Description
These Lemon Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls are a delightful treat combining flaky, buttery crescent roll dough with a tangy and sweet lemon cream cheese filling. Finished with a zesty lemon glaze, they make a perfect breakfast pastry or dessert that’s quick and easy to prepare in under half an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Rolls:
- 1 package (8 oz) crescent roll dough
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure the rolls bake evenly and don’t stick.
- Make the filling: In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy, creating the lemon cream cheese filling.
- Prepare the dough: Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into 8 triangular pieces. Evenly spread about one tablespoon of the lemon cream cheese mixture onto the center of each triangle.
- Form the rolls: Starting from the wide edge of each triangle, carefully roll up the dough around the filling into crescent shapes. Place each roll on the prepared baking sheet with some space between them to allow for expansion during baking.
- Bake the rolls: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they turn a beautiful golden brown and puff up nicely.
- Prepare the glaze: While the rolls bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl until you have a smooth, pourable glaze.
- Glaze and serve: Once the rolls are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Then, drizzle the lemon glaze generously over the top of each warm roll. Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened to ensure a smooth filling.
- For extra lemon flavor, consider adding a touch more lemon zest to the filling or glaze.
- The rolls taste best served warm but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days and reheated briefly before serving.
- You can substitute fresh lemon juice with bottled lemon juice if fresh lemons aren’t available, though fresh will provide the best flavor.
