Raspberry Lemon Sweet Rolls
Made with a pillowy soft make-ahead brioche dough that's simple enough even for beginners. A mixture of raspberries, vanilla, and lemon zest bakes into the most delicious, jammy filling! Top it all off with a quick cream cheese icing, & prepare to fall head over heels for these incredible rolls.
Servings 12 sweet rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3/4 cup salted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 and 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Raspberry Lemon Filling
- 6 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed
- 10 ounces frozen raspberries don't thaw them!
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Cream Cheese Icing
- 3 ounces full fat, block-style cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- lemon zest, for topping
Instructions
- Mix up the Dough: Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl until completely melted. Whisk in the eggs, then whisk in the honey, yeast, salt, and lukewarm water. Stir in the flour last, until completely combined. Loosely cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rest at room temp for 2 hours. Then, cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (dough should be completely chilled through) or up to 5 days.
- Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls: Butter a 9x13 pan well and give it a light spray with nonstick spray. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the dough has chilled, flour your counter and dust a bit of flour over the dough. Shape the dough into a ball as best you can, then roll it out with a lightly floured rolling pin, into a rectangle that's about 12" x 18" and about 1/4" thick. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, using a silicone spatula to avoid tearing it. Evenly sprinkle on all of the brown sugar. Mix all of the raspberry filling ingredients in a bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the dough. Roll the dough up, as tightly as you can. You can always break some of the larger raspberries in half to help the dough roll easier. Slice the little nubby bits off of the ends, where it's just dough. Slice the dough log with a sharp serrated knife. These rolls can be made the night before! Simply prepare them as directed above, then cover tightly with plastic wrap, and pop in the fridge overnight (I did this around 9-10pm, and set them out to rise, as directed below, at about 8-9am the next morning). Place in prepared pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise on the counter for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours. The rolls should be puffy and will visibly have risen (see photos).
- Bake: Bake the cinnamon rolls for 27 - 37 minutes. They will be lightly browned, and the centers should be set when poked with your finger. (Mine always take on the longer side.) You can also stick a toothpick into the center of one to make sure the dough is cooked (you should see some fluffy crumbs - not wet dough). Let them rest about 5-10 minutes before icing and serving.
- Make the Icing: Make the icing while the cinnamon rolls bake. Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl with electric mixer. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined and creamy.
- Serve + Store: Enjoy the cinnamon rolls while they're warm from the oven! Top with the icing and a pinch of lemon zest. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (gently reheat leftovers in the microwave).