Fresh Milled Lemon Raspberry Sweet Rolls
These fresh milled lemon raspberry sweet rolls are light, fluffy, and bursting with real raspberry and lemon flavor. Filled with a sweet-tart raspberry lemon filling and topped with lemon cream cheese frosting, they're a delicious twist on traditional cinnamon rolls.
Equipment
- 1 Grain mill
- 1 Stand mixer with dough hook attachment, and whisk attachment
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Rolling Pin
- Parchment Paper
- 1 9x13 baking pan
- 1 Pizza Cutter or Sharp Knife
- Measuring Cups / Spoons
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 4 1/2 cups freshly milled flour from hard white wheat berries
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp unrefined salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 4 tsp instant yeast
- 6 tbsp softened butter
- 1/2 cup half & half or heavy cream
For The Filling
- 6 tbsp softened butter
- 2/3 cup real cane sugar
- zest from 1 lemon
- 2 cups fresh raspberries or one 12oz container
For The Frosting
- 5 oz softened cream cheese
- 4 tbsp softened butter
- 1/3 cup raw honey
- zest from one lemon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch unrefined salt
Instructions
Make The Dough
- Mill your hard white wheat berries on your mill's finest setting. Mill enough for 4 1/2 cups of flour.
- In a saucepan over low heat, warm the milk until it is warm to the touch, but not hot.
- To the bowl of your stand mixer, add the warm milk, eggs, honey, salt, flour, and instant yeast. Mix together using the paddle attachment.
- Gradually add in the softened butter until it is combined with the dough.
- Switch to the dough hook, and knead the dough until you have a nice elastic dough that pulls away from the side. Depending on your mixer, it can take between 20-30 minutes.
Prepare The Filling
- While your dough kneads, prepare the lemon filling. In a small bowl or glass beaker, mix the softened butter with the lemon zest and sugar.
Make The Rolls
- Once your dough is ready, line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Lightly oil a work surface with olive oil or coconut oil.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, and gently roll it into a large rectangle, about 12 x 20″, as even as you can.
- With a large spoon or spatula, spread the lemon sugar filling evenly across the dough, as close to the edges as you can.
- Wash the raspberries, and sprinkle them evenly on top of dough. Use a fork to gently smash them. You want them to stay in place when you roll up the dough.
- Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 even strips across the shortest distance of the dough.
- Using your hands, carefully roll each individual strip into a roll and place it into the prepared pan.
- Finish rolling the rest of the sweet rolls, and place them evenly in the baking sheet. Cover them with plastic wrap to allow them to rise.
Rise & Bake The Rolls
- Allow the rolls to rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes until slightly puffy.
- While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Once the rolls are puffy, gently pour the half and half or heavy cream evenly over the tops of the rolls.
- Bake the rolls for 35-40 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked all of the way through.
- While the rolls bake, make the frosting by combining the softened cream cheese, butter, honey, lemon zest and lemon juice, and salt in a mixer and whipping on high speed until it is really creamy and no lumps remain.
- When the rolls come out of the oven, let them cool for 5-10 minutes, then spread the icing evenly. Enjoy!
Notes
Want to make this recipe ahead? They are really easy to freeze or refrigerate for quick & easy prep:
To freeze lemon raspberry sweet rolls, after rolling them up freeze them individually on a baking sheet, then store in a ziplock bag. When you are ready to bake them, first thaw the rolls for 90 minutes and then bake as usual.
To make overnight: This is my go-to method! After shaping the rolls and putting them in the parchment lined pan, cover with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. The next morning, set them out at room temperature for 30 minutes and then bake as usual. This is a really easy way to have cinnamon rolls for breakfast!