Overnight Lemon Rolls
These lemon rolls are great for a holiday brunch or breakfast! You can make them the night before, leave them in the fridge, and bake and glaze them the next morning. They’re filled with tart lemon curd and drizzled with a lemon glaze for a bright start to the day.
Lemon Sweet Rolls
These homemade lemon rolls are so easy – you don’t need a fancy mixer or a ton of time to make them. The best part is you can do most of the work the night before and leave them to proof overnight in the fridge. Pop them in the oven the next morning, and – voila! – fresh-baked lemon rolls for breakfast.
How to Make Them
If you’re looking for a springtime breakfast or brunch treat, you have to try them. They have the best lemony flavor, and you only need a few basic baking ingredients plus some lemon curd to make them.
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PrintOvernight Lemon Rolls
Lemon rolls with a tart lemon curd filling and a lemony glaze are a perfect springtime breakfast or brunch treat. Make the rolls the night before and leave them in the fridge overnight. Pop them in the oven the next day and serve them warm from the oven with the glaze drizzled on top.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Overnight Proofing Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 14 hours
- Yield: 8 rolls 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup lemon curd
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons milk, half and half, or heavy cream
Instructions
The Night Before
- Pour ¾ cup lukewarm water (between 98 and 105°F) into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the water and leave it for five minutes.
- Add the sugar, salt, and butter to the yeast mixture and stir. Add the flour and stir until the dough comes together. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so all of the flour is incorporated. The dough will be a little sticky.
- Cover the bowl with a dish towel and place it in a warm area for about an hour or until the dough is doubled.
- Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Knead the dough 10 to 12 times until it’s smooth and no longer sticky. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 12” long.
- Spread the lemon curd in an even layer on top of the dough. Starting at one end of the dough (one of the short sides), roll the dough up into itself like a jelly roll.
- Using a serrated knife, slice the roll into eight equal-sized pieces. The easiest way is to slice the log in half, then each half in half, and then slice each piece in half again so you have eight rolls.
- Coat a 9” round pan with cooking spray. Place the rolls in the pan so they are spaced apart. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the rolls for 12 hours.
The Next Morning
- When you’re ready to bake the rolls, take them out of the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Leave them out at room temperature while the oven heats.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 25 to 35 minutes or until they are puffed up and lightly golden on top.
- While the rolls bake, mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and cream in a small bowl. The glaze should be thick but spreadable. If it’s too thick, add a little more cream. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Spread the glaze over the warm rolls before serving.
Notes
Use the spoon and level method when you measure the flour. I like to stir the flour in the container, lightly spoon it into the dry measuring cup, and level it off. This will ensure you don’t add too much flour, which will make the rolls dense.
I knead this dough by hand because you only need to knead for a couple of minutes. If you want to use a mixer instead, fit it with the dough hook and knead the dough until it is smooth. It won’t take long with a mixer.
If you’re not sure if the rolls are done, you can test the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. They’re done once the temperature is 190°F in the thickest part.
Scroll below this recipe card to see more photos of the ingredients and recipe steps and get more tips!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll with glaze
- Calories: 311
- Sugar: 23.1g
- Sodium: 46.9mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48.6g
- Fiber: 1.1g
- Protein: 4.8g
- Cholesterol: 69.5mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
Recipe Tips
Lemon curd: If you can’t find lemon curd at the grocery store (I’ve found it’s hit or miss depending on where you shop), you can buy it on Amazon or other online grocery stores.
For an extra lemon-zesty glaze, add some lemon zest when you mix it up.
Step By Step Photos
The dough is very easy to mix by hand – no mixer required! Mix in a large bowl until the dough comes together – it will be sticky, which is fine.
Once it’s rested for about an hour it will be almost double in size.
Roll it out into a rectangle and spread the lemon curd over the top. Starting at a short end, roll the dough up into itself like you’re making cinnamon rolls.
Slice the rolls and place them in the prepared pan.
The glaze is made with powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and a little milk, cream, or half and half. The glaze will melt once you drizzle it on the rolls, so I like to make it a little thicker. You can adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken it more or more milk to thin it.
For extra decadent lemon rolls, swap the glaze for lemon cream cheese frosting.
Storage Tips
Leftover lemon rolls will keep for a day or so at room temperature. Or you can refrigerate them for a few days longer. Keep them wrapped with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
These rolls are perfect any time of the year, but I think they’re great for an Easter brunch celebration. They’re bursting with lemon flavor – I hope you try them soon!
Happy baking,
