This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.
These lovely lemon pull apart rolls are a piece of heaven and they literally melt in your mouth! Making them with frozen rolls makes them so easy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Amazing Lemon Flavor! The best part of this lemon pull-apart bread is how it tastes. It is full of lovely lemon flavor.
So Easy to Make! The second best part is how easy the recipe is because it uses frozen roll dough! I actually found this recipe over at the Rhodes website and it was love at first site and first taste!
Great Texture: The sugar creates a nice crunchy, lemony texture on top and the inside of the roll is soft and sweet.
No Yeast Involved! Because these rolls are made with store bought, frozen roll dough there is no instant yeast or dry ingredients involved!
Ingredients Needed
- Frozen Dinner Rolls. I use Rhodes frozen rolls but you can use other brands. Each roll weighs about 1.3 oz. See below if you prefer to make your own roll dough.
- Lemons
- Granulated Sugar
- Butter, salted
- Powdered Sugar
How to Make Lemon Pull Apart Rolls
- Remove frozen rolls from freezer, place on a baking sheet or plate and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to thaw at room temperature. You want them to be thawed but still cold. Depending on the temperature of your house, this will take around 1 1/2 hours. I used 12 rolls for my 10 inch cast iron skillet pan.
- Mix up lemon sugar mixture by combining sugar and lemon zest. Stir together with a fork or spoon, you can even use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar so it gets infused into the sugar.
- Cut the rolls in half with a pair of scissors and lay them into the pan. Pour melted butter over the top.
- Sprinkle half of the lemon sugar mixture over the top. Cover them with plastic wrap.
- Set the rolls in a nice warm place and let them rise for an hour or until they double in size.
- Sprinkle the other half of the sugar mixture on top after they have risen.
- Bake at 350 degree F until they are nice and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
- Combine powdered sugar, melted butter and lemon juice until you have a nice drizzling consistency.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and cool for five minutes, then glaze.
Tips from leigh Anne
- Don’t let the rolls start to rise before you cut them in half, they should be still cold and just thawed. Time will vary depending on how warm your house is.
- Enjoy this delicious great warm, I think that is the way it is best enjoyed!
- If you prefer to make your own homemade dough, form your rolls into 1.3 oz. balls after the first rise and then cut them in half and continue with recipe as written.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to store leftover pull apart lemon rolls?
Keep them stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
How do I rewarm pull apart rolls?
Place on a microwave safe plate and put them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Can I make these into a cinnamon roll pull apart bread?
Absolutely! Instead of the lemon sugar and zest, mix together sugar and cinnamon and use that.
Some of my other favorite recipes bread recipes:
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Lemon Pull Apart Rolls
Ingredients
- 12 frozen dinner rolls thawed but still cold
- zest from 2 whole lemons
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter melted
Citrus Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix lemon zest with sugar.
- Cut rolls in half and place in a 10-inch cast iron pan or 9×13-inch sprayed baking pan.
- Drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over rolls.
- Sprinkle with lemon zest/sugar mixture, reserving 1/2 of mixture to sprinkle on just before baking.
- Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size.
- Remove wrap. Sprinkle on remaining mixture.
- Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes. Remove immediately from pan and place on cooling rack.
- Combine glaze ingredients and mix well. Drizzle over pull-aparts.
Tips & Notes:
- Don’t let the rolls start to rise before you cut them in half, they should be just thawed.
- Enjoy this delicious great warm, I think that is the way it is best enjoyed!
- If you prefer to make your own homemade dough, form your rolls into 1.3 oz. balls after the first rise and then cut them in half and continue with recipe as written.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Facts:
Gena Norris says
Can’t wait to try those Lemon rolls. Perfect for summer.
Rachelle says
What else do you love your cast iron skillet for? Trying to see if I would use it a ton??
Thanks!!
Leigh Anne says
Rachelle, I use mine a ton. I love to make cornbread in it, focaccia bread (recipes on the blog). I also do egg frittata, puff up pancake and just scramble eggs in it. Those are a few off the top of my head. Love that I can use it on the stove top and in the oven.
Nick Hedrick says
What do you mean cut rolls in half? Do not see a pic of this actual step? Cut them in the middle or not use the whole pan of rolls?
Leigh Anne says
Just take a pair of scissors and snip the ball of bread dough in half into two pieces.
kappyblu says
Made these tonight and they are AMAZING!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing them.
Leigh Anne says
So glad you loved them too!!
Scarlett says
I so want to try these. Do you know of any gluten rolls I could use? And thanks for this receipt.
Leigh Anne says
I am on the search for gluten free roll dough – no luck yet.