Lemon Sweet Roll

These soft lemon rolls are like classic cinnamon rolls. You will love it with the caramelized lemon sugar. The frosting is optional if you want to reduce the sugar count. 

Ingredients

Dough
All purpose flour - 2 and 3/4 cups

Granulated sugar - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Lemon zest - 1 tsp
Whole milk - 3/4 cup
Unsalted butter - 3 TBSP
Dry yeast - 2 and 1/4 tsp
Large egg - 1, at room temperature (Used egg replacer)
Filling
Unsalted butter - 1/4 cup, extra softened
Granulated sugar - 3/4 cup
Pure vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Lemon zest - 1 TBSP, packed
Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
Cream cheese - 4 ounces, softened to room temperature
Unsalted butter - 1 TBSP, soften to room temperature
Confectioners’ sugar - 3/4 cup  
Lemon juice - 2 TBSP
optional: extra lemon zest for garnish

Steps

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine the milk and butter together in a heatproof bowl. Microwave or use the stove and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 110°F). Whisk in the yeast until it has dissolved. 

3. Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients, add the egg. Mix until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3–5 minutes. You should have a smooth ball of dough. If the dough is super soft or sticky, you can add a little more flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover loosely, and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes as you get the filling ingredients ready.

4. After 10 minutes, roll the dough out in a 14×8-inch (36x20cm) rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. 

5. Mix together the sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Sprinkle it all over the dough. 

6. Roll up the dough to make a 14-inch log. Cut into 10–12 even rolls and arrange in a lightly greased 9- or 10-inch round cake pan, pie dish, or square baking pan.

7. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60–90 minutes or until double in size.

8. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 24–25 minutes, or until lightly browned. You might need to loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil at half time if the roll are getting browned too quickly. 

9. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack.

10. In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the butter and beat until smooth and combined, then beat in the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until combined. 

11. Using a knife or icing spatula, spread the icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately. If desired, garnish frosted rolls with a light sprinkling of lemon zest.

Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.