Sweet and bright, this Lemon Roll Pull-Apart Bread combines the best of lemon rolls and pull-apart bread. One piece is never enough!
If you enjoy pull-apart breads, try Chocolate Pull Apart Bread or Red Velvet Pull Apart Bread for more decadent variations.
Around our house, Easter feels almost as big as Christmas. The kids get excited about coloring eggs, hunting for treats, filling baskets, and spending extra time with family. For me, spring means one thing: baking, and I love incorporating lemon whenever I can.
Lemon might technically be a winter fruit, but its bright aroma, fresh flavor and sunny color scream spring. This Lemon Roll Pull-Apart Bread is a fun twist on classic rolls. You shape mini lemon rolls, arrange them in a loaf pan, and bake them together to create an irresistible pull-apart loaf.
The flavor is light and sweet with bursts of lemon in every bite. The edges caramelize slightly from the sugar, creating crunchy, buttery bits that I always reach for first. It’s a great recipe for spring gatherings or a special brunch.
Ingredients
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is used in the dough and filling; powdered sugar is for the icing.
- Lemon zest and juice: Zest provides the concentrated lemon flavor; you’ll also use a little juice for the icing.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works well for the dough.
- Yeast: Rapid-rise yeast is used here; active dry yeast can substitute if you allow extra rising time.
- Salt: Balances and enhances the flavors.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used in the dough, filling, and icing.
- Egg: Adds richness and structure to the dough.
- Milk: A small amount of milk is added to the icing; any milk will do.
How to Make Lemon Roll Pull Apart Bread
1: Make lemon sugar by rubbing lemon zest into granulated sugar to release the oils and infuse the sugar with bright lemon flavor.
2: Prepare the dough: in a mixer combine flour, lemon sugar, yeast, and salt. Warm the water and butter together until very warm but not hot, then add to the dry ingredients with the egg. Beat, then add more flour until the dough forms a ball. Knead until smooth and elastic, then allow it to rest and rise.
3: Roll the risen dough into a long rectangle. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with more lemon sugar.
4: Roll the dough tightly and slice into 24 equal pieces.
5: Dip each slice in melted butter, then roll in the remaining lemon sugar, and place the rolls into a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
6: Let the assembled rolls rise until doubled in size, then bake at 350ºF until golden brown, about 25–35 minutes.
7: After cooling briefly, invert the loaf onto a serving plate. Whisk powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, lemon juice and a touch of lemon zest until smooth, then drizzle over the warm loaf.
Tips and Tricks
The lemon sugar is the star here—rubbing zest into sugar releases essential oils and infuses the sugar with deep lemon aroma and flavor. It’s simple but transformative, so don’t skip it.
Serve the bread warm for the best texture and flavor, though it’s also delicious at room temperature. For a neat icing application, place the glaze in a plastic bag, snip a corner, and drizzle evenly over the loaf.
More Lemon Recipes
Lemon Sunshine Cupcakes
Lemon Meringue Eclairs
Lemon Meringue Angel Cake
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Lemon Roll Pull Apart Bread
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Ingredients
Bread:
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Rapid Rise Yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg
Filling:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons butter very soft
- 1/4 cup butter melted
Lemon Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
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Combine sugar and lemon zest, rubbing until the zest is evenly distributed through the sugar.
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In a stand mixer bowl combine 1 cup flour, lemon sugar, yeast, and salt.
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Warm the water and butter together until very warm (120–130ºF); the butter should be soft but not fully melted. Add to the flour mixture with the egg.
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Beat 2 minutes, scrape the bowl, add another cup of flour and beat 2 more minutes. Add enough of the remaining flour for the dough to form a ball.
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Turn onto a floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
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Prepare a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. For the filling, rub together sugar and lemon zest and reserve 1/4 cup.
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Roll the dough into a 7 x 24-inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the lemon sugar. Roll tightly and pinch the seam. Cut into 24 slices. Dip each slice in melted butter, then in the remaining lemon sugar, and arrange in the pan.
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Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45–60 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake 25–35 minutes until golden. Cool on a rack 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate.
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Whisk powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Drizzle over the warm loaf.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information
Carbohydrates: 46 g,
Protein: 4 g,
Fat: 11 g