Lemon Rolls with Lemon Curd
Serves 12
30 mins prep
25 mins cook
45 mins Resting Time
100 mins total
These no knead lemon rolls are soft, fluffy, filled with tangy gooey lemon curd and topped with a creamy sour cream frosting. They're the perfect easy and tangy cinnamon rolls to make for breakfast and brunch. Plus, you don't need a stand mixer to make them since they involve no kneading! You can use homemade lemon curd for the filling, or store bought for a shortcut. The sour cream frosting is super fluffy, a little tangy, and makes the perfect topping. I swirled some lemon curd in with the frosting for even more lemony tang.
Dough
Filling and Shaping
Frosting
Dough
Pour warm water in a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast, whisk to dissolve. Let sit for 8-10 minutes until you see a thick foam form on top. If a foam doesn't form, then the yeast isn't active and you need to try with another container or packet of yeast.
cup water
tsp granulated sugar
tsp active dry yeast
Sift the flour into a separate large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add sugar, salt, warm milk, eggs, softened butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and the bloomed yeast mixture.
cup all purpose flour
cup granulated sugar
tsp sea salt
cup milk
large eggs
cup butter
tbsp lemon zest
tbsp pure vanilla extract
Whisk the ingredients in the middle of the well together. Using a danish whisk or a large spoon, slowly incorporate the flour into the wet mixture in the middle. Keep mixing and switch to mixing with your hands as the mixture forms into a dough. Once it comes together and looks like a shaggy, sticky dough - cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45-55 minutes, until puffed and doubled in size.
Once risen, lift up one edge of the dough and lift it over the rest of the dough. Repeat 6 times until the dough is deflated and forms a smooth ball.
Transfer the dough onto a clean, floured surface. Roll it out into a large rectangle. While you roll it out, pull the corners out to help create a rectangular shape.
Filling & Shaping
In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon curd and cornstarch.
cup lemon curd
tbsp cornstarch
Spread the curd mixture on top of the dough in an even layer. Starting with the longer edge, gently roll the dough into a long and tight roll.
Mark the roll into 12 equal pieces with a knife. Use a piece of unflavored floss or thin cotton string to wrap around the roll. Pull to cut the roll into individual rolls.
Place each cut roll into a buttered 8" by 12" rectangular baking pan. Let rise for about 15 minutes for the rolls to fill out the gaps in the pan a little better. While they rise, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
Pour heavy cream over the rolls and bake for 25 -30 minutes - until the rolls are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool. Work on the frosting while they cool.
cup heavy whipping cream
Frosting
Add the softened butter into a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
cup butter
Add powdered sugar, salt, and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and beat again. The longer you beat the frosting, the fluffier it'll be - I beat mine for about 5 minutes.
cup powdered sugar
tsp sea salt
Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Beat well, the frosting will become very light and fluffy.
cup sour cream
tbsp lemon juice
tsp pure vanilla extract
Spread the frosting onto the warm rolls and add dollops of lemon curd. Swirl them together with a spatula. Serve while warm or at room temperature.
cup lemon curd