Fill your home with the delicious aroma of a bakery with this amazing No yeast Lemon Curd Rolls (Belgian buns). A classic British bake, these rolls are filled with tangy lemon curd and juicy sultanas or raisins, then topped off with glaze icing and a cherry on top.
Traditionally, these rolls call for yeast and eggs, but my recipe skips it while maintaining their delicious flavor and soft texture.
They are incredibly simple to prepare and only require a few easy-to-find ingredients
Visual Instructions
(so you can see what the recipe should look like at each step)
The full printable recipe with amounts and instructions are at the end of this post.
For the Dough
Step 1: Combine 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 2 ½ Tablespoons white granulated sugar, 3 level teaspoons baking powder and salt in a large bowl then add the butter.
Step 2: Use your fingertips or a fork to mix the butter into the flour mixture.
Step 3: Pour in the ¾ cup of milk.
Step 4: Use a spatula or hands to form a soft dough.
Shaping and filling the dough
Step 5: Turn out onto a well-floured surface and shape the dough with your hands to form approximately an 8x12 inch (20x30cm) rectangle. (see tips below)
Step 6: Spread ½ cup (120g) lemon curd on top of the dough in an even layer. (see tips below for alternative)
Sprinkle the raisins or cranberries over the lemon curd (optional). Feel free to omit them if you don't like raisins or cranberries
Step 7:Starting with the longer edge, gently roll the dough into a long and tight roll.
Step 8: Cut the roll into 9 pieces, each about 1½ inches (4cm) thick. Carefully transfer them to the baking sheet and gently press them down a little.
Bake
Step 9: Carefully transfer them to the baking sheet
Step 10: Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the baking sheet around in the oven and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cover (see tips below)
Glace icing
- Step 11: Add powdered sugar and hot water or milk in a small bowl.
- Step 12: Whisk until thick and smooth.
Step 13: After 10 to 15 minutes, uncover the buns. While they're still warm, spread or drizzle some glace icing on each bun. The slight warmth helps the glaze soak into the buns, making them tastier and softer
Finish by adding a whole or half candied cherry on top of each bun.
Storage
At room temperature: For up to 1 day in an airtight container
Refrigerate: For up to three days in an airtight container.
Reheating guidelines
These rolls are best enjoyed warm whether stored at room temperature or refrigerated
Use the microwave or air fryer to reheat or warm (which also softens during reheating) You can reheat the rolls with the glace icing without the risk of it melting off.
- Reheating in the microwave
Place the rolls on a microwave safe plate. Cover with a moist paper towel.Individual Roll - Reheat for 20-25 seconds.Multiple Rolls - Reheat in 30 second increments until warmed through.
- Reheating in the air fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place rolls in a parchment paper liner and place in the air fryer basket and close the door. Alternatively, wrap them in aluminum foil instead of using parchment paper. Using the reheat setting, reheat them at 350°F (180°C) for 2 minutes.
Tips for No Yeast Lemon Curd Rolls (Belgian Buns)
- You can use store bought lemon curd or my easy 5 ingredient Eggless Lemon Curd for this recipe
- If you prefer, apricot or peach jam serves as an excellent alternative to lemon curd.
- These rolls use baking powder to rise. Pressing or patting out the dough into its rectangular shape, instead of rolling it out helps maintain the air created by the baking powder. This results in a lighter texture. Rolling can push out the air, resulting in denser baked rolls.
- After taking the buns out of the oven, leave them in the pan and cover it for about 10 minutes with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a clean cloth to trap steam and maintain their softness.
Enjoy 😋
Recipe
No Yeast Lemon Curd Rolls (Belgian Buns)
For the dough
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all purpose (plain flour)
- 2 ½ Tablespoons (25g) white granulated sugar
- 3 level teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (80g) cold salted or unsalted butter (cubed or grated)
- ¾ cup 180ml milk (if cold, warm in microwave or stovetop for 1 ½ minutes)
For the filling
- ½ cup (120g) lemon curd, store bought or homemade (see note 1 for alternative)
- ⅓ cup (60g) raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
For the glace icing
- 1 cup (150g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 2 ½ Tablespoons hot water or milk (see note 3)
- 9 whole or halved candied cherries (for topping) (glace cherries)
- Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat it to 350° F / 177° C (160° C fan).
- Lightly grease an 8-inch square or round baking pan with butter or baking spray and line it with parchment paper.
Make the dough
- Combine flour, white granulated sugar,baking powder and salt in a large bowl then add the butter.
- Use your fingertips or a fork to mix the butter into the flour mixture.
- Pour in the milk and use a spatula or hands to form a soft dough.
- Turn out onto a well-floured surface and shape the dough with your hands to form approximately an 8x12 inch (20x30cm) rectangle. Avoid using a rolling pin (see note 2)
Filling
- Spread store bought or homemade lemon curd on top of the dough in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the raisins or cranberries (if using) Feel free to omit them if you don't like raisins or cranberries
Shape
- Starting with the longer edge, gently roll the dough into a long and tight roll.
- Cut the roll into 9 pieces, each about 1½ inches (4cm) thick. Carefully transfer them to the baking sheet and gently press them down a little.
Bake
- Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the baking sheet around in the oven and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
- After taking the buns out of the oven, leave them in the pan and cover it for about 10 minutes with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a clean cloth to trap steam and maintain their softness.
Make the glace icing
- Add powdered sugar and hot water or milk in a small bowl.
- Whisk until thick and smooth.
- Uncover the buns, and while they're still warm, spread or drizzle some glace icing on each bun. The slight warmth helps the glaze soak into the buns, making them tastier and softer
- Finish by adding a whole or half candied cherry on top of each bun.
- Serve plain, sliced and buttered or with a spread of extra lemon curd
Storage
- At room temperature: For up to 1 day in an airtight container
- Refrigerate: For up to three days in an airtight container.
Reheating
- These rolls are best enjoyed warm whether stored at room temperature or refrigerated
- Use the microwave or air fryer to reheat or warm (which also softens during reheating) You can reheat the rolls with the glace icing without the risk of it melting off.
- Microwave: Place the rolls on a microwave safe plate. Cover with a moist paper towel. Reheat for 20-25 seconds increments until warmed through.
- Air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place rolls in a parchment paper liner and place in the air fryer basket and close the door. Alternatively, wrap them in aluminum foil instead of using parchment paper. Using the "reheat" setting, reheat them at 350°F (180°C) for 2 minutes.
- You can use store bought lemon curd or my easy 5 ingredient Eggless Lemon Curd for this recipe . If you prefer, apricot or peach jam serves as an excellent alternative to lemon curd. These rolls use baking powder to rise.
- These rolls use baking powder to rise. Pressing or patting out the dough into its rectangular shape, instead of rolling it out helps maintain the air created by the baking powder. This results in a lighter texture. Rolling can push out the air, resulting in denser baked rolls.
- To make the glace icing thinner, use more hot water; for a thicker glace, use less hot water.
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