• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Creations by Kara

  • RECIPE INDEX
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • All Bread Recipes
      • Bread- Muffins and Scones
      • Bread: Quick Breads
      • Bread: Yeast Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Crock Pot
    • All Dessert Recipes
      • Dessert: Brownies and Bars
      • Dessert: Cakes and Cupcakes
      • Dessert: Candy
      • Dessert: Cheesecake
      • Dessert: Cookies
      • Dessert: Frozen
      • Dessert: Misc.
      • Dessert: Pies and Crisps
    • Drinks
    • All Holiday Recipes
      • Christmas Recipes
      • Easter Recipes
      • Halloween Recipes
      • St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
      • Valentine’s Day Recipes
      • 4th of July Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • All Main Dish Recipes
      • Main Dish- Beef
      • Main Dish: Chicken
      • Main Dish: Fish
      • Main Dish: Pork
      • Main Dish: Vegetarian
    • Restaurant Recipes
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Non-Food
  • TUTORIALS
    • Craft Tutorials
    • DIY Project Tutorials
    • Holiday Tutorials
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Sewing Tutorials
  • FREEBIES
    • Free Patterns
    • Printable Gifts
    • Holiday Printables
    • LDS Printables
    • Printable Home Decor
  • HOLIDAYS
    • 4th of July
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • TIPS & TRICKS
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

This post may contain affiliate links, which gives me a small percentage of the sale, at no cost to you.
Home » Recipe Index » Bread: Yeast Bread » Incredibly Easy Lemon Pull Apart Rolls

Incredibly Easy Lemon Pull Apart Rolls

January 5, 2021 by Kara Cook 40 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet

Made with frozen dough, these Lemon Pull Apart Rolls couldn’t be easier! They have a crunchy lemon sugar topping, and a drizzle of lemon icing. People can’t get enough of these lemon sweet rolls!

easy lemon rolls title photo

 

SUPER EASY LEMON ROLLS

I am a big fan of lemon baked goods, and these lemon rolls are one of the easiest recipes in my lemon collection. You only need five ingredients!

I love the taste of lemon, especially during the hot summer months.  These lemon rolls start with frozen dough, so they are super simple to make. But don’t tell anyone, and they will never know. They look and taste like you slaved in a hot kitchen for hours.

The lemon zest is what gives them amazing flavor, so don’t leave it out.  These would be perfect for a summer brunch, or at a baby or bridal shower. They look just as good as they taste!

 Looking at the photo of these lemon pull-aparts makes me want to bake up another batch. They are sooo yummy!
close up of lemon pull apart rolls with lemon glaze

HOW TO MAKE LEMON PULL APART ROLLS

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

  • frozen dinner rolls (I use Rhodes rolls.)
  •  fresh lemon zest
  • granulated sugar
  • powdered sugar
  • fresh lemon juice

step by step instruction photos for making lemon pull apart rolls

  1. Take the rolls out of the freezer, cover them and let them thaw at room temperature. It usually takes 1 1/2 – 2 hours, but it depends on the temperature of your kitchen.
  2. Cut rolls in half and place cut side down in a greased 9×13″ pan. (I like to use kitchen shears, but a really sharp knife will also work.)
  3. Zest and juice your lemon; set aside.
  4. Melt the butter and pour it over the rolls. Mix together the granulated sugar and lemon zest and sprinkle just HALF of it over the buttered rolls.
  5. Cover the rolls and let them rise till doubled. Mine took about 2 1/2 hours.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  7. Sprinkle the remaining half of the lemon sugar mixture over the top of the raised rolls. Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes.
  8. Whisk together the lemon juice and powdered sugar and drizzle over warm rolls.

pan of lemon sweet rolls with glaze

We think these sweet rolls are best served warm, but if you have any leftovers, you can store them at room temperature. Just cover them tightly with plastic wrap and they will last for 4-5 days.

PRO TIPS

  • To get the most juice out of lemons, roll them on the counter while pressing down firmly. This breaks up the fibers and releases more juice.
  • For best flavor, you must use fresh lemon zest, not dried. Frozen zest works great. Fresh lemon juice is also a must.
  • If you are in a hurry and need your rolls to raise faster, heat your oven to the lowest setting. (Mine is 170°.) Turn the oven off, then place the covered rolls in the warm oven. The texture isn’t as great as if they raise at room temperature, and you have to watch them closely, but it does shave off a fair amount of time.

LOVE LEMON? TRY THESE RECIPES:

  • Lemon Drop Cakes
  • Lemon Brownies
  • Lemon Butter Cookies
  • Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
  • Lemon Sugar Cookies
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
  • Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

MORE TASTY SWEET ROLLS:

  • Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
  • Strawberry Cheesecake Rolls
  • Raspberry Rolls
  • Nutella Rolls
  • One Hour Cinnamon Rolls

WANT TO MAKE THIS LEMON PULL APART RECIPE?

PIN IT TO YOUR APPETIZER, PARTY OR HOLIDAY BOARD TO SAVE FOR LATER!

LEMON PULL APARTS

Yield: 2 dozen

Lemon Pull Apart Rolls

plate of lemon pull aparts with glaze

These melt in your mouth citrus rolls are a perfect blend of sweet and tangy. And they are so easy to make!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

Rolls

  • 12 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed but still cold (you can find them in the freezer section)
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 Tbsp butter, melted

Glaze:

  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice (more or less)

Instructions

  1. Cut rolls in half and place cut side down in a greased 9x13" pan. Drizzle with the melted butter.
  2. Mix lemon zest and sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle HALF of the lemon sugar mixture over the rolls.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and let raise till doubled. Since the dough is still cold, it can take 2-3 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Sprinkle remaining lemon sugar mixture on top of the rolls.
  6. Bake at 350° for about 20-25 minutes.
  7. Whisk together glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over rolls while still warm.

Notes

-If you can't find frozen roll dough in your area, you can use homemade dough and it works just fine.

-If you like lots of icing on your rolls, double the icing recipe.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a small amount from your purchase, no cost to you.

  • Citrus Juicer Manual Hand Squeezer with Built-in Measuring Cup
    Citrus Juicer Manual Hand Squeezer with Built-in Measuring Cup
  • Microplane Zester/Grater
    Microplane Zester/Grater

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 148Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 170mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 3g
© Kara
Cuisine: American / Category: Bread: Yeast Bread

(originally published 6/13/2011, updated January 2021)

If you love lemon baked goods, you must try these lemon pull aparts. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a wonderful lemon treat that will have everyone begging for more!

Filed Under: Bread: Yeast Bread, Recipe Index Tagged With: lemon zest, powdered sugar, Rhodes rolls

Previous Post: « Easy Bacon Cheese Ball Recipe
Next Post: Creamy Homemade Ranch Dip »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patti

    February 20, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    Which way do you cut the rolls in half?

    Reply
    • Kara Cook

      February 21, 2020 at 9:26 am

      The rolls are round, so when you cut them in half, you should have two half circles. I like to place them in the pan cut side down, but it doesn’t matter to much.

      Reply
  2. Lauren Bowie

    March 19, 2018 at 4:38 pm

    I want to make this for Easter brunch, do you think I can somehow incorporate blueberries into this recipe? How would you do it?

    Reply
  3. Becky

    January 5, 2018 at 9:22 am

    I just discovered Rhodes Rolls and can’t wait to these!

    Reply
  4. Samantha

    April 29, 2013 at 7:53 pm

    HELP! They are not rising!!! They have been sitting for an hour in the mixture and haven’t risen yet! What can I do to make this move along? Do they have to rise in the fridge?? That seemed counter productive to the melted butter….

    Reply
    • Kara

      April 29, 2013 at 8:40 pm

      To make them rise a little faster, turn your oven on to the lowest setting. (Usually 175-200°) After it has heated, turn the oven OFF. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and place them in the oven. The warm air will speed up the process. For even better results, place a saucepan with about a cup of boiling water on the bottom rack of the oven when you place your pan in. Helps prevent them from drying out. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
    • Samantha

      April 29, 2013 at 9:18 pm

      Thank you! That really did help! Now they are rising nicely already!!!

      Reply
  5. Renae

    October 13, 2012 at 8:53 am

    These are unbelievable!! You cannot stop eating them!

    Reply
    • Kara

      October 18, 2012 at 12:50 pm

      Yes, they are totally addicting and a diet buster! Thankfully I have four boys to help me out. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Sue

    July 7, 2012 at 7:45 am

    Why do you cut them in half? So am I actually making 24 rolls?

    Reply
    • Kara

      July 7, 2012 at 9:46 am

      You cut them in half so that there is more surface area for the yummy lemon topping to stick to. And they are easier to eat all cute and bite sized. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Yvette

    June 22, 2012 at 9:37 am

    I made these a few days ago.. DELISH…!! Thank you so much for sharing!!

    Reply
  8. Jean

    April 29, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    Hi Kara, The Lemon Pull Aparts look so good but I am not fond of lemon and I’m not very good at redoing a recipe. Could you tell me how to make them into just plain old cinnamon, brownsugar pull aparts. Thanks so much. Jean

    Reply
    • J

      November 3, 2016 at 1:57 pm

      I would nix the zest over the rolls and instead add 1t of cinnamon or apple pie spice. For the glaze sub water (with a touch of cinnamon…)

      Reply
  9. Shannon A

    April 4, 2012 at 4:28 pm

    Can’t wait to make these! For those who have made them, would they be just as good if at room temp or should they be served hot/warm? Thanks! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kara

      April 5, 2012 at 10:04 am

      Shannon,
      We devoured ours before they had a chance to reach room temp, but I bet they would still be delicious!

      Reply
  10. Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads

    March 27, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    Hi Kara,
    Saw these on Pinterest and clicked over to see the recipe. I am so glad I did because I always have Rhodes dinner rolls in my freezer. I use them to make Pioneer Woman’s Rosemary Rolls. I will try these soon. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  11. Melissa

    March 8, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    These look so yummy! We’re going to try them this weekend. Can someone give me an idea of about how long they take to rise?

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      March 12, 2012 at 8:20 pm

      Made these yesterday…takes about 30-45 minutes to rise…but well worth the wait! They are deliciously lemony!

      Reply
      • Kara

        March 12, 2012 at 11:25 pm

        So glad you tried and liked them! I totally agree that they are worth waiting for. 🙂

        Reply
    • Peggy

      December 21, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Never has “delicious” been this easy to bake. This is absolutely the best recipe I have tried in a very long time and hands down the easiest to make. I had to give them away to neighbors just so my husband I would not devour all 24 rolls before they had a chance to cool. Love, love, love lemon and the lemon in these is fabulous. I am already thinking about when to bake them again. Thank you so much for this recipe. Already a family favorite.

      Reply
  12. Gloria

    February 4, 2012 at 9:47 pm

    Greetings, it took me a year and a day to find this blog! I saw this recipe on Pinterest, and re-pinned, but with the way they have revamped it now, I couldn’t find where to locate your recipe. But I’m glad I found you, and thank you for sharing! This looks delicious and I am looking forward to trying it one day.
    Best,
    Gloria

    Reply
  13. Ashley

    January 27, 2012 at 7:50 pm

    These look so yummy. However the directions to prepare them are kinda fuzzy. I wasn’t sure which way to cut the roll and how long it usually takes for them to rise. So I just winged it and they are in the oven now. Can’t wait to taste them.

    Reply
    • Ashley

      January 27, 2012 at 8:21 pm

      Update. They were great! My husband loved them.! Thanks!

      Reply
  14. Tracey

    January 23, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    Wow the look mouth watering. Pity we can’t get those frozen rolls here in Australia. I am sure these would have been a favorite of mime.

    Reply
  15. LaurieBee

    January 23, 2012 at 7:36 pm

    Look wonderful! I’ll be trying them substituting the sugar for Splenda for Diabetic Dad.

    Reply
  16. Danielle

    January 20, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    I found my way here from Pinterest and so glad I did:) I can’t wait to try these even in the winter. Thank you for sharing! And lovely blog!

    Reply
  17. Melanie@Reasons to Skip the Housework

    August 14, 2011 at 3:55 pm

    Found this recipe on Pinterest….can’t wait to make them. I’m featuring them on my blog tomorrow…You should stop by!

    Smiles,
    Melanie

    Reasons To Skip The Housework {The Blog}
    Tinker B Boutique {The Shop}

    {skipthehousework@hotmail.com}

    Reply
  18. Sweet Peas and Bumblebees

    July 12, 2011 at 10:56 pm

    We are featuring these yummy treats at the start of our new What I Made Wednesday Party tomorrow! Thanks for linking up! Come and grab a button and link up your latest & greatest!

    Alisa @ Sweet Peas and Bumblebees
    sweetpeasandbb.blogspot.com

    Reply
  19. Sissi

    July 7, 2011 at 5:09 pm

    These look amazing and I’m thinking I’ll have to try them soon! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  20. Kirsten

    July 7, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Hmm…these look fantastic! My husband loves lemon anything so this will be a hit for sure. I don’t know if I can get Rhodes dinner rolls here in Canada? I’ve never heard of that brand…I guess any brand would do??
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Laree

      January 23, 2012 at 9:44 pm

      Just make sure they’re a yeast roll! Rhodes are delicious, but I’m sure any yeast roll would do.

      Reply
  21. Briana

    July 7, 2011 at 9:41 am

    Oh my goodness these look amazing!! I’m so making these tonight!! I would also love if you would share these at our {What I Made Wednesday} Linky Party!

    Briana

    Reply
  22. Alison

    July 6, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    This looks DIVINE! My mouth is watering! I just featured your tutorial on my blog today. Here is the link:

    http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/2011/07/wednesdays-wowzers-woot-woot.html

    YUM!
    ~Alison

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi. I’m Kara, and I love to create! I share recipes, DIY tutorials, craft projects, and thrifty home decor. I hope that I can inspire you to create something! Read More…

Categories

Footer

PRIVACY POLICY | ABOUT ME | DISCLOSURE

Copyright © 2021 Creations by Kara on the Foodie Pro Theme