Description
These Key Lime Pie Sweet Rolls are a delightful treat to make for a special occasion! They are flavored with lots of lime juice and zest, graham cracker crumbs, and a luscious cream cheese frosting! All the flavors of key lime pie in one swirled little package!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough:
- 3/4 cup 2% or whole milk, warmed (around 100°F)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 3 large eggs
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/4 cup key lime juice (see NOTE)
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest (see NOTE)
- 4–4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For Assembly/Filling:
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons key lime zest
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (roughly 4 full crackers)
For the Frosting:
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- 2 tablespoons key lime juice
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Additional graham cracker crumbs
Instructions
For the Dough:
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk and sugar and stir to combine. Sprinkle the yeast over top and allow to sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the eggs, melted butter, and key lime juice and zest. Attach the dough hook and turn the mixer on low. Once the wet ingredients are combined, stir in 4 cups of the flour and the salt and mix for a few minutes to fully incorporate. If the dough is very sticky, add another ½ cup of flour until the dough is tacky but not overly sticky.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
To Assemble:
- Place the risen dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out thinly to a rectangular shape, roughly 10 x 12 inches.
- Spread the softened butter all over the surface of the dough.
- Sprinkle the sugar and lime zest evenly over the butter, pressing it in gently to adhere.
- Sprinkle over the graham cracker crumbs.
- Working from the longer end of the dough, roll to form a log shape, carefully folding the dough over the filling with each roll.
- Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Slice the log into 12 equal pieces and place them, cut side up, in the buttered baking dish.
- Cover the rolls with a towel and allow them to rest for another 30 minutes (at this point, you can also refrigerate the rolls overnight to use the next day. See recipe notes). During this time, preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Once the rolls have risen enough so that they are all touching in the pan, transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are puffed and golden brown.
For the Frosting:
- While the rolls are baking, make the frosting by creaming together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the powdered sugar and beat again to incorporate.
- Add in the vanilla, lime juice, and lime zest and beat to combine. Lastly, add a tiny pinch of kosher salt and mix.
- Add more powdered sugar, as needed, to reach desired thickness.
- Spread the frosting all over the rolls while they are warm. Garnish with more lime zest grated over top and the additional graham cracker crumbs.
- Serve!
Notes
- If you cannot find key limes, you can sub with regular limes for both the juice and zest throughout the recipe. Also, you can buy bottled key lime juice year round in most grocery stores. Fresh is always best, but I totally understand not wanting to juice that many key limes (or regular limes!).
- To make these ahead, store the formed rolls, well wrapped, in the fridge. Allow them to come to room temperature for about 45 minutes before baking as directed above.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (mostly inactive time)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: dessert
Keywords: key lime pie sweet rolls, lime sweet rolls, key lime pie recipes, key lime recipes, key lime pie rolls