Lemon Rolls

This past week, I was invited to be a part of a baking challenge on Instagram. It was so much fun! One of the themes of the day was fruit and I knew just what I wanted to make. I have been really loving all things lemon lately; the tart and sweet combo it creates is just so delicious. So these amazing lemon rolls were created. They turned out even better than I imagined in my head. They are a cross between cinnamon rolls and lemon bars and they are seriously so good. I even added some crumbled shortbread to add a little more texture to the filling. I know you are going to love them!

To make this delicious treat, mix together the warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will allow the yeast to proof or bloom. Mix in the salt and the oil. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading for 5-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel add let it rise, in a warm place, for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, make the shortbread by beating together the butter, powdered sugar, salt, flour and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until incorporated. It will be crumbly. Dump the mixture into a greased 8×8 pyrex dish and spread and push down on the dough with your fingers to create a dough.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let the shortbread cool in the pan while the lemon filling is being made.

To make the lemon curd, add the sugar, fresh lemon juice (although lemon juice from a bottle will work for this recipe, I highly recommend squeezing your own lemons to get the juice!), eggs, flour and lemon zest to a small pan. Whisk together until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Heat the mixture on medium heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Remove the lemon filling from the pan into a mixing bowl and refrigerate until the dough finishes rising.

Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl onto a clean surface and roll the dough into a large rectangle about a 1/4 inch thick. Spread the lemon curd evenly on top of the dough leaving about an inch around the edges of the dough.

With a fork, crumble the shortbread into medium sized crumbs and sprinkle on top of the lemon filling. Roll the dough cinnamon roll style, making sure to lift the dough slightly as you roll to prevent the lemon curd from being squeezed out.

Cut the dough into 1 inch thick rounds and place about 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let them rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-25 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. While the rolls are baking, make the lemon icing by beating together the butter, lemon juice, vanilla, lemon zest, salt and powdered sugar. Beat until the icing is fluffy and smooth. Once the rolls have cooled for about 10-15 minutes, spread the icing evenly over the rolls. Eat warm and enjoy!