Lemon Cinnamon Rolls

Get ready for spring mornings with these Lemon Cinnamon Rolls! They’re 6 soft and fluffy sweet rolls filled with cinnamon sugar, coconut, and pecans then drizzled with a tangy lemon glaze. Make and eat them the same day or make overnight cinnamon rolls so they can be baked fresh in the morning.

I love lemons so much, I’ve always wanted a lemon tree.

My parents barely have good soil in their backyard for tomatoes and peppers let alone a tree. Me? I live in an apartment with no yard.

I love being able to go pick fresh produce straight from the tree like I do with apples and peaches. And I almost always have lemons in my fridge, so owning a lemon tree makes perfect sense.

But alas, it’s just not feasible in my living space so I guess I’ll have to settle for lemons from the store.

And with spring and Easter dinner for two quickly approaching, that means my kitchen is ready for lemon everything!

Small lemon cake recipe, small batch lemon bars, and these Lemon Cinnamon Rolls!

They’re a springtime variation of my small batch cinnamon rolls lemon zest in the yeast dough, filled with cinnamon sugar, chewy coconut, and crunchy pecans, then drizzled with a bright lemon glaze.

Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite desserts to eat. More often than not I make puff pastry cinnamon rolls to save time, but really nothing beats old-fashioned soft and fluffy lemon sweet rolls.

You know what else is an amazing feeling? Eating a freshly baked lemon yeast roll for breakfast!

Except I’m not a morning person, so I included instructions on how to make overnight lemon rolls so all you have to do is pop them in the oven the next morning for a sweet breakfast for two.

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Cinnamon Roll Recipe

• Makes only 6 rolls! – Whether you’re looking for portion control or hate food waste, this recipe makes a small batch of cinnamon rolls.
• Can prep the dough ahead of time! – Because the dough needs time to rest, you can prep it the day before then bake them fresh in the morning.
• Tastes heavenly! – One bite of these lemon yeast rolls and you’ll forget all about the cold weather.

Ingredients For Lemon Cinnamon Rolls

To make your lemon sweet rolls, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• All-purpose flour: Provides structure by forming gluten and helps bind the dough together.
• Granulated sugar: Provides food for the yeast as well as contributes to browning.
• Active dry yeast: Traditional yeast used that gives the rolls their light and fluffy texture.
• Lemon zest and juice: Adds lemony flavor to the rolls
• Salt: Not only makes your dough less bland, it helps tighten the gluten strands, making them stronger for baking
• Whole milk: Make sure the temperature is between 120F – 130F. Too cold and the yeast won’t activate. Too hot and it’ll kill the yeast.
• Butter: Adds flavor and creates air pockets in the dough, which contributes to a soft, fluffy texture
• Egg: Adds richness and structure to the dough
• Brown sugar and cinnamon: I mean they’re called cinnamon rolls for a reason! Using both for the filling makes that signature caramel-like swirl.
• Coconut: Adds a chewy nutty texture
• Pecans: Adds crunch to balance the softness of the rolls
• Powdered sugar: Thickens the glaze to be drizzle-consistency

More Yeast Recipes

If you’re enjoying baking with yeast, check out my small batch dinner rolls and homemade crescent rolls.

How To Make Lemon Cinnamon Rolls

Here’s how to make your lemon yeast rolls:

1. Combine flour, sugar, zest, salt, and yeast then gently beat in milk, melted butter, and egg until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 4-6 minutes. The dough should be smooth, hold its shape without drooping, and indentations should immediately fill back up.
3. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, loosely cover with a towel, and rest in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour.
4. Roll out the dough into a 6×10 rectangle. Spread butter onto the dough then top with brown sugar cinnamon mixture, coconut, and pecans.
5. Roll up the dough starting with the short end and form a tight cylinder. Cut into 6 slices then place cut side up into a buttered pan.
6. Cover with a towel then rest in a warm area for 1 hour. Or if you’re making them the night before, cover with plastic wrap then refrigerate for 24 hours.
7. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.
8. Drizzle with lemon glaze.

Cinnamon rolls are best eaten the day they’re made, but you can store leftovers for up to 2 days.

How To Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

To make your lemon sweet rolls ahead of time, make the dough as directed all the way up until the second rest period.

At this point, you can cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. When ready to bake, let them sit in a warm area (with the plastic wrap still on) for 1 hour then preheat the oven.

You may need to add an extra 5 minutes to the bake time if they’re not quite golden brown yet.

How To Frost Lemon Cinnamon Rolls

Although I provide directions for making a lemon glaze, you can also make small batch cream cheese frosting or Bundt cake glaze.

How To Freeze Cinnamon Rolls

Even though this is a small batch cinnamon roll recipe, sometimes you don’t want to eat all 6 in one sitting.

Luckily for us, they freeze really well!

Wrap each glazed roll individually in plastic wrap then transfer to a freezer-safe plastic bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To serve, microwave one roll for 30-60 seconds, or until warm.

More Lemon Recipes

If you enjoyed these lemon rolls, check out these other recipes using lemon:

• Lemon Raspberry Cake
• Lemon Cupcakes
• Lemon Buttercream Frosting
• Lemon Muffins
• Mini Lemon Meringue Pies
• Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
• Lemon Blondies by Bigger Bolder Baking

First published March 31, 2013