Blueberry Lemon Sweet Rolls
A seasonal take on the classic cinnamon roll. These sweet rolls are filled with blueberry preserves and topped with a tangy lemon icing.
They look so impressive but really aren’t too hard to make as long as you have patience!
THE PERFECT SPRING/SUMMER TREAT!
We all know that blueberry and lemon are a perfect combination in the warmer months. The tanginess of the lemon and the sweetness of blueberries paired with a warm sweet dough that melts in your mouth = game changer!
Although the sweetness of the classic cinnamon roll is great, I love that this recipe isn’t TOO sweet- if you know what I mean. I found that some recipes for sweet rolls are just too sweet to fully experience the flavor. Although it sounds ironic, the sweetness of my blueberry lemon sweet rolls recipe is not overpowering.
A RECIPE THAT WILL IMPRESS!
Making sweet rolls can seem daunting since they take awhile to prep, but I assure you that they are not as complicated as it seems! Since these are made with an enriched dough (using butter, sugar, milk & eggs), the most time consuming part of the process is waiting for the dough to rise.
INGREDIENTS FOR BLUEBERRY LEMON SWEET ROLLS
Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Granulated sugar & brown sugar – The combination of these sugars will result in a moist and soft dough.
Salt – The salt helps to balance the sweetness. I also recently learned that it helps the dough to be more easily stretched. Read more about the science here!
Yeast – I prefer to use instant yeast that has been purchased within the last few months for this recipe. I would hate to take the risk with using old yeast as this could ruin the recipe!
Milk – Whole milk is best since it will add to the richness of the dough.
Butter – I always bake with unsalted butter and add the salt in separately for more control of the flavor.
Egg – A large egg was used in this recipe.
Blueberry preserves – I used a can of blueberry preserves because I wanted some of the blueberry chunks. You can use blueberry jam as well if you prefer a smoother texture. To take it a step further, you could even make your own preserves!
Cream cheese – Make sure to use room temperature cream cheese.
Powdered sugar – Used to sweeten the icing.
Lemon juice & zest – Make sure to zest your lemon before juicing.
HOW TO MAKE BLUEBERRY LEMON SWEET ROLLS
- Mix the flour, sugars, salt, and yeast in a bowl and set aside.
- Microwave the milk and butter in a small bowl in 30-second increments until the mixture is warm and able to be easily combined.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Combine on low speed and add the egg. The mixture should be smooth and not too sticky.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise for about 2 hours.
- Roll the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle that is about 1/4 inch thick. Spread on the blueberry preserves in a thin layer and roll tightly from one of the shorter sides of the rectangle.
- Use baker’s twine or floss to cut into 12 rolls. Place the rolls in a greased 9″x13″ baking dish with some space in between them. Cover and let rise for about an hour.
- Bake at 350F for roughly 24 minutes.
- While baking, make the icing by combining the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Spread over the rolls immediately after removing from the oven.
Of course, these are best enjoyed fresh from the oven but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and reheated in the oven or microwave.
TIPS
To achieve the perfect swirl, make sure to spread the blueberry preserves thinly and roll the dough up tightly. Adding too much of the preserves will cause a mess because it will seep out of the rolls- trust me! If you want more blueberry flavor, I suggest adding it on top of the lemon icing and swirling it in with a spoon while the rolls are still warm.
The recipe states that it will be enough to create 12 rolls, but this really just depends on how large you want them to be and how you slice them! Sometimes I like to make them larger for bakery-style rolls.
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my Iced Orange Loaf recipe!