Easy Blueberry Lemon Skillet Rolls

These rolls are my love letter to blueberry season and honestly, an excuse to eat something gooey and lemony straight from a warm skillet. They’re soft, fluffy yeasted rolls swirled with juicy blueberries, bright lemon zest, and a tangy lemon glaze that drips into all the swirls like a dream. They’re not fussy—promise—and they bake up in a trusty cast-iron skillet so the edges get caramelized and the centers stay tender.

My little crew goes a little feral for these. I’ll pull the skillet from the oven and yell “hot pan!” and somehow four hands are already in there picking at the outer ring. My husband insists “they’re for breakfast” and then mysteriously slices one at 10 p.m. “to make sure they’re good.” The first time I made them, I used frozen blueberries and forgot the cornstarch… we ate them with spoons and zero regrets. Now they’re our Saturday thing, and yes, we always fight over the center roll.

How to Make It

Imagine a cozy morning: warm milk, a little sugar, and yeast doing their bubbly thing. You’ll whisk in an egg and melted butter, then pull the dough together with flour and salt. Knead it until it’s smooth-ish—don’t panic if it’s a tiny bit tacky. Let it puff up in a warm corner (I use my oven with the light on) while you toss blueberries with lemon zest, sugar, and cornstarch. That cornstarch is the difference between swirls and soup.

Roll the dough into a rectangle (we’re not in geometry class; get close), brush with butter, scatter the lemony blueberries, and roll it up snug. It’s messy. Blueberries will escape. You’re doing great. Slice with dental floss or a super sharp knife, tuck the pieces into a buttered skillet, and let them rise again while the oven heats. Bake until golden and bubbly—your kitchen will smell like a blueberry lemonade stand. Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice for a punchy glaze and pour it all over while the rolls are still warm so it sinks in. That’s the move.

✔Ingredient Notes

This module dynamically pulls in recipe-specific ingredients. Follow this exact bullet styling (HTML bold labels only).
– All-purpose flour: Gives structure but still keeps things soft. If your dough feels sticky, dust your counter—not the whole bowl—so you don’t dry it out.
– Yeast (instant or active dry): Either works. If using active dry, bloom it in warm milk with a pinch of sugar until foamy. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast is probably toast.
– Milk: Whole milk makes the dough plush. I’ve used 2% in a pinch—still great. Just keep it warm, not hot, or you’ll ruin the yeast’s day.
– Egg: Adds richness and that pillowy bite. Room temp helps it mix in without shocking the warm milk.
– Butter: Melted in the dough, softened for spreading. Salted butter in the filling is my secret for balance. Don’t @ me.
– Blueberries: Fresh or frozen. If frozen, don’t thaw—toss straight with sugar, zest, and cornstarch to avoid a purple river.
– Lemon zest + juice: Zest goes in the filling; juice in the glaze. Zest right over the berries so the oils hit where they matter.
– Sugar + powdered sugar: Granulated for dough and filling, powdered for the glaze. You can cut the glaze with a splash of milk if it’s too puckery.
– Cornstarch: The superhero that thickens the blueberry juices. Skip it only if you love chaos.
– Cast-iron skillet (10–12 inch): Gives those caramelized edges. A cake pan works too—no one is grading you.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Warm 1 cup milk to just-warm (about 110°F), whisk in 2 1/4 tsp yeast and 1 tbsp sugar, and let foam 5–10 minutes.
2. Stir in 1 egg and 4 tbsp melted butter; add 3 to 3 1/4 cups flour and 1 tsp salt, then knead 5–7 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky; let rise covered until doubled, 60–90 minutes.
3. Toss 2 cups blueberries with 1/3 cup sugar, 1–2 tbsp lemon zest, and 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch; butter a 10–12 inch skillet.
4. Roll dough to a 12×16-inch rectangle, spread with 2 tbsp softened butter, scatter blueberry mixture evenly, and roll up from the long side.
5. Slice into 9–10 pieces (floss trick = clean cuts), arrange in skillet, cover, and let rise 30–45 minutes while preheating oven to 350°F.
6. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling; whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2–3 tbsp lemon juice (plus a splash of milk if needed) and glaze warm rolls.

What to Serve It With

– Hot coffee or strong tea (the lemon sings with it).
– Crispy bacon or salty breakfast sausage to balance the sweet.
– A bowl of Greek yogurt with a handful of granola if you’re doing brunch vibes.
– Vanilla ice cream if this is dessert. No rules in this house.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– If your milk is hotter than bathwater, wait. Hot milk = grumpy, dead yeast.
– Frozen blueberries go in frozen. Thawing equals purple streaks and sog-town.
– Use dental floss to cut clean slices. Knife dragging smears the filling.
– Don’t skimp on the second rise. Under-proofed rolls bake tough.
– If the tops brown too fast, tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
– Let them cool 10 minutes before glazing so it hugs the swirls but doesn’t vanish.

✔Storage Tips

Let leftovers cool, then stash in an airtight container at room temp for 1 day or in the fridge up to 4 days. Rewarm in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes or microwave 15–20 seconds for that fresh-baked squish. They’re dangerously good cold straight from the fridge, and yes, I’ve eaten one for breakfast while packing lunches. Freeze unfrosted rolls (baked) up to 2 months; thaw overnight and re-glaze like nothing happened.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap berries: Blackberries or raspberries work; chop strawberries smaller and add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch.
– Citrus twist: Orange zest instead of lemon is luxe and a little creamsicle-y.
– Cream cheese glaze: Mix 2 oz softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar and lemon juice for a richer vibe.
– Dairy-free: Use almond or oat milk and a good vegan butter; texture stays lovely.
– Less sweet: Reduce filling sugar to 1/4 cup and thin the glaze with extra lemon juice.
– No cast iron: Use a 9-inch cake pan or 9×13 pan (bake 22–28 minutes; watch the edges).
– Out of yeast? Sorry, no true substitute—this recipe needs it. Try a biscuit-style blueberry skillet roll if you’re in a rush.
– Sweetener swaps: Honey or maple syrup can replace granulated sugar in the filling (2–3 tbsp), but expect a touch more moisture—add a bit more cornstarch.

Frequently Asked Questions