Citrus Sticky Buns with Hibiscus Cream Cheese Glaze

Bright citrus notes, bold hibiscus color and zest. These soft and sticky buns are made smaller so there’s more of them to share. A warm tropic treat for dark winter days.

Citrus Sticky Buns with Hibiscus Cream Cheese Glaze

just barely adapted from the Sticky Lemon Rolls recipe on the Kitchn

you will need one grapefruit, one lemon, and one lime for this whole recipe

If the pink offends you simply omit the hibiscus and move on.

Make-Ahead Instructions:

Depending on my schedule sometimes I prefer to simply punch down the dough after the first rise and then roll and assemble in the morning. This doesn’t take any more time just more thinking in the morning. Or you can also refrigerate the rolls after assembling. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or a towel, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake the rolls, remove the pan from the fridge, and let them rise for an hour before baking.

Makes 24 small breakfast rolls

ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 1/2 teaspoons (1 envelope or 1/4 ounce) active yeast
• 3/4 cup milk, warmed to about 100°F
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature for about an hour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 lemon, 1/2 lime, 1/4 grapefruit, zested
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom

For the sticky citrus filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 lemon, zested
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly-ground cardamom
• 1/4 cup lemon and lime juice and zest, from 1/2 lemon and 1/2 lime

For the lemon cream cheese glaze:

• 1/2 grapefruit, zested and juiced
• the remainder of the lemon and lime juices
• about a teaspoon of hibiscus flowers
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar

directions

Make the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a few minutes or until foamy. Using the paddle attachment stir on low speed, combining the softened butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, zest, and the whole wheat pastry flour into the milk and yeast mixture. Stir in the salt and cardamom. Starting with 2 1/2 cups add the all purpose flour adding more if needed to make a soft yet sticky dough.

Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed until the dough is smooth, pliable, and stretchy. About 5 minutes.

Lightly grease 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 for 1 hour or until doubled.

Make the sticky citrus filling:

While the dough is rising, rub the lemon and lime zest into the sugar. Add the butter and beat together with a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) until it is thick, whipped, and creamy. Add the ginger and cardamom. Slowly add the lemon and lime juice and whip. It should be a thin yet still creamy mixture of butter and sugar. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour, or until you are ready to assemble the rolls.

Assemble the rolls:

Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with baking spray or butter. On a floured surface, pat the risen dough into a large rectangle — about 10 x 18 inches.

Spread the dough evenly with the sticky citrus filling. Cut the rectangle in half the long length so you have two long thin sheets (a pizza cutter works like magic here). Then cut the dough into 24 strips approximately 5”x 1 1/2” Roll each strip into a roll stretching as needed and place each in the prepared baking dish. Remember to give them some room to expand!

You could also do the tube method if you prefer but I like getting the sticky filling to the edges of the dough and it’s easier with the pre-cut and then roll method.

Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for 1 hour or until puffy and doubled.

Bake the rolls:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the risen rolls in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into a center roll reads 190°F.

Make the glaze:

Add the hibiscus flowers to the grapefruit juice and steep until bright pink (at least 15 minutes) While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small food processor (or with a mixer, or a sturdy whisk), whip the lemon and lime juice and half the cream cheese until light and fluffy. (Reserve the gf zest.) Add half the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy. Repeat with the pink grapefruit juice and the other half of the cream cheese and powdered sugar. (Or omit the pink and make one big batch. Or vice versa)

Glaze the rolls:

When the rolls are done drizzle them with the cream cheese glazes, and sprinkle the reserved grapefruit zest over top to garnish. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Citrus Sticky Buns with Hibiscus Cream Cheese Glaze

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Servings 24 small rolls

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the dough:

• 2 1/2 teaspoons 1 envelope or 1/4 ounce active yeast
• 3/4 cup milk warmed to about 100°F
• 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened at room temperature for an hour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 lemon, 1/2 lime, 1/4 pink grapefruit, zested
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom

For the sticky citrus filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 lemon zested
• 4 tablespoons 1/2 stick unsalted butter, very soft
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly-ground cardamom
• 1/4 cup lemon and lime juice and zest from 1/2 lemon and 1/2 lime

For the lemon cream cheese glaze:

• 1/2 grapefruit zested and juiced
• about a teaspoon of hibiscus flowers
• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

 

• Make the dough:
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle the yeast over the warmed milk and let it sit for a few minutes or until foamy. Using the paddle attachment stir on low speed, combining the softened butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, zest, and the whole wheat pastry flour into the milk and yeast mixture. Stir in the salt and cardamom. Starting with 2 1/2 cups add the all purpose flour adding more if needed to make a soft yet sticky dough.
• Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed until the dough is smooth, pliable, and stretchy. About 5 minutes.
• Lightly grease 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 for 1 hour or until doubled.
• Make the sticky citrus filling:
• While the dough is rising, rub the lemon and lime zest into the sugar. Add the butter and beat together with a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) until it is thick, whipped, and creamy. Add the ginger and cardamom. Slowly add the lemon and lime juice and whip. It should be a thin yet still creamy mixture of butter and sugar. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour, or until you are ready to assemble the rolls.
• Assemble the rolls:
• Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with baking spray or butter. On a floured surface, pat the risen dough into a large rectangle — about 10 x 18 inches.
• Spread the dough evenly with the sticky citrus filling. Cut the rectangle in half the long length so you have two long thin sheets (a pizza cutter works like magic here). Then cut the dough into 24 strips approximately 5”x 1 1/2” Roll each strip into a roll stretching as needed and place each in the prepared baking dish. Remember to give them some room to expand!
• You could also do the tube method if you prefer but I like getting the sticky filling to the edges of the dough and it’s easier with the pre-cut and then roll method.
• Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for 1 hour or until puffy and doubled.
• Bake the rolls:
• Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the risen rolls in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into a center roll reads 190°F.
• Make the glaze:
• Add the hibiscus flowers to the grapefruit juice and steep until bright pink (at least 15 minutes) While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small food processor (or with a mixer, or a sturdy whisk), whip the lemon and lime juice and half the cream cheese until light and fluffy. (Reserve the gf zest.) Add half the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy. Repeat with the pink grapefruit juice and the other half of the cream cheese and powdered sugar. (Or omit the pink and make one big batch. Or vice versa)
• Glaze the rolls:
• When the rolls are done drizzle them with the cream cheese glaze, and sprinkle the reserved grapefruit zest over top to garnish. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

just barely adapted from the Sticky Lemon Rolls recipe on the Kitchn

you will need one grapefruit, one lemon, and one lime for this whole recipe

Make-Ahead Instructions:
Depending on my schedule sometimes I prefer to simply punch down the dough after the first rise and then roll and assemble in the morning. This doesn’t take any more time just more thinking in the morning. Or you can also refrigerate the rolls after assembling. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or a towel, and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake the rolls, remove the pan from the fridge, and let them rise for an hour before baking.

Makes 24 small breakfast rolls

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