Description
Soft, pull-apart lemon blueberry rolls with an enriched yeast dough, a thickened blueberry compote filling, a lemon zest sugar layer, and a pourable lemon cream cheese glaze. Overnight prep option means you can do the work the night before and bake fresh in the morning. Makes 12 rolls.
Ingredients
ENRICHED YEAST DOUGH
1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, warmed to 110°F
1/4 cup (60ml) water, warmed to 110°F
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one standard packet)
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs, room temperature
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
3 cups + 2 tablespoons (410g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
1/2 teaspoon salt
BLUEBERRY COMPOTE FILLING
2 cups (285g) fresh or frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water (for slurry)
LEMON SUGAR LAYER
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, softened
LEMON CREAM CHEESE GLAZE
4 oz (115g) full-fat brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2–4 tablespoons whole milk (to reach pourable consistency)
Instructions
1. Warm milk and water to exactly 110°F. Combine in a stand mixer bowl with the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy and fragrant. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, start over with fresh yeast.
2. Add remaining sugar, eggs, and butter to the yeast mixture. Mix briefly with the dough hook. Add flour and salt. Knead on medium speed for 8–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, soft, and slightly tacky but no longer sticking to the bowl. Test: stretch a small piece between your fingers — it should thin without tearing (windowpane test).
3. Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size.
4. While dough rises, make the compote: combine blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes until berries break down and the mixture bubbles. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together; pour into the bubbling compote while stirring constantly. Cook 2 more minutes until thick. Spread onto a plate and cool completely.
5. Punch down the risen dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle approximately 14×18 inches. Spread softened butter over the surface. Mix lemon zest into the sugar, then scatter evenly over the butter. Spread the fully cooled blueberry compote over everything, leaving a 1-inch bare border at the far long edge.
6. Roll the dough tightly away from you into a log. Press the bare edge firmly down to seal. Slice into 12 even rolls using unflavored dental floss — loop under, cross the ends over the top, and pull in opposite directions.
7. Arrange rolls cut-side up in a greased 9×13 pan with a little space between each. Cover and let rise 45–60 minutes until the rolls puff and touch each other.
8. Bake at 350°F for 25–28 minutes until the tops turn lightly golden and the center rolls no longer look raw when you peek between them.
9. For the glaze: Beat cream cheese until completely smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest; beat until combined. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until the glaze flows easily from a spoon. Pour over warm rolls immediately so the glaze soaks into all the layers.
Notes
Cool the blueberry compote completely on a plate before spreading onto the dough. Warm compote seeps into the dough, makes it sticky, and causes the rolls to fall apart when you slice them.
The dough should feel tacky but not stick to your hands after kneading. If it sticks, add flour one tablespoon at a time. If it feels stiff and dry, it has too much flour.
Overnight method: After Step 6 (rolls sliced and arranged in the pan), cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, take the pan out and let rolls rise at room temperature for 1–1.5 hours before baking.
Use unflavored dental floss to slice the rolls — it cuts through the dough without squashing or dragging the filling out.
Pour glaze over warm rolls (not straight-from-the-oven hot) — wait about 5 minutes after baking.
Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 20–25 seconds; add a fresh drizzle of glaze.
Freeze baked unglazed rolls individually wrapped up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 325°F for 10–12 minutes, then glaze.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American