Don’t get me wrong: I love a classic cinnamon roll. But when I’m in the mood for something a little lighter and brighter, I always turn to these lemon poppy seed sweet rolls. The plush, buttery dough is studded with poppy seeds; the sugary filling is flavored with lemon zest; and the tangy cream cheese glaze is made with poppy seeds, lemon zest and lemon juice, ensuring every single bite is packed with lemon poppy seed flavor. They’re fluffy, lofty and not too sweet — which means seconds are a requirement.

3 tips for the best-ever lemon poppy seed sweet rolls

1. Make the dough the night before. Instead of letting the cut rolls rise at room temperature, pop them in the fridge to rise slowly overnight. The next morning, all you have to do is turn on the oven and bake. Instant gratification!

2. Use dental floss to cut the dough. Slicing the rolls with a knife is a surefire way to smoosh them. Instead, take a foot-long piece of unflavored dental floss and slide it under the dough log. Bring the ends up and around the log and pull together until the roll easily separates.

3. Glaze them twice. This is a tip I learned from Sarah Keiffer: Pour half the glaze over the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven, then add the rest 10 minutes later. This allows the glaze to seep into all the nooks and crannies, keeps the rolls moist and infuses each bite with zesty lemon flavor.

Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls

Makes 15 rolls

For the dough:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

1 cup whole milk

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