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Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 119 reviews

These Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls are soft, sweet, and bursting with tangy lemon curd and crunchy poppy seeds. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, they combine a tender yeast dough with a bright lemon glaze for an irresistibly delightful treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm 2% milk (115°F) (8 ounces)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast (7 grams)
  • 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup salted butter (melted or softened) (4 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (5 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (9 grams)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 4 to 4 1/2 cups bread flour, divided (520–585 grams)

Filling

  • 10 ounces lemon curd

Topping and Glaze

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (for pouring over risen rolls) (4 ounces)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (195 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter (melted) (14 grams)
  • 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (15–30 grams)
  • 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream (15–30 grams)

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the instant dry yeast evenly over the top. Let it sit briefly to activate the yeast.
  2. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, melted butter, salt, poppy seeds, and sugar to the yeast mixture in the bowl, blending the ingredients together gently.
  3. Add Flour: Add 4 cups of bread flour initially and mix using the stand mixer’s beater blade until ingredients are just combined. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquids.
  4. Prepare for Kneading: Scrape dough off the beater blade and remove it. Attach the dough hook to the mixer.
  5. Knead Dough: Knead the dough on medium speed for 5-7 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if needed until dough is elastic and smooth but still slightly tacky and sticking to the bowl sides.
  6. First Rise: Place the dough in a greased large bowl and cover with a towel or wax paper. Set it in a warm spot until it nearly doubles in size.
  7. Shape Dough: Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Dust the top with a bit of flour and roll it out with a rolling pin into a 24 by 15 inch rectangle.
  8. Add Filling: Spread the lemon curd evenly over the entire dough rectangle using a rubber spatula.
  9. Roll and Slice: Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly like a jelly roll. Slice the roll into 12 even pieces and arrange them in a greased 10×15 inch baking pan.
  10. Second Rise: Cover the pan and let the rolls rise for 20 minutes as the oven preheats to 375°F (190°C).
  11. Add Cream: Warm the heavy cream slightly to remove chill and pour it over the risen rolls, letting it soak around and in between them.
  12. Bake Rolls: Bake the rolls for 25-27 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through, checking at 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
  13. Prepare Glaze: While rolls cool, combine powdered sugar, melted butter, and lemon juice in a bowl. Add heavy cream gradually until glaze reaches a drizzling consistency.
  14. Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled rolls and serve.

Notes

  • Ensure milk is warm but not hot (around 115°F) to properly activate yeast.
  • The dough should remain slightly tacky; resist adding too much extra flour to keep rolls soft.
  • Watch baking time carefully; oven temperatures and pan sizes may vary, which affects baking duration.
  • Glaze can be adjusted by adding more or less heavy cream for desired consistency.
  • For best flavor, allow rolls to cool slightly before glazing to prevent glaze from melting off.
  • Use room temperature eggs to help dough rise better.
  • Store leftover rolls in an airtight container; they freeze well for up to 2 weeks.

Keywords: lemon poppy seed rolls, yeast rolls, lemon curd rolls, sweet bread, breakfast rolls, homemade rolls

Find it online: https://annakocht.com/lemon-poppy-seed-rolls-recipe/