Blueberry Breakfast Buns with Zesty Lemon Icing

These dairy-free blueberry breakfast buns are a bit like cinnamon rolls. But instead of cinnamon, they have a bright lemon blueberry filling, zest is infused in the dough, and they are drizzled with a tangy lemon icing. The fruity flavors beckon to summer, but these sweet rolls are also comforting in the cooler months, when fresh lemons are at their peak.

Add Zest to Your Day with Dairy-Free Blueberry Breakfast Buns

These dairy-free blueberry breakfast buns were an entry in a recipe contest that we held about a decade ago. The recipe was created by Pam Correll. We recently updated the recipe, added nutrition facts, and I have answers to some FAQ’s below.

What Type of Milk Alternative Should I Use in This Recipe?

In terms of flavor, an unsweetened, plain, or vanilla variety should work great. As for the type, whatever you typically have on hand should work fine. I often use almond milk in recipes like this one, but oat milk, soy milk, or another type should work fine. In a pinch, you could even use water.

What Vegan Butter Do You Recommend?

I currently use Country Crock plant butter sticks for most of my cooking, even when it calls for buttery spread. They are versatile for cooking and baking, have a nice lightly salted flavor, are readily available at most of the stores in my local area, and are one of them are affordable options. In this recipe you can use your favorite buttery spread or buttery sticks. Most brands should work well.

How Many Lemons Will I Need for This Recipe?

You will need about two medium to large lemons for both the juice and the zest. I would purchase three, just in case one of your lemons isn’t juicy enough. Make sure to zest the lemons before juicing them.

Can I Use Substitute Bottled Lemon Juice Instead?

Fresh lemons are preferred in this recipe so that you have the lemon zest and the fresher flavor from the lemon. If you opt to use bottled lemon juice, you won’t have any lemon zest, and the flavor will be a little different.

Can I Substitute Gluten-Free Flour for The Flour?

Yeast-based recipes aren’t as simple as some other baked goods with gluten free flour. I can’t recommend this substitution without testing it. You would need to add more gluten-free flour to create workable dough, which can make the buns dry. I would use the dough from a recipe like this one instead. https://iowagirleats.com/gluten-free-cinnamon-rolls-recipe/#recipe-card

Can I Use Frozen Blueberries?

Yes, you can!  Put them on your dough while still frozen, to help avoid too much juice bleeding while you are rolling the buns. If using frozen, you can mix things up with wild blueberries. They are only sold frozen, and have a more intense flavor than fresh blueberries.

Can I Substitute Other Fruit?

You can definitely substitute other berries, like raspberries or blackberries. Either will go nicely with the zesty lemon throughout these sweet rolls.

The Dough Didn’t Rise. What Happened?

Your yeast was most likely expired or no longer active. To avoid wasting ingredients, make sure that your yeast foams up in the milk alternative. If you store your yeast in the refrigerator or freezer, it might take longer for it to foam up in the warm water (15 to 20 minutes). If it doesn’t foam up, then your yeast is most likely inactive. Discard it and start over.

Can I Make These Dairy Free Blueberry Breakfast Buns Ahead?

Yes, you can prepare them the night before. Once you’ve placed the raw buns in the baking pan, just before the second rising, cover them and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, put the rolls on the counter to warm up while your oven is preheating. Bake as directed.

Special Diet Notes: Blueberry Breakfast Buns

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose a milk alternative and butter alternative that suit your dietary needs.

For egg-free and vegan blueberry breakfast buns, substitute your favorite powdered egg replacer or about a scant 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed banana for the egg. See our Egg Substitute Guide for even more options.

Pam Correll

Dairy-Free Blueberry Breakfast Buns

5 from 1 vote

Sweet blueberries and zesty lemon offer a bright twist to classic cinnamon rolls. These buns come together relatively quickly, but the Prep time is hands on time only. Allow two to three hours for the dough to rise. This is a great recipe to bake while puttering around the house.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 24 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 4 minutes mins

Servings: 12 iced buns

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 287

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

Breakfast Bun Dough

• ⅔ cup dairy-free milk alternative
• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 (.25-ounce) packet)
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons dairy-free buttery spread or sticks softened
• 1 egg see post above for vegan option
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour divided, plus additional for kneading

Lemon-Blueberry Filling

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup dairy-free buttery spread or sticks softened
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 cups fresh blueberries

Lemon Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons dairy-free buttery spread or sticks melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest for garnish (optional)

Method

 

Breakfast Bun Dough

1. Heat the milk alternative until the warm, 100 to 110°F. Stir in the yeast and about 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy.
2. In a large bowl, mix the remainder of the 1/3 cup sugar, butter alternative, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt until combined. Add the yeast mixture and mix for 1 minute. Add about half the flour and mix for 1 minute. Dump in the remaining flour and stir to make a soft dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let set in a warm place for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Lemon-Blueberry Filling

1. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, butter alternative, flour, and lemon zest until it forms a paste.
2. Roll the sweet roll dough out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin to form a rectangle measuring 12x16-inch.
3. Spread the lemon paste over the dough rectangle and distribute the fresh blueberries on top.
4. Roll the dough up tightly from the long end, and slice the log into 12 equal pieces.
5. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
6. Place the blueberry rolls, cut sides up in your prepared baking dish.
7. Cover and let the rolls sit in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
8. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
9. Bake the buns for 24 minutes, or until lightly browned.
10. Remove the pan to a cooling rack and let the buns cool in the pan while you make the icing.

Lemon Icing

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter alternative, and lemon juice until smooth.
2. Drizzle the icing over the warm rolls for a glaze, or let the rolls cool first for an iced finish.
3. Sprinkle the lemon zest atop the iced blueberry breakfast buns, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1iced bunCalories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 52.5gProtein: 4.2gFat: 7.1gSaturated Fat: 1.3gSodium: 193mgFiber: 1.7gSugar: 26.9g

Notes

High Altitude Note: Yeast breads tend to rise more quickly and more vigorously at high altitude (above 3000 feet). You might only need 30 minutes to an hour for the dough to double in size. If your dough rises too much it can make the breakfast buns taste a bit yeasty.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Also try these Old-Fashioned Blueberry Muffins!