Prepare to be swept away by the irresistible taste of Lemon Cheesecake Rolls!
These delightful pastries boast a light and fluffy pastry shell, enveloping a luscious Meyer lemon cheesecake filling. The finishing touch? A delicate lemon glaze that adds a touch of sweetness and brightens every bite. This combination is guaranteed to become your new favorite breakfast treat or a delightful dessert option anytime you crave something special.
Love pastry recipes? Make sure to also try these Cherry Lime Puff Pastry Tarts, Prosciutto Havarti Spinach Bundles, Blood Orange Cheesecake Pastries and these Bacon and Egg Breakfast Pastries.
Why You’ll Love these Lemon Cheesecake Rolls
Here are some reasons why you’d love these lemon cheesecake rolls:
- Effortless indulgence: These rolls are surprisingly easy to make and can be whipped up quickly in the morning or prepped ahead of time the night before, making them perfect for busy schedules or weekend brunches.
- Flavor explosion: Each flaky bite bursts with incredible flavor, thanks to the luscious cheesecake filling and the bright tang of lemon.
- Versatility reigns supreme: While we use Meyer lemons in this recipe for their unique flavor, they’re not essential. Feel free to experiment with different flavors, such as raspberry, orange, or even chocolate, to create your own personal favorites
If you want more or less of the lemon flavor, you can either drizzle a thick coat of the lemon glaze on top or do what we do and just brush the tops to give it a little more flavor.
Ingredients for Lemon Cheesecake Rolls
- refrigerated crescent dough – using a higher quality crescent dough is recommended or even making your own, but any crescent dough will work.
- cream cheese – you can definitely use a low fat or fat free cream cheese here.
- granulated sugar
- powdered sugar
- all purpose flour – I am sure that other types of flour could be substituted since it’s such a small amount required, but please know that consistency could be affected.
- eggs – we use large eggs in this recipe
- lemon zest – don’t skip this, it adds a lot of lemon flavor
- freshly squeezed lemon juice – I strongly recommend using fresh lemon juice, since you need the zest, you have what you need.
Pro Tip #1: I do not recommend using lemon juice out of a bottle… the flavor is vastly different. Definitely opt for freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Pro Tip #2: While the big name brand crescent dough is fine to use, for best results, try to find a brand that comes out more like croissants…. in fact, we often purchase puff pastry dough and cut it into triangles ourselves. I strongly suggest this method for a flakier, more flavorful pastry.
If you can find Jus-Rol (formerly Wewalka) doughs in your local grocery store usually where refrigerated dough is located, I highly urge you to try one of their doughs with this recipe.
How to Make & Store Lemon Cheesecake Pastries
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips for Lemon Cheesecake Pastries:
Planning ahead?
Here’s what you need to know:
- Lemon Cheesecake Filling: This can be made up to a day in advance. Simply prepare the filling as instructed, then refrigerate it overnight in an airtight container. Before using, give it a good stir to ensure even consistency.
Storing leftovers:
- Refrigeration: These pastries are best stored in the refrigerator due to the cheesecake filling. Place them in an airtight container to maintain freshness and prevent them from drying out. They will last for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: While possible, freezing these pastries is not recommended. The freezing process can affect the texture and flavor, compromising their flakiness and the smooth consistency of the filling. If you do freeze them, understand that they won’t taste or have the same texture as fresh pastries when reheated.
If you love all things lemon like we do, try these recipes too! You can also search our site for all recipes containing lemon, we have plenty!
- Garlic Lemon Pepper Rice
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Wraps
- Lemon Key Lime Layer Snack Cakes
- Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
- Lemon Thyme Pork Chops
- No Bake Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Recipe for Lemon Cheesecake Pastry Rolls
Lemon Cheesecake Pastry Rolls
Ingredients
- 8 ounces refrigerated crescent dough
Lemon Cheesecake Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 large egg for egg wash
For the Lemon Glaze
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Unroll and separate crescent roll triangles. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, beat sugar, flour and cream cheese together.
- Add egg yolk and beat until combined.
- Add lemon zest and lemon juice; and blend it all until totally combined.
- Take your freshly made lemon cheesecake filling and spoon by heaping tablespoons onto the wide end of each crescent triangle.
- Roll the crescent triangles tucking the smallest end underneath to hold everything inside.
- Brush the top of each pastry with your egg wash.
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until they are puffed up and golden.
- Remove the baking sheet, and transfer the pastries carefully to a wire rack to cool.
For the Lemon Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Brush the top of each still hot crescent pastry with the lemon glaze. Add more or less depending on taste.
- Allow to set a few minutes and enjoy!
