Sticky Blueberry and Lemon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I L-O-V-E me a good cinnamon bun, but this recipe caught my eye as I was searching for another great way to use my lemons. It has the texture of the best kind of cinnamon bun....large and super fluffy without too much weighing it down, but has the refreshing tanginess of fresh lemons.  I made a few modifications to this recipe from The Kitchn.

Ingredients for the Dough
1 envelope (= 2 1/4 teaspoons) yeast

3/4 cup milk, warmed to about 100°F
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 lemons, zested
2 eggs
1 handful of blueberries

Ingredients for the Lemon Filling
1 cup sugar, minus two tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

Ingredients for the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 of the juice of 1 lemon
1 cup powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lemon for garnish 

Directions
1)  In the bowl of a stand mixer sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a couple minutes.

2)  With the mixer paddle, stir in the softened butter, sugar, vanilla, and one cup of the flour.

3)  Stir in the salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Stir in the eggs and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft yet sticky dough.

4)  Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes or knead by hand for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is elastic and pliable.

5)  Spray the top of the dough with vegetable oil, and turn the dough over so it is coated in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and let the dough rise until nearly doubled - about an hour.

6)  To make the filling - In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the nutmeg and ginger, then work in the lemon zest with the tips of your fingers until the sugar resembles wet, soft sand. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon. 

7)  Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish with baking spray or butter. (I use a small convection oven, so I split the rolls into one 8x8 inch dish and one 5x8 inch dish.) On a floured surface pat the dough out into a large yet still thick rectangle of about 10x15 inches. Spread evenly with the softened butter, then pour and spread the lemon-sugar mixture over top. Sprinkle the blueberries on top of the filling.  Roll the dough up tightly, starting from the top long end. Cut the long dough roll into 12 even rolls, and place them, cut side up, in the prepared baking dish.

 8)  Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for an hour or until puffy and nearly doubled.

9)  Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the risen rolls in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into a center roll reads 190°F.

10)  While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. Whip the cream cheese with a handmixer until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and blend until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy.

11)  When the rolls are done, smear them with the cream cheese glaze, and sprinkle the zest of 1 additional lemon over top to garnish. Serve while warm.

The rolls were very tasty, especially right after coming out of the oven.  I think next time, I might make regular cream cheese glaze/frosting without the lemon juice and lemon zest garnish.  If you are a lemon fiend though, I'd encourage you to stick to the recipe above.