Description
Swap out the usual cinnamon roll for these raspberry sweet rolls with bright lemon zest.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, grated
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- Nonstick spray or additional softened butter, for greasing
Filling:
- 1 1/3 jars (about 17 oz total) raspberry preserves
- Zest of 1 large lemon
Vanilla glaze:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat to 95°F (35°C), monitoring with a thermometer. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir in the sugar, then the yeast. Let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes until foamy.
- With the mixer on medium-low, add the butter, then the lemon zest, then the flour 1 cup at a time, incorporating each addition to about 90% before adding the next. Scrape down the sides as needed. Once all the flour is added, increase the speed by one level and mix for 8–10 minutes, stopping once halfway to scrape the bowl. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2–3 times. Transfer to a large buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot 1½–2 hours, until nearly doubled.
- On a large lightly floured surface, roll the dough with a floured rolling pin to roughly 10 by 24 inches, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread the raspberry preserves evenly across the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the far long edge. Sprinkle the lemon zest evenly over the preserves.
- Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by greasing it and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Cut a 12-inch length of baking twine or unflavored dental floss and set it nearby.
- Starting from the long end closest to you, roll the dough up tightly and evenly away from you into one long log. Press the empty far border firmly to seal the seam.
- Using the baking twine, slide it under the roll and cross the ends over the top to cut cleanly through the dough (or use a very sharp knife). Cut into rolls about 1½–2 inches thick and arrange them in the prepared pan. Spoon any escaped preserves back into the creases.
- Cover loosely and let rise in a warm, undisturbed spot for 2 hours (90 minutes will do in a pinch) until the rolls fill the pan and look pillowy.
- Remove the rolls from the warm spot if stored there. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Bake 20–25 minutes until the tops are deep golden brown. Remove and cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
- While the rolls cool, make the glaze: melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then remove from heat. Whisk in the heavy cream, then the vanilla bean seeds (or paste), then the powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time until smooth and pourable.
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls. Serve immediately.
Notes
These rolls benefit from full 2-hour proof times — the dough is enriched and needs the time to fully puff. To get ahead, assemble the rolls the night before, cover, and refrigerate overnight; let them come to room temperature for 45–60 minutes before baking. Using twine or unflavored dental floss to cut the rolls keeps them perfectly round without squashing.
- Category: Baking, Breakfast