Sunday.
Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Any Holiday: Serve these as part of a holiday spread alongside kale frittata, roasted rainbow carrots and carrot cake scones.
Dessert: A perfect sweet treat to end the meal. Since these are best served warm, you can start the dough later in the afternoon or evening. Or reheat them until warm.

overhead view of lemon rolls frosted with cream cheese glaze, next to decorative linen

How to Store

This lemon buns recipe will stay fresh and soft in the center wrapped in plastic wrap or covered in a cake dome on the kitchen counter for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Rolls (with or without frosting) freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Heat a large batch in a preheated 350 degree F oven or individually in 20-30 second intervals in the microave.

Recipe Tips:

Be patient and roll gently. The dough will be soft and tender.
Don’t use too much flour or your dough will be stiff. Refrain from using too much flour during rolling and shaping.
Pat the sugar and lemon zest into the dough. This helps the filling stick.
Proof in a warm, draft-free environment. This could be the warm oven method, on top of your refridgerator or even in the microwave.

If you make this Lemon Sweet Rolls recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley

Lemon Sweet Rolls

Why You’ll Love This Recipe