Lemon Raspberry Sweet Rolls

For the dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter, salt, and sugar. Add egg and mix until smooth. Switch to the dough hook on a stand mixer (or a wooden spoon if mixing by hand), and add flour, yeast and buttermilk. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together into a ball and clears the sides of the bowl.

Knead 10–12 minutes (12–15 if kneading by hand) until dough is smooth and silky, a bit tacky but not sticky at all. If it’s very sticky, add a bit more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it’s very dry and not coming together, add a bit more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 2 hours until it doubles in size.

For the filling:
In a small bowl, mix butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and granulated sugar and set aside. Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly oiled counter. Roll it out to about 1/2-inch thick rectangle, about 12 by 14 inches. With a rubber spatula, spread filling over the dough, leaving 1/4 inch space around the edges. Sprinkle the raspberries evenly over the filling. Starting from one long side, roll the dough up into a log, keeping it even as you roll. Pinch the seam closed with your fingers and lay the log seam side down on the counter. Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 12 even pieces.

Place the rolls, cut side down, in a 9×13 inch pan and cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap.

At this point, you can either refrigerate the rolls for up to 2 days, pulling them out 3-4 hours before baking to let them proof, or let them proof (rise) at room temperature immediately for about 90 minutes, or until the the buns have doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350ºF, with a rack in the middle of the oven. =Bake for 25–30 minutes or until they are golden brown.

While buns are baking, make the glaze. With an electric mixer, whip cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and whip again until smooth. Set aside, covered tightly with plastic wrap.

When the sweet rolls are finished baking, cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then spread lemon cream cheese icing over top of the warm rolls. Serve warm. Keep any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator, they reheat well in the microwave.

Note: The prep time does not include rising time. There are several options with the rising and baking of these. You can shape the rolls and then refrigerate for up to two days, pulling them out 3–4 hours before baking to allow them to rise. Or you can let them rise immediately after shaping and then refrigerate for up to 2 days, pulling them out and allowing them to come to room temperature, 30–60 minutes, before baking. Or you can let them rise immediately after shaping and then bake right away. The total time listed does not include the rising periods. Also, I used Meyer lemons, but I think these would be fantastic with regular lemons as well!