These lemon sweet rolls are quite possibly the best treat you could have for breakfast or dessert. Bright lemony citrus flavor throughout these rolls and smothered with a delightful gooey lemon cream cheese icing!

Many of you already know just how much I love me some lemons. I don’t know what it is exactly but for as long as I can remember, I truly love the flavor. The tart, sweet, make-you-pucker signature flavor that is the lemon, yasss. And it’s not even just lemon flavored food that I’m obsessed with, it can be anything, ha!
The other day I bought some lemon drop room spray from Home Goods (anyone else love this store?!) and it brought me so much joy. To me, lemon things have such a vibrant, fresh, and almost therapeutic smell. I’ve made tons of lemon cakes and savory eats but these lemon sweet rolls…Y’ALL! We’re gonna discuss.

What Are Lemon Sweet Rolls?
So, lemon sweet rolls are pretty much *almost* identical to their cousin, the regular cinnamon roll. Although, there is no cinnamon or any other commonly found spices in these lemon rolls. I like to say: imagine a cinnamon roll running through a bunch of lemon trees…out comes these lemony rolls hehe!
Lemon Sweet Rolls Ingredients
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)
- active-dry yeast
- granulated sugar
- whole milk
- eggs
- butter
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- lemon zest
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
These lemon sweet rolls are so tender, super fluffy, and have all the lemon flavor you could imagine! However, the lemon taste is not overwhelming at all. Enjoy these rolls for breakfast, at brunch, as a snack, or for dessert…anytime of day, these rolls are what you want. They’re the perfect ray of delicious sunshine.

How To Make These Lemon Sweet Rolls
Making homemade rolls can be a little intimidating but I promise you, they’re easy to make! ๐
- In the bowl of a stand mixer: combine yeast, warm milk, and sugar.
- Allow mixture to sit for a few minutes for yeast to activate.
- Add in eggs, melted butter, vanilla, lemon zest, and flour/salt.
- Then knead together until dough begins to form.
- Let dough rise in a warm environment until it doubles in size.
- Transfer dough out onto a floured surface and begin to roll out dough.
- Spread softened butter, sugar/salt, and lemon zest onto dough.
- Roll dough, cut into rolls, place them into a large baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to refrigerator (overnight) or let dough rise for a second time to bake rolls on the same-day.
- While lemon sweet rolls bake, make lemon cream cheese icing.
How To Make Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
Use a stand mixer/handheld electric mixer to combine cream cheese and softened butter. Next, add in powdered sugar and whole milk. Then add lemon zest. This lemon cream cheese icing is the perfect companion for these lemon rolls. Y’all, this icing is subtly sweet + nice and tangy thanks to the cream cheese flavor. With pops of gorgeous lemon zest thrown in there. Be sure to spread icing over rolls as soon as they come out. It melts beautifully onto the warm rolls and gets all into the nooks and crannies!

Do I Need A Stand Mixer?
So, the only reason I’d recommend a stand mixer is because the dough easily comes together with a dough hook attachment on the mixer for kneading. However, you could knead the dough together by hand if you do not have a stand mixer. This process just requires a little extra work on your part but still works!
Can I Use Instant Yeast?
Yes! Instant yeast aka rapid rise or highly active yeast, cuts down the amount of time that you need your dough to rise. Therefore, if using instant yeast, you only need for your dough to rise just once. Which means after you roll and cut the rolls, you could skip the second rise and just move directly to baking them.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
- The Best Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
- Challah Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce
- Homemade Buttermilk Waffles
- Lemon Sheet Cake With Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Blueberry Streusel Muffins
- Lemon Crumb Loaf
- Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

These lemon sweet rolls are so good, peeps. Seriously hoping you love ’em as much as me! โบ๏ธ
REMEMBER TO LEAVE A โญ๏ธSTAR RATINGโญ๏ธAND TAG ME ON THE โGRAM IF YOU MAKE ANY OF MY RECIPES! I ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE IT WHEN YOU DO!
UNTIL NEXT TIMEโฆLOVE AND BUTTER,
Q.
Print
Lemon Sweet Rolls (The Best!)
- Prep Time: 30m
- Cook Time: 30m
- Total Time: 1 hr
- Yield: 8–12 rolls 1x
Description
These lemon sweet rolls are the best treat you could have for breakfast or dessert. Bright lemony citrus flavor throughout these rolls and smothered with a delightful gooey lemon cream cheese icing!
Ingredients
Yeast Dough
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active-dry yeast
- 1 cup whole milk, lightly warmed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperatureย
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of an entire lemon, about 1 tablespoonย
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest of an entire lemon, about 1 tablespoonย
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese (brick-style), softened to room temperatureย
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperatureย
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- zest of an entire lemon, about 1 tablespoonย
Instructions
Lemon Sweet Rolls:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer: add yeast, milk, and sugar. Let sit for 5-7 minutes to activate. Mixture will be bubbly and somewhat fragrant. Then add in eggs, butter, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Attach dough hook attachment to mixer and add in flour and salt.
- Knead/mix on medium-low speed until dough begins to come together. Add in more flour, a tablespoon at a time, only if needed to make sure dough does not stick to bowl. Knead dough until smooth but still soft, about 6-7 minutes. Alternatively, knead dough by hand if not using a stand mixer.ย
- Shape the dough into a ball. Then butter (or use baking spray) a large bowl. Add the dough into bowl and turn to coat dough. Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
- Once dough has risen, punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a rectangle (about 14×9 inches) with the longer side facing you. Use a little extra flour if dough is sticking. Filling: spread the butter over the dough and then sprinkle sugar, lemon zest, and salt evenly over the dough leaving a 1 inch border at the top and bottom.ย
- Roll up the dough into a log starting with the longest side furthest from you. Granulated sugar is loose so some may spill out, it’s okay. Just gather as much of it as you can back into the rolls. Pinch seams of dough to seal. Cut the log crosswise into 8 equal slices using a sharp knife.
- Butter/spray a 9×13 inch baking pan. Arrange the slices with the cut side up in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator overnight, 8-12 hours. Alternatively, to make rolls on the same-day, allow rolls to rise again in a warm environment for another 1-2 hours until puffy and then bake.
- Remove from refrigerator and let rolls sit out to reach room temperature for 1 – 2 hours, until puffy, before baking. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Remove the plastic wrap and bake rolls until lightly golden brown, about 30 minutes. While lemon sweet rolls bake, prepare icing.
- Once rolls are done, immediately spread icing over rolls and serve. Enjoy!
Lemon Cream Cheese Icing:
- Beat butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and slowly add in milk and then lemon zest. Mix until everything is fully incorporated.
Notes
1. For dough: place milk into a microwave-safe dish and warm milk in microwave for 1 minute.
2. This recipe can make more than 8 rolls if the rolls are cut smaller.
- Category: Breakfast, Appetizers & Snacks
- Method: Baking, Overnight
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: breakfast, brunch, lemon, rolls
These look amazing! My first time to your site, but not the last. Thanks for posting!
Thank you Susan ๐
Can I use oil instead of butter for the icing
Hmmm, I do not think oil will work well in this recipe unfortunately.
The lemon rolls look so yummy! I am going to make them for my co-workers next week.
★★★★★
Thanks Laura, hope you enjoy them! ๐
Hi there,
I stumbled across your insta account and had to follow you because you put up some amazing recipes with step by step instructions. I donโt have dry active yeast but instant yeast. How much instant yeast and when should I add to this recipe?
Hi Justina! Thanks so much for the sweet words. So, you can use instant yeast just the same as active-dry yeast (in the same amount). And you would only need the dough to rise just once after you first make it.
Oh my goodness. I have got to try these rolls. I so love lemon. My mouth is watering already.
Hi Heather! Thank you ๐
OMG! They look and sound amazingly delicious! Can’t wait to try them! Will let you know when I do.
Thank you, Laura ๐
By the way, I love the little caricature of yourself! So CUUUTE!!
Ooh weeee…these look scrumptious! I cannot wait to try this recipe out. On my to do list TODAY!!! ๐
Roll the dough into a rectangle. Dimensions please? Thanks.
Hi there, roll out dough into rectangle of about 14×9 inches…I also updated the recipe notes! ๐
If you love SweetRolls and Lemon, this is your win-win-delicious-win Recipe. We made it a family affair; Mom and Grannie staring ME, my 20 year old Baby Daughter and My oldest Granddaughter . An awesome group activity, made totally from scratch (which I will forever promote.). We found his recipe to be MAKER-FREINDLY. The ULTIMATE ICING on the rolls were the delicious FRESH LEMON SWEET TASTE in Sweetbread, and we did that! We will make these often. HIGHLY RECOMMEND and my helpers agree: 5 STARS โจโจโจโจโจโผ๏ธ
★★★★★
Hey! This comment makes me so happy!!! Family affair recipe-making has got to be the sweetest thing!! Thank you ๐
These sound delish!! Can’t wait to try them out. I too love lemons! And lemons with blueberries are the bomb! May try adding some blueberry to this too.
★★★★★
Hi Julie- thank you! ๐
Beautiful .. thank you!!! ! Waiting for them to cool .. I made a cream cheese butter lemon frosting .. extra lemon zest !!! Smells divine๐๐๐๐
★★★★★
Amazing! Thanks for the istant yeast tip – itโs awesome for time savings. Canโt eat cream cheese, so we just used a regular sugar/lemon icing (not as decadent as your original recipe probably). This will be on repeat – thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Ral, yes, instant yeast does save some time. Thanks! ๐
These look A-MAZING! Thank you!
Thank you so much! ๐
Looks amazing – I haven’t made this yet due to lack of yeast, but cannot wait to bake these! Love your photos too – great job.
★★★★★
Hey Tamara! I know yeast is hard to come by these days…excited for you to make these whenever you do ๐
These look amazing! Thank you so much for sharing – Iโm gonna have to have a keto cheat day – my gramma with her lemon curd recipe has a rival now! ๐
Hi Phyllisa! I’m laughing @ your keto cheat day, don’t let me mess you up, ha! ๐
These are AMAZING! Had to sub half the sugar filling with coconut sugar (ran out of white) and got the proportions wrong on my frosting, and they STILL came out beautifully. Thank you for this, will definitely be making them again!
★★★★★
Hey Sarah! Nice, thank you for making this recipe ๐
Made with my 16 year old for dessert after our Sunday dinner. SO GOOD!! Thanks for sharing! ๐
★★★★★
So glad ya’ll enjoyed these lemon rolls ๐
The moment I saw your recipe I began drooling. Lemon has been my favorite flavor since childhood. I have never been a fan of chocolate, which is everywhere. I was surprised that the recipe only calls for zest and no juice. Donโt you find zest a little bitter sometimes? Have you tried it with like a teaspoon of lemon juice or so in any part of the recipe? I donโt want to ruin it if it has been tried. I plan on trying a lot of your recipes! Thanks for cooking for us all!
Hi Tracy! Lemon zest can be somewhat bitter but combined with the sugar and other ingredients, the flavor is offset. You can surely swap zest for extract though in the dough/icing ๐
Zesting and Grating Tips: When removing the skin from lemons or other citrus fruits, be sure to take off only the thin outer zest or colored portion (leaving the pith on the fruit). The white pith will give your dish a bitter under taste.
These were wonderful! The dough is soft and pillowy and has the right amount of sweetness. The lemon flavor was subtle and not too strong and went perfectly with the cream cheese icing. Will definitely make again!
★★★★★
Hi Nell…super happy you enjoyed these lemon rolls just the same! ๐
Oh my goodness! These Lemon Sweet Rolls sound delicious! I Love anything Lemon and will be making these soon. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Have a wonderful day,
Diane M.
Hi Quin!
I am planning to make these tonight, YUM (literally can’t wait)
If I can’t find active yeast is that an issue? And can I substitute for a GF flour?
Thank you
Hi Lauren! Excited for you to make these rolls. So, gluten-free flour lacks overall gluten that is needed for a certain texture within the dough. I don’t feel like it’ll yield the best lemon rolls but feel free to try if you’re gluten intolerant ๐
These are better than any traditional cinnamon bun Iโve ever had. Took me quite some time to make but the payoff was more than worth it. Thank you for blessing my life with the most delicious sweet treat. Iโve already sent this recipe to a bunch of friends to try!
★★★★★
Hi Leah! Thank you for making my recipe, I’m happy you loved them so much. I appreciate you sharing the love for this recipe around too! ๐
I made these last night after seeing @acozykitchen try them out. They are DELICIOUS!! 10/10 from me and my boyfriend. Super grateful for the detailed instructions as this was my first time making bread. I used instant yeast and kneaded by hand. My rolls came out HUGE, so next time I try I will cut into smaller rolls. Definitely would recommended this recipe!!
★★★★★
Hi Ashley! So glad ya’ll enjoyed these lemon rolls. Thank you for the nice words on this recipe ๐
Make these – they are delicious, soft, perfectly sweet, and lemony. I made them for a weekend breakfast ๐
★★★★★
Hi Elena! Glad you found these lemon rolls to be amazing too! ๐
I made this recipe 2 weeks ago and it was so good I completely forgot to take photos ๐!!! We just dove in and ate the lot !! I am a very good cook but not the best baker and even for me it wasn’t too difficult too make. It was so worth it especially if you are into lemon ๐! These are a great summer alternative to cinnamon rolls, people !!
Thank you Quinn ๐ค
★★★★★
Brigitte, thank you for these words hun…so happy you liked these lemon sweet rolls too ๐
These were easy and so delicious! Thank you!
★★★★★
So glad to hear, Sarah ๐
Really loved these rolls!! Great lemon flavor mixed throughout every component. The dough itself was so soft and nice to work with, especially compared to other cinnamon roll recipes Iโve made in the past year. I didnโt really have to roll/stretch it out much to get it into the rectangular shape. I overworked the icing and it split, but it was completely delicious nonetheless!
I donโt often find myself wanting to repeat recipes that involve yeast bc they donโt always live up to expectations, but this one is a definite keeper!
★★★★★
Hi Christy! I feel you completely, some yeast-driven recipes can be so intimidating. I’m so glad you found my recipe to be a somewhat of a breeze lol ๐
These were delicious! Followed the recipe with no issues at all. I did end up baking an extra 5 minutes, the one roll in the middle of the dish didnโt look done enough. Make these now! You wonโt regret it!
★★★★★
If I could give this recipe 100 stars I would. SO delicious!! My friends are all asking where to find this recipe because theyโre SO GOOD!!!
★★★★★
Hey Meghan! This comment makes me so happy, glad you and everyone else loved my lemon rolls ๐
These rolls are delicious! Worth the time waiting for rising! The only thing I tweaked, is adding less milk in the icing and substituting fresh lemon juice. Wow! Sweet, tangy, lemony icing definitely. The family gobbled that pan of rolls ! I would give more stars if I could! Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Thank you, Shelli! Happy that you and the family enjoyed ๐
This looks amazing and I plan to make for Christmas morning. Can these refrigerate for longer before baking so they can be prepared maybe 2 days ahead? Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi there- I recommend refrigerating these rolls for no more than 24 hours.
Yum. Perfection. Nothing more to say.
★★★★★
This recipe is amazing! I’ve attempted cinnamon rolls in the past, but they never came out quite right. The bread was moist, fluffy and pretty! The light lemon flavor and the icing is just so yummy! Made it for fathers day, so I only ate one and left the rest with him. Kind of regret that now. Can’t wait for another reason to make these! Thanks for sharing!!
★★★★★
So delicious! I made a simple lemon glaze instead of the cream cheese icing (no cream cheese on hand), and I just want to eat the entire pan. I’ll definitely be making these again!
★★★★★
These are ah-mazing! Lightly sweet, lemony with a dough that’s light and fluffy.
★★★★★
We just made these last night they were fantastic can’t wait to make them again!
★★★★★
They were really fluffy and yummy. I added poppy seed to the icing and that brought it to another level๐ฅฐ
★★★★★
Hey Abeer! Yayyyy, I’m so happy you loved these rolls too…and adding poppy seeds is genius! ๐
may i use 2% milk or almond milk instead off whole milk?
Hi there! I’ve only tested this recipe using whole milk but feel free to substitute for 2%/almond milk if you prefer ๐
These look delicious! My partner is obsessed with lemon and could eat an entire pan of cinnamon rolls in one sitting (if I let him), so these sound perfect, especially for summer! I can’t wait to make them, and I’ll definitely update once I do ๐
Update: They were just as amazing as they looked! Turned out beautifully and were absolutely delicious–they made a great dinner…and breakfast and lunch the next day! Definitely a recipe to make again (and again and again)!
★★★★★
Just made these yesterday and they turned out AMAZING. Better than any other kind of rolls I’ve made. I was a little nervous about the amount of sugar, but told myself to trust the recipe, and I’m sooo glad I did. You know what you’re doing and this recipe is perfect the way it is!
★★★★★
Yay, so happy you trusted me Jamie lol ๐
This recipe is so satisfying to make. Thereโs something about how beautifully the dough rises that is weirdly validating because science is real and also very delicious. Like, really really delicious.
★★★★★
Absolutely delicious. Perfect.
★★★★★
I am never eating anything else. (Possibly literally, ‘coz I live alone and I have a whole pan and then some!) These are amazing.
★★★★★
LOL loooove this comment so much, ha! ๐
I just made these again, and told myself I really should cut the recipe in half. Spoiler: I did not. I am really looking forward to diving into the whole pan tomorrow morning.
Hi Quinn, Thank you for posting this recipe, I love sweet lemony treats! I just made these and they were a huge hit with my family. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes and share them with friends and family to brighten their day. Happy Baking,
Brigitte
So delicious and easy to make! I mixed all of the filling ingredients together ex butter and ended up using only half.
★★★★★
Thank you for this great recipe. I used bread flour instead of ap. I didn’t have whole milk so I used evaporated milk mixed with water. The frosting is genius. Thank you so much for this recipe.
★★★★★
Every recipe I try has been amazing and these were as well!! And they are so simple to make. I wasn’t sure if the lemon zest alone would give it enough flavor, but it was perfect and I cannot wait to make them again. I did add a little bit of lemon juice to the icing just because I had those zested lemons and I’m lemon obsessed!
★★★★★
This comment makes my day, I love that you enjoyed these lemon rolls, Aleiyah ๐
Flawless recipe! These came out beautifully and were a wonderful addition to brunch.
★★★★★
These were so easy to make. Iโve always been intimidated by the idea of dough and these came together so easily.
★★★★★
So gooood!!I have tried a bunch of your recipes and they never disappoint!
★★★★★
Iโve made these and they were a hit! I have a question, can they be refrigerated longer than the 8-12 hours for baking wanted to bake half and save the other half for the next day
★★★★★
Hey Jordan, so happy these lemon rolls were a hit! You can refrigerate for up to 24 hours ๐
Could orange be substituted for the lemon?
Yes, it sure can! ๐
Hi!
These sound amazing!! Do you think I could add fresh lemon juice to the dough, for a little extra lemon kick?
Hey! You sure could, I’d start with about 1 tablespoon! ๐
These rolls are so fun to make, and they are absolutely delicious! The texture is perfect, and the lemon flavor comes through so well!
★★★★★
So tasty! The roll is light and fluffy and the lemon filling and icing are just delightful. My husband and friend loved them as well!
★★★★★
These rolls are delicious. Recipe success cannot be guaranteed when you make a substitution but decided to use 1 cup of sourdough starter for the yeast instead of dry instant yeast. It took a bit longer to rise but worked really well following all other instructions as written. Iโll definitely be using this recipe again.
★★★★★
This was the recipe that finally got me to try making a yeasted dough and now I’m OBSESSED with them. The lemon rolls are incredible, and got rave reviews for everyone who got to try one.
Now when I want to try a new sweet roll, I come back to this recipe and just riff on it because they turned out so amazing the first time.
I also want to thank you for the extra descriptions of the process, and the modifications. I’m a person that has to even Google how to knead properly, so having some virtual hand-holding for the process was immensely helpful.
★★★★★
Love comments like these, Liz! I’m so happy you not only enjoyed my recipe but that you also found the written process to be extra helpful ๐
If I don’t want to make today at all can I just keep dough in plastic wrap before I roll it and store in the fridge until I’m ready to bake?
Hi there- you can keep the dough in the fridge for no longer than 24 hours.
Oh holy smokes!!! This is absolute heaven!!!
★★★★★
Wow! Just wow! As soon as I saw the picture, I knew I had to make these. I cheated a little and made the dough in a bread maker and they were amazing. Can you share tips on rolling up? That was the tricky part for me and they didnโt look as nice. Thank you. Iโll definitely be making these again!
★★★★★
Hi Alise, glad you loved this recipe. Hmm the rolling shouldn’t be that difficult- but rolling it into a log super super tight, as you can, helps!
I am about to try this recipe but all i have is 2%milk. will this be okay for this recipe?
Hi there- I haven’t tested this recipe using 2% milk so I’m not too sure- but you can try! ๐
I used almond/cashew milk and they still turned out amazing!
Will these freeze well? And would they freeze before or after cooking…
Hi there- I haven’t tested these rolls frozen, I only recommended refrigeration for no more than 24 hours.
Hi! Can I just say everything you bajes turns out delicious? Iโm going to make this rolls and was wondering if I could freeze unbaked? Thereโs no way weโll be able to eat 8 ๐ thanks!
Hi- I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen rolls but you could try.
Wow. These are OUTRAGEOUS. The frosting is what sets them over the edge. Go ahead and make them, you wonโt regret it. Awesome recipe โค๏ธ๐
★★★★★
If I could give these more than 5 stars I would. They are SO incredibly delicious and SOFT! My husband ate one for breakfast three days in a row (after having 3 right out of the oven of course).
★★★★★
These Lemon Rolls are insanely soft and cloud-like! They’re light and airy, and full of lemon flavour and I cannot get enough of them. Thank you so much for posting this recipe, as eating these Lemon Sweet Rolls was truly magical.
★★★★★
Hi Jena- woohoo, so glad you enjoyed these lemon sweet rolls, thanks for the kind words! ๐
So deliciously fluffy and lemony. Midly sweet and the perfect cream cheese frosting. 10/10 recommend. I’ll be making these again!
★★★★★
I made these last week for work and boy did my colleagues love them!! Three of us had seconds ๐ luckily the others were full up otherwise there may have been a fight lol.
Will definitely be making again, thanks for the great recipe! Heather from England!
★★★★★
This is a recipe that I come back to time and time again. So easy to follow, and so loved my the special people in my life. Thank you!
★★★★★
Simply amazing!! I am not usually successful at yeast raising breads. I the second raise never or barely happens… not this! Thank you Quin! My family throughly enjoyed these!
★★★★★
Seriously delicious, I will definitely be making these again!
★★★★★
This was absolutely divine! I made them in one day. Follow the recipe and youโll be happy!
★★★★★