These Blueberry lemon sticky buns are the ultimate comfort food for winter. They’re soft, fluffy, sweet, zingy and a hot mess to eat- in all the best ways. Indulgence isn’t just in the taste- its in taking the time to work with the pillowy dough and fillings, enjoying the scent of heavenly, freshly baked bread.
Im obsessed with making (and eating) scrolls (or sticky buns). The therapy is in working with the dough, a simple, time honoured skill that soothes the soul for reasons I cannot exactly understand. If you’re new to scroll making- pull up a still and dive in. Its easy, fun and deliciously rewarding!
Here is why you will love these blueberry lemon scrolls
Here is why you will love these blueberry lemon scrolls- Like I said, there is therapy in the journey itself. Kneeding and incubating your dough baby, feeling the stretch and pull of yeasted dough in your hands and baking a delightful yeasted apple scroll its pure soul medicine.
- This is an easy recipe! Follow the steps, and ensure you have FRESH yeast (see below to see how to test if it is active) and the recipe is pretty fail proof.
- The scrolls are chewy, spiced, pillowy, soft, sweet and sticky. Vegan apple pie scroll heaven.
- They are much more affordable than buying from the bakery- frugal homemade recipes are always good idea, but especially during the last 12 months of uncertainty.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questionsGetting this recipe right is really very do-able, however here are a few tips to make sure you get the perfect fluffy apple scrolls the first time you bake them.
1. My yeast is 6 months old, is it ok to use?
Firstly, make sure you are using active dry yeast, not a substitute. Once this yeast has been opened it must be stored in the fridge so if it has been stored in the pantry it won’t be ok. In general if your yeast is more than 4 months old it likely needs to be replaced, but please check the expiration date as even if it has been opened less time it may still be too old to use. Don’t underestimate the power of active yeast- good yeast is imperative to soft and pillowy vegan apple pie scrolls.
To check your yeast, you can add 2 tsp yeast to a cup with 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. After 10 minutes the mixture should be bubbly and the smell should be a pleasant yeasty smell. If this is not the case, discard your yeast and buy a new packet.
2. What sort of jam should I use
It is important to use a good quality jam here- thick, full of blueberries and flavour. You can absolutely make a homemade blueberry chia jam, but avoid syrupy conserves or anything runny (it will be a mess and too sweet).
3. Can I make these vegan
Easily- I have many times. Here are the basic things you need to follow;
- If needed, swap honey for pure maple syrup
- Swap butter for vegan butter or coconut oil
- Swap Greek yoghurt for a plain vegan yoghurt- I have used plain coconut yoghurt, it works perfectly
- Omit the frosting and follow the icing recipe in the next paragraph or swap labneh for coconut yoghurt or vegan cream cheese
4. How do I know the dough has proved enough?
The dough should double in size, however you can use your finger to test the dough. Gently make an indent and if the indent stays in place (or very slowly returns to its original position) the dough is finished proving. For further reading, see this post.
5. I do not have or like labneh, what can you recommend for substitution?
5. I do not have or like labneh, what can you recommend for substitution?I love the labneh Ising for this particular recipe and while it is very easy to make, it does take time. You can substitute labneh for cream cheese or make a simple sugar glaze (see below). Note- you can absolutely leave these delicious blueberry lemon sticky buns unglazed- they are tried, tested and very delicious.
Here is a basic recipe for the sugar glaze;
1.5 cups icing sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla paste
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until shiny, then pour over the top of the warm scrolls.
I hope you enjoy these vegan apple pie scrolls with cream cheese frosting. If you make them we would LOVE an honest review or comment below- it helps us write better recipes and others find our work.
If you are looking for more delicious baked recipes you might like
- Vegan apple pie scrolls with cream cheese frosting
- No bake vegan brownie with almond butter frosting
- Paleo vegan chocolate bread
- Fudgy vegan brownies
- Grain free vegan breakfast cookies
Blueberry lemon sticky buns
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Method: Baking
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
If you want the most sticky, jammy, fluffy and easy blueberry scrolls then here they are! Topped with homemade labneh frosting and quality blueberry jam they are so rewarding to make and share with loved ones.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450g) – 3 1/2 cups plain flour, plus extra*
- 2 tsp (10g) instant dried yeast (see notes)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (125g) Greek yoghurt, at room temperature
- 3 Tbsp (60g) honey
- 1/3 tsp fine salt
- 1 cup (250g) milk of choice (see notes)
Blueberry filling
- 1 small jar jar blueberry jam
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
Labneh frosting
- 125g (1/2 cup) labneh (see recipe card below)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
Make the dough
- I recommend using scales for this recipe, and testing that your yeast is active (ensure your yeast is less than 6 months old). Sift the 450g of flour and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl and make a well. Add in yeast to the well and cover with flour, then add yoghurt, honey and salt to the bowl. Hiding the yeast is important to keep it away from the salt, which would otherwise deactivate the yeast. Set aside.
- Warm the milk in a saucepan until it is around 40-50 C. If you do not have a thermometer you can use your finger to test- the milk should feel fairly warm, but still comfortable and not hot- it absolutely must not be very hot as it will kill the yeast. Pour the warm milk into the flour mix and, using a wooden spoon, combine until the dough becomes too thick to stir. Flour the benchtop and place dough on top. Kneed for 7-15 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth, soft and elastic (more kneeling is generally better, to stretch the gluten and create softer buns), adding more flour only as needed to stop the dough sticking to your hands and the benchtop. Wash out your mixing bowl, dry and then lightly oil. Place dough into the bowl then cover and leave in a warm spot for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. Note– you can use a stand mixer for this whole process. Simply insert the dough hook and mix for around 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. After this point transfer to a bowl as listed above. Note 2: The dough should double in size, however you can use your finger to further test the dough (as it can take significantly longer to rise if not warm enough). Gently make an indent and if the indent stays in place (or very slowly returns to its original position) the dough is finished proving. For further reading, see this post.
Fill the dough
- Grease a large, deep dish baking tray (ours was 33cm x 25cm) with butter or oil and also set this aside. After the dough has risen flour the bench and roll out the dough to a large rectangle. Take time to create an even thickness, around 1/2-1cm thick. You want to create a rectangle and not a square- so aim for a long rectangle.
- Spread around 3/4 of the blueberry jam over the dough. Use a spoon of knife to cover the entire surface, then sprinkle with lemon zest and the blueberries.
- Now it is time to roll the log. Starting from the long end roll up the side to create a long log. You want to roll it fairly tightly, but without squishing the dough. Once you have created a log it is time to cut it into 12 even slices. The best way to do this is with dental floss, though a very sharp knife will work. Place each slice, with the cut side facing up, into the greased tray leaving room between each scroll in a pattern of 3×4. Preheat the oven to 180 C, and set aside the covered tray (cover with a clean tea towel) of scrolls in a warm spot to rise for a further 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Once scrolls have risen brush top with butter then bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the scrolls are lightly golden brown on top. When pressed with your finger they should feel springy. Brush freshly baked scrolls with extra butter to get the nice gloss top- and you can absolutely enjoy them while warm, or allow to cool and follow the next step to frost.
- To make the optional Labneh frosting add labneh, vanilla, maple and lemon juice to a bowl. Whisk together until smooth, then spread on top on cooled scrolls. Add extra swirls of jam or a sprinkling of lemon zest.
- Enjoy these delicious scrolls on the day of making, or store in the fridge for day 2 (You will need to place them in an air tight container). Alternatively, leave them in-frosted to store in the pantry. You can pop them in the microwave for 15s to warm up.
Notes
- I used instant dried yeast- this can be found at any supermarket. Please use instant dried yeast for this recipe
- You can use any milk you desire however as this is an active recipe it is a good idea to use a milk with as few additives as possible, as many ingredients have the opportunity to interfere with the yeast. Homemade nut milk would be a great idea here too.
- You can omit the cream cheese frosting and replace it with a simple glaze. Please see the frequently asked questions in the blog post for a recipe.
Homamade labneh
Description
Labneh is so easy to make yourself at home, and requires only one ingredient; good quality Greek yoghurt.
Ingredients
1 L Greek yoghurt (choose a brand that is preferably organic and free from any other ingredients)
Instructions
- Grab a very clean towel, nut milk bag or muslin cloth. Place this cloth into a sieve, sit the sieve on a small bowl, and pour the yoghurt into the chosen material. The idea here is to strain the yoghurt and also keep the yoghurt protected from the air and the environment. Once all of the yoghurt has been place into your chosen material bunch up the ends and twist- you should have the yoghurt all contained in a ball at the bottom of the towel with the ends twisted at the top so its all self enclosed.
- Now, simply leave the yoghurt to strain for 12-24 hours. Ensure there is plenty of room between the sieve at the base of the bowl that the sieve is sitting in so that the liquid can drain out of ethanol yoghurt and into the bowl. You can do this process either in the pantry or fridge.
- Your labneh is done when it has reached the consistency of a stiff cream cheese. Transfer the thick labneh to a very clean, air tight container in the fridge, for up to 2-3 weeks.
- The liquid collected in the bottom is whey and can also be stored in a clean, air tight jar. Whey is full of living, beneficial bacteria and can be used as a started culture for lactose fermentation. Whey can be stored for up to 6 months in the fridge.
Labneh is a great base to add either sweet or savoury flavours to. Honey and almond, dill and lemon, pistachio and cranberry, orange and almond or whatever else takes your fancy. Simply chop your flavour ingredients and stir through.
I made these this morning for family and followed the recipe.
They turned out really well and were delicious.
This was my first time baking with yeast and loved the process.
Thank you for such a clear recipe and the helpful tips xX
Thank you Eva for the comment- so glad they worked for you. Baking with yeast is fun isn’t it?
hey, love your buns! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Just a question, when you said: “after the dough has risen flour the bench and roll out the dough to a large rectangle” should I kneed the risen dough a little bit before rolling it out? because mine was very sticky to roll out straight away, but I don´t know if that affects the dough then.
Thanks for your time!
Hi lovely. No, you do not knees the dough at this step. It should only be slightly sticky- you’d add a little flour to stop it sticking if so 🙂