Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls

Lemon poppy seed sweet rolls are incredibly soft and fluffy, loaded with lemony flavors, and topped with an ooey-gooey cream cheese frosting. They’re a great make-ahead breakfast for the spring and summer months, and are best enjoyed warm, when every bite melts in your mouth.

If you’re looking for a special brunch for Easter, Mother’s Day, or any special occasion during the spring and summer month, these lemon poppy seed sweet rolls just hit the spot. They’re, in my opinion, the very best rolls you can ever dream of: with an ultra soft and fluffy dough, a subtle tangy twist, and a decadent cream cheese frosting that says it all.

And there is more! As intimidating and time-consuming sweet rolls may appear, this recipe is actually very simple to make and almost impossible to fail. You can even make it ahead of time to spare you the hustle when you’re hosting a special breakfast or brunch with family and friends. Really, there is nothing not to love about them.

Why you’ll love these lemon poppy seed sweet rolls:

• Super soft and incredibly fluffy ✔
• Loaded with lemon and poppy seed flavors ✔
• A velvety cream cheese frosting with lemon and poppy seeds ✔
• They’re fun and easy to make (really)! ✔
• A festive breakfast treat for any special occasion ✔

The recipe ingredients

No weird or fancy ingredients to make lemon poppy seed rolls. Except for the poppy seeds, you may have them all at home already. Here’s what you need:

• Lemons. Choose preferably organic, non-treated lemons, as you need them for the zest mostly.
• Poppy seeds. Same, I always choose them organic and I recommend you do it too, to ensure they’re pesticide-free.
• All-purpose flour. You need great quantities of flour to make the rolls; make sure you have enough in stock before you start the recipe.
• Active dry yeast. It helps the rolls to rise and is an essential ingredient in the recipe. Always check the expiration date before using, and proof the yeast in a mixture of sugar and warm milk for about 10 minutes before using.
• Milk. Both whole milk and 2% milk work great in the recipe. Use it warm, but not too hot, or it will kill the yeast.
• Sugar. White granulated sugar works great in this recipe.
• Butter. Use unsalted butter and make sure it’s very softened when using, whether it’s for the dough, the filling or the frosting.
• Eggs. Two eggs make the dough super soft and fluffy. Also, remember to whisk them before using.
• Heavy cream. This is a little trick I use for the second rise of the rolls. It makes them super soft and extremely fluffy.
• Cream cheese. You need it for the icing. Make sure you use plain, full fat cream cheese (light cream cheese is not recommended for this recipe).
• Confectioners’ sugar. It brings texture and flavor to the cream cheese icing. Try not to cut the amount or it will impact the thickness of your icing that might be a little too runny.

How to make lemon poppy seed sweet rolls?

Baking sweet rolls is always intimidating at first. But it’s actually and fun and easy activity and I’m confident you will soon get the hang of it. Here’s how to make lemon poppy seed rolls:

1. First, you need to prepare the dough. It all starts with proofing the yeast, and then mix all the ingredients together and knead, if possible in a stand mixer to make your job easier. You then need to let the dough rise until doubled in size (this usually takes one hour).
2. Meanwhile, prepare the lemon filling. It’s important to always start with rubbing the sugar and lemon zest with your fingertips for intense and fragrant lemony flavors. Then mix in the lemon juice and softened butter.
3. Then, make the cream cheese frosting, by mixing all the ingredients (butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and poppy seeds).
4. Now is the time to shape the rolls (see detailed instructions below), place in the baking dish, each roll surrounded with heavy cream, and allow a second proofing.
5. Bake, then cover with cream cheese frosting. And voilà!

How to shape the rolls?

A picture is worth a thousand words… Here’s how to shape the dough into sweet rolls, explained:

1. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle.
2. Spread the lemon filling all over and roll up tightly on the longer side into a long log.
3. Cut into 12 equal pieces, using dental floss or a very sharp knife (so the rolls keep their shape and do not collapse when slicing).

Can I make the recipe ahead of time?

Yes, this is a great make-ahead recipe, and you can make overnight lemon poppy seed rolls. This way, you can enjoy them warm in the morning, without spending hours baking before breakfast.

After rolling the lemon rolls up, cut them as directed, arrange them the a pan, cover well with plastic wrap then place them in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to bake, pour the heavy cream in between the rolls, bring them to room temperature and let them rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour before baking as directed.

How to store and reheat the rolls?

The lemon poppy seed sweet rolls are usually best eaten the same day, ideally fresh from the oven when still warm, ooey-gooey, and incredibly fluffy. If you have any leftovers, you can store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. After this, I recommend to keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight container, and warm them up individually for about 20 seconds in the microwave before serving so they become fluffy again.

My favorite recipes with poppy seeds:

• Best Ever Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
• Lemon Poppy Seed Blueberry Pancakes
• Orange Poppy Seed Loaf

You might also like…

• Strawberry Rolls with Lemon Glaze
• Baked Apple Pecan French Toast
• Easy Fluffy Pancakes
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Proofing Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
• Yield: 12 rolls 1x
• Category: Breakfast

Lemon poppy seed sweet rolls are incredibly soft and fluffy, loaded with lemony flavors, and topped with an ooey-gooey cream cheese frosting. They’re a great make-ahead breakfast for the spring and summer months, and are best enjoyed warm, when every bite melts in your mouth.

Ingredients

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For the lemon poppy seed rolls:

• 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) milk
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast*
• 1 teaspoon sugar (to bloom the yeast)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature and whisked
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons (25g) sugar
• 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons zested)
• 4 ¾ cups (570g) all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (120g) unsalted butter, softened and diced

For the lemon filling:

• ½ cup (120g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons zested)
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature (for pouring in between the rolls)

For the lemon poppy seed cream cheese frosting:

• ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¾ cup (95g) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• ½ Tablespoon lemon zest (about ½ lemon zested)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

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Instructions

For the rolls:

1. Start with the dough. In a small bowl, whisk together active dry yeast, one teaspoon sugar, and warm milk, and let sit for 10 minutes, until bubbly. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, then add the eggs, vanilla, sugar, and lemon zest. Add the flour, poppy seeds, salt, and mix until combined. Slowly add the softened butter and mix. Knead on medium speed for about 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
2. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
3. For the lemon filling, rub sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl, using your fingertips, until fragrant. Add lemon juice, softened butter, and mix until combined.
4. For the cream cheese frosting, add softened butter to a medium bowl and whisk on medium speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese and mix until combined. Set the electric mixer on low and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Add lemon zest, juice, poppy seeds, and mix until combined.

For assembling and baking:

1. Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, and set aside.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl, punch it down, and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 18×12-inch (46×30.5 cm) rectangle and about ¼-inch (0,5 cm) thick.
3. Spread the lemon filling over the dough, using an offset spatula. Starting from the longer side, roll up the dough tightly into a log. Cut of a bit off the ends to make the log even. Cut 12 rolls, about 1 ½-inch (3,8 cm) wide, using unflavored floss or a very sharp knife.
4. Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish, and pour room temperature heavy cream in between each roll. Cover them with plastic wrap and let proof in a warm spot for about an hour, or until the rolls have doubled in size.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Once hot and rolls have proofed, bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a light golden color.
6. Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then cover with the lemon poppy seed cream cheese icing. Serve, and enjoy!

Notes

* Yeast guide ratio. You can replace active dry yeast with instant yeast, or fresh yeast, adjusting the yeast ratio as followed: 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (7g) = 1 ¾ teaspoons instant yeast (6g) = 0.6 ounces (17g) fresh yeast. Remember that both active dry yeast and fresh yeast need to be “proofed” in a liquid mixture before using. Instant yeast however, can be added directly to the dry ingredients.

** Storing instructions. Lemon poppy seed sweet rolls keep best in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week. If stored in the refrigerator, reheat them individually in the microwave for about 20 seconds so they become fluffy again.

Back-To-School, Breads, Citrus, Desserts, Easter, Fruit Desserts, Snacks, Spring, Summer

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!