Fluffy Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls

These lemon poppy seed sweet rolls are pillowy soft, swirled with a buttery lemon sugar filling, and finished with tangy lemon cream cheese frosting. The dough is enriched with butter and an extra yolk for a super soft texture.

If you’ve made my brioche cinnamon rolls or strawberry cinnamon rolls, you’ll feel right at home with these! These lemon poppy seed rolls also use a soft enriched dough, same shaping technique, but with a bright, citrusy filling. I have made these many times over the years and recently retested the recipe to make the dough even softer and the filling more reliable. The original version used lemon curd which was delicious but quite messy and it would squish out the sides. The new filling is a creamed butter, sugar, and zest paste that melts into the dough as it bakes.

The poppy seeds aren’t just for looks. They add a slightly nutty crunch that pairs so nicely with the soft dough and lemon flavor. It’s a classic combo for a reason!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Properly soft dough. Enriched with butter, whole milk, two eggs, and an extra yolk for a tender crumb.
• Bright, lasting lemon flavor. Zest in the dough, zest in the filling, zest in the frosting.
• Make-ahead friendly. The dough can rise overnight in the fridge for fresh rolls in the morning.

Key ingredients and why

• All-purpose flour with a protein content of at least 11%. NZ standard plain flour works well. US bakers should look for unbleached AP flour like King Arthur, or use bread flour and accept a slightly chewier crumb. Lower-protein flour will give you a slacker dough.
• Whole milk for richness and tenderness. Don’t substitute low-fat or plant-based milk here without expecting a different result.
• Two whole eggs and one extra yolk. The whites add structure, the yolks add fat and tenderness. The extra yolk makes this dough properly soft.
• Unsalted butter in the dough, the filling, and the frosting. Use good quality butter.
• Lemons. You’ll need two to three large lemons for all the zest, plus a bit of juice for the frosting. Always zest before you juice. Use unwaxed lemons if you can find them.
• Poppy seeds. Buy them fresh from the shop because sometimes old poppy seeds taste slightly bitter.
• Cream cheese for the frosting. Full-fat block cream cheese, not the spreadable tub kind, which has too much added water.

Method

1. Warm the milk to 35-40°C / 95-104°F. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle over the yeast and sugar. If using active dry yeast, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. For instant yeast, move on straight away.

1. Add the flour, eggs, yolk, poppy seeds, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low with a dough hook until shaggy, then rest for 5 minutes. This short rest hydrates the flour and makes the kneading much easier.

1. With the mixer running on medium-low, add the soft butter a tablespoon at a time, letting each piece work in before adding the next.

1. Once it’s all in, mix on medium for another 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth, glossy, and pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

1. It should pass a windowpane test, which is where you stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without it tearing. Cover and rise in a warm spot until doubled, 1.5 to 2 hours.

1. While the dough rises, beat the soft butter, sugar, lemon zest, and salt until creamy and pale. Set aside at room temperature so it stays spreadable.

1. Deflate the dough and pull onto a lightly floured surface and gently press out any large air pockets. Roll into a 30x40cm (12×16 inch) rectangle, with the long side facing you.
   

1. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 2cm border along the far long edge. Roll up tightly from the closest long edge and pinch the seam to seal.

1. Cut into 12 equal pieces using unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife.

1. Place cut side up in a lined 9×13 inch (23x33cm) pan with a little space between each roll.

1. Cover and rise until puffy.

1. Bake for 25-28 minutes until deep golden brown.

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter until completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt and beat until creamy.

1. Spread generously over the warm rolls.

1. Serve while still warm.

Make-ahead and overnight option

To make these the night before, prepare the dough through the first rise, then punch it down, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight (up to 16 hours).

The next morning, let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling out and shaping. The second rise will take a little longer than usual, around 60-75 minutes, because the dough is starting from cold.

You can also freeze baked, unfrosted rolls for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, warm gently in a low oven, and frost just before serving.

FAQs

Can I skip the extra yolk?

You can, but the rolls won’t be quite as rich or tender. The extra yolk is what gives the dough its proper softness.

My dough feels too sticky. What did I do wrong?

Probably nothing. Enriched dough is meant to feel soft and slightly tacky. Resist the urge to add more flour, which will toughen the rolls. Let the mixer do its work for the full kneading time.

Can I make this dough by hand?

Yes, but be prepared for a workout. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon until shaggy, then turn it onto a clean work surface and knead until it comes together, around 5 minutes. Add the soft butter a tablespoon at a time, smearing it into the dough with the heel of your hand and folding it back over itself. It will feel like a greasy mess at first but keep going. Once all the butter is in, knead for another 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. If your hands get tired, let the dough rest for 5 minutes and come back to it. The dough responds well to short breaks.

Related recipes

• Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
• Sweet Strawberry Rolls
• Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
• Lemon Curd Donuts
• How to Make Lemon Curd

Sweet Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls

Elien Lewis

Pillowy soft enriched sweet rolls swirled with a buttery lemon sugar filling and topped with tangy lemon cream cheese frosting.

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Additional Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 503 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

Dough

• 240 g whole milk lukewarm, 35-40°C / 95-104°F
• 2¼ tsp instant yeast or active dry yeast
• 65 g granulated sugar
• 530 g all-purpose flour minimum 11% protein
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp lemon zest Eureka or Lisbon, or other flavorful zesting lemon variety
• 1 tsp salt
• 113 g unsalted butter softened to room temperature

Lemon sugar butter filling

• 100 g unsalted butter very soft
• 130 g granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon zest Eureka or Lisbon, or other flavorful zesting lemon variety
• ¼ tsp salt

Lemon cream cheese frosting

• 85 g cream cheese full-fat, room temperature
• 55 g unsalted butter room temperature
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

 

• Warm the milk to 95-104°F / 35-40°C and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle over the yeast and sugar. If using active dry yeast, let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy. For instant yeast, move on. 240 g whole milk, 2¼ tsp instant yeast, 65 g granulated sugar
• Add the flour, eggs, yolk, poppy seeds, lemon zest and salt. Fit the dough hook and mix on low until a thick dough forms, about 5 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes. 530 g all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs , 1 large egg yolk, 2 tbsp poppy seeds, 1 tbsp lemon zest,1 tsp salt
• Mix on medium speed and add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, letting each piece work in before adding the next. Keep mixing for around 10-15 minutes until smooth, glossy, and the dough pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl. It should pass a windowpane test. 113 g unsalted butter
• Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, 1.5 to 2 hours.
• While the dough rises, beat together the filling ingredients until creamy and pale. Set aside at room temperature. 100 g unsalted butter, 130 g granulated sugar, 2 tbsp lemon zest, ¼ tsp salt
• Line a 9×13 inch (23x33cm) pan with parchment paper.

Shaping

• Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12×16 inch (30x40cm) rectangle with the long side facing you.
• Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border along the far long edge. Roll up tightly from the closest long edge and pinch the seam to seal.
• Cut into 12 equal pieces using dental floss or a sharp serrated knife. Place cut side up in the prepared pan with a little space between each.
• Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 45-60 minutes until puffy and just touching.

Baking

• Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
• Bake for 25-28 minutes until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads 190-200°F / 88-93°C. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
• Beat the cream cheese and butter for the frosting until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt and beat until creamy. Spread over the warm rolls and serve. 85 g cream cheese, 55 g unsalted butter, 150 g powdered sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, Pinch of salt

Notes

• US cup measurements are smaller than metric cups. For the most reliable results, weigh in grams.
• The dough can be made the night before and refrigerated overnight after the first rise. Make sure it’s covered tight so it doesn’t dry out in the fridge.  Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.
• To make the dough by hand, knead until shaggy, then add the soft butter a tablespoon at a time, smearing it into the dough with the heel of your hand. Knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth, resting as needed.
• Baked, unfrosted rolls freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm in a low oven before frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1rollCalories: 503kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 8gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 290mgPotassium: 142mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 756IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Lemon, poppy seeds, sweet rolls

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