Move over cinnamon rolls, there are new rolls in town and they’re lemon rolls! It’s no secret that I love cinnamon rolls (and make them often). I was wanting to shake things up a bit so I decided that it would be nice to make Lemon Rolls for a change. Lemon is such a great flavor for spring, but I’ve never tried it in a breakfast type of food. Oh my, I have been missing out. Lemon Rolls rock – you need lemon sweet rolls in your life, trust me on that!
LEMON ROLLS
When I was figuring out how to make these, I wasn’t sure what to put in the filling. Cinnamon was clearly not the top choice. So after noodling ideas for a while, I decided to try something a little crazy. A secret ingredient if you will. Sugar and some lemon zest was fine, but just didn’t feel complete. I needed something more for these lemon rolls.
Because I’m crazy and will try anything, I added lemon pudding mix (not made into pudding, just the dry mix) to the filling in these lemon rolls. I had no idea what to expect. But oh my heck, it turned out to be a great idea.
Serious lemon sweet roll deliciousness in that pan right there.
I didn’t leave out the cream cheese frosting, of course! The only thing better than a lemon roll is a lemon roll with cream cheese frosting. So delicious, and absolutely perfect for a spring breakfast or brunch. I’ve already added these to my list of Easter breakfast ideas and Mother’s Day breakfast ideas.
LEMON ROLLS RECIPE
Lemon Rolls
Ingredients
Rolls
- 1 box of lemon cake mix
- 2 packages of rapid rise dry yeast
- 2 1/2 cups of very warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 cups flour
Filling
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- Zest from one lemon
- 1 package Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding Mix
Frosting
- 1 package (8 ouncePHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese softened
- 1/4 cup (1/2 sticbutter softened
- 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3-5 TBSP milk
Instructions
Rolls
- Mix yeast and warm water until dissolved.
- Combine cake mix, salt and flour in a large bowl.
- Add warm water/yeast mixture and vanilla to cake mix, salt and flour mixture. Mix well. This may require kneading with your hands a bit to completely combine ingredients.
- Cover tightly. Let rise for one hour. Punch down and let rise again for another 30-60 minutes.
- Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll one half of dough into a rectangle shape, approx 1/4? thick.
- Once dough is rolled out, brush with half of softened butter.
- Combine white sugar, lemon zest and JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding Mix in a bowl, stirring until well combined.
- Sprinkle half of the sugar, lemon zest and JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding mix over buttered dough.
- Starting at end opposite from you, roll the dough towards you until all dough is rolled into one long piece.
- Slice dough into 12 equal sized pieces. Place 12 rolls into a 13x9 inch pan that has been sprayed with non stick cooking oil.
- Repeat process with remaining dough to make the second pan of lemon rolls.
- Cover and let both pans rise until almost doubled in size, approximately 30 minutes. Don't worry if rolls don't completely double in size, they will continue to rise while baking.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes or until lightly brown.
- While rolls are baking, prepare your frosting.
- Remove from oven and either frost immediately if you would like frosting to melt into rolls, or wait until rolls have cooled, then frost.
Frosting
- Beat cream cheese, softened butter and lemon extract in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix until well combined. Add in your confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add in three tablespoons milk, and mix until very well combined. If you desire a thinner frosting, add additional two tablespoons of milk, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Store rolls in refrigerator.
Love Lemon? Want to add a little more of this sweet citrus to your table? I’ve got some great lemon recipes that you will want to try! Click on any photo or link to be taken to the recipe post! Enjoy!
Great Lemon Recipes
Want those delicious Girl Scout Lemon Cookies but it’s not Girl Scout Cookie season? Try my copycat Girl Scout Lemon Ups.
This Lemon Cake is a family favorite.
Lemon Cupcakes are perfect little bites of sunshine!
Lemon Loaf Cake is something I could eat every morning.
Lemon Cookies are so fun, great for Easter!
This Lemon Poke Cake is both easy and delicious.
My fellow food bloggers have some great lemon recipes to try as well!
Barefeet In The Kitchen has some amazing Lemon Crinkle Cookies.
This Lemon Cheesecake Crescent Braid from Wine & Glue would also be great for a spring breakfast or brunch!
These Raspberry Lemonade Bars from Tidy Mom make my mouth water!
This Lemon Angel Pie from Your Homebased Mom is such a classic dessert recipe.
And speaking of lemons and pies, how fun are these Mini Lemon Hand Pies from Lemons For Lulu? Love these!
Originally published March, 2015.
Lori says
Do you make the cake bateer frist then add all the ingredients to that??? I’m not sure I’ve read it 100 times and I’m not sure if your supposed to just use mix or make that batter… please help I feel dumb!!!
Christi Johnstone says
You are using the dry cake mix. Ignore the directions on the box, and just follow these…
1. Mix yeast and warm water until dissolved.
2. Combine cake mix, salt and flour in a large bowl.
3. Add warm water/yeast mixture and vanilla to cake mix, salt and flour mixture. Mix well. This may require kneading with your hands a bit to completely combine ingredients.
And so on as written in the recipe…
Traci L says
I can’t find a lemon cake mix. Is there something I could add to a regular cinnamon roll dough to make it lemony I’m exchange for the lemon cake mix?
Christi Johnstone says
You could maybe try some lemon extract but I haven’t tested it so I can’t speak to the results.
Shelly says
Can you freeze these rolls before baking? Can they be frozen after baking? It is just 2 of us in the house now, and this makes to many to eat before they would go bad… even though I am sure we could.. haha!
Christi Johnstone says
I haven’t tried with this particular recipe, but in general have never had issue freezing cinnamon rolls, before or after baking. If you freeze before baking, just make sure you give them some time to thaw a bit before baking, and bake time might be extended. If you are freezing after baking, I would recommend not covering them with frosting (just messy!) and maybe freeze frosting in single serve baggies that you can pull out and use when you want a roll.
Val says
Would it be okay to let the rolls rise in the fridge over night (rather than 30 minutes out) and then bake in the morning? I have an early-ish family event—I don’t want to do the entire process that morning, but I would like the bake to be as fresh as possible. Thanks!
Christi Johnstone says
While I haven’t done so, that should be fine. Just make sure to give them at least 30 mins at room temp prior to baking.
Hope says
Hi. My dough is very very wet. Is this the way it’s supposed to be? I read and re-read the directions and haven’t made a mistake. I don’t think I can roll it out without adding more flour.
Christi Johnstone says
Hope, sounds like something was off in the measuring, definitely add more flour, that’s completely fine!
maryleigh kragh says
This recipe gets better with time! The lemon flavor fed my need for lemon! It made a bunch of rolls!
Christi Johnstone says
So glad you enjoy it!
Jacki Turner says
what size pudding box?
Christi Johnstone says
The smaller size, typically around 3.4oz, but the weight seems to vary by brand and flavor.
Mila says
Ca n active be used instead of rapid rise dry yeast? All I have is dry yeast
Christi Johnstone says
Mila, I’ve only made it as written, but you should be fine.
Vanessa says
These are the fluffiest most delicious sweet rolls. I made orange rolls. Just substituted orange cake mix, orange zest and orange extract where the recipe called for lemon. I used vanilla pudding in place of the lemon pudding for the filling. Thank you for the recipe! 🍊 I will try the lemon next time 🍋.