Sunrise Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls

• 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough — brought to room temperature
• As needed all-purpose flour — for dusting the work surface
• 3 tablespoons butter — melted, plus more for greasing the baking dish
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon — ground
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest — finely grated
• ½ cup raisins

Lemon Glaze

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice — plus up to 1 tablespoon more as needed

1. Prepare the Baking Dish: Remove the pizza dough from its packaging and let it stand at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, until cool but flexible. Lightly grease an 11x7-inch baking dish with butter.1 lb pizza dough, butter for greasing
2. Roll the Dough: Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 14x10-inch rectangle of even thickness. If the dough springs back, cover it and let it rest 10 minutes before finishing the rectangle.all-purpose flour for dusting, 1 lb pizza dough
3. Add the Filling: Brush the dough evenly with melted butter. In a small bowl combine the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dough. Scatter the raisins across the surface, leaving a ½-inch border uncovered along the far long edge.3 tbsp butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp lemon zest, ½ cup raisins
4. Roll and Slice: Starting from the filled long side, roll the dough snugly into a log without stretching it. Pinch the bare edge against the log to seal. Mark the log into 12 equal sections, then cut with a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss. Arrange the rolls cut-side up in three rows of four in the prepared baking dish.
5. Rise and Preheat: Cover the baking dish loosely with a clean towel and let the rolls rise in a warm place for 30–45 minutes, until visibly puffy and a gentle press springs back slowly. During the final 20 minutes, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Bake: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the rolls are light golden, no raw dough line remains in the center spirals, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a center roll registers about 190–195°F. If the tops brown too quickly, cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
7. Make the Glaze: In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. Add additional lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time, using only enough for the glaze to fall from the whisk in a thick ribbon.½ cup powdered sugar, 1–2 tbsp lemon juice
8. Finish and Serve: Let the rolls cool in the baking dish for about 10 minutes. Drizzle or brush the lemon glaze over the warm rolls and serve warm.