London Fog Rolls
Indulge in these cozy, tea-infused London Fog Rolls. Soft, fluffy brioche dough is swirled with Earl Grey sugar and topped with a creamy vanilla bean glaze.
- Milk-Steeping Extraction: Steeping the Earl Grey tea in warm milk extracts the water-soluble bergamot and black tea flavors efficiently, ensuring a deep, authentic tea flavor throughout the dough.
- Double-Infused Glaze: Using real vanilla bean paste alongside a touch of concentrated Earl Grey tea in the glaze creates a multi-dimensional flavor profile that mimics a true coffeehouse London Fog latte.
- High-Fat Brioche Base: Incorporating softened butter gradually into the kneaded dough strengthens the gluten network while keeping the crumb incredibly soft, pillowy, and moist for days.
I still remember the exact Tuesday morning my kitchen smelled like a rainy day in Vancouver, all because of a spilled tin of loose-leaf Earl Grey. I was trying to rush through a yeast dough while balancing a lukewarm mug of tea.
My flour-dusted hands accidentally pressed the stray leaves straight into the soft butter waiting on my worn cutting board.
It was a beautiful disaster.
My first deliberate attempt at turning this accident into actual sweet rolls failed because I tried steeping the tea directly in hot butter. Fat is a terrible solvent for extracting the delicate, water-soluble flavor compounds of black tea. This brand of logic failed every single test because it left the dough tasting like bitter, oily grass instead of cozy citrus.
The simple fix is to steep the tea in warm whole milk first to draw out those floral bergamot notes. Think about this in terms of physics: the water in milk extracts the tea, while the fat carries the flavor.
Bear with me here, it works.
If you love cozy baking, these rolls are a natural next step after mastering our Cinnamon Roll Muffins. They bring that same pillowy texture with a sophisticated tea-infused twist.
London Fog Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 3 tablespoons loose-leaf Earl Grey tea (divided)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup (66g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, very soft (for filling)
- 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Directions
- Heat the whole milk in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer, then remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of loose-leaf Earl Grey tea. Let steep for 10 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing the leaves to extract all the liquid. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the steeped milk for the glaze, and let the rest cool to warm (about 110°F/43°C).
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm tea-infused milk, yeast, and granulated sugar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until frothy.
- Whisk in the eggs. Add the flour and Diamond Crystal kosher salt, then mix with a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
- Add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, letting each piece fully incorporate. Knead on medium-low speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or by hand on a lightly floured surface, until your forearms ache and the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, prepare the filling by mixing the soft butter, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves in a medium bowl until a smooth paste forms.
- Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 12x18-inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
- Roll the dough tightly from the long edge into a log. Cut into 12 equal slices using unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife.
- Place the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and let rise for another 30 to 45 minutes until puffy. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the rolls for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown. While baking, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, and reserved tea-infused milk to create the glaze. Spread the glaze over the warm rolls immediately after baking.
Notes
- Salt Conversion: This recipe specifies Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using fine table salt or Morton's kosher salt, cut the volume in half (use 1/2 teaspoon) to avoid over-salting the delicate dough.
- Milk Scalding Science: Heating the milk to a near-boil before steeping the tea serves a dual purpose. It extracts the tea flavors, but it also denatures the whey proteins in the milk, which would otherwise weaken the gluten structure and prevent the rolls from rising into pillowy domes.
- Grinding the Tea: When preparing the filling, ensure your loose-leaf Earl Grey is ground to an ultra-fine powder using a clean spice grinder. If the pieces are too large, they won't dissolve into the butter-sugar mixture and will create an unpleasant, sandy texture in the baked rolls.
- Yeast Temperature: Always ensure the tea-infused milk has cooled down to between 105°F and 115°F (40°C to 46°C) before adding the yeast. Anything hotter than 120°F (49°C) will kill the yeast, resulting in dense, flat rolls.
- Starch Retrogradation: Avoid storing these rolls in the refrigerator. The cold temperature accelerates starch retrogradation, recrystallizing the starch molecules and making the bread taste stale much faster; keep them at room temperature instead.
Serving Suggestions
These sweet, aromatic rolls are best enjoyed warm, ideally alongside a hot beverage that complements their floral notes. Here are a few ways to serve them:
- Pair with a hot cup of black tea or a classic London Fog latte to double down on the bergamot flavor.
- Serve them as a decadent brunch centerpiece alongside a fresh fruit salad like our Blueberry Peach Feta Salad.
- If you want a cozy afternoon spread, serve these alongside a slice of moist Chai Cake for the ultimate tea-lover's tea party.
- Drizzle with extra warm glaze right before serving to give your guests that gooey, bakery-style experience.
- For a savory contrast, serve these sweet rolls alongside a high-protein breakfast option like our Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Muffins.
Storage and Reheating
To keep these rolls soft and pillowy, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Do not put them in the fridge, as the cold air dries out the crumb.
For longer storage, freeze them instead.
Wrap individual unglazed rolls tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. They will keep beautifully for up to two months.
When you are ready to indulge, reheat a single roll in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. This quickly gelatinizes the starches again, restoring that fresh-out-of-the-oven softness. If reheating a whole batch, cover the baking dish with foil and warm at 300°F (150°C) for 10 minutes.
Ingredient Substitutes
If you need to adapt this recipe based on what is currently in your pantry, here are a few tested substitutions that work beautifully:
- Earl Grey Tea: If you don't have Earl Grey, you can substitute black tea or even use the spices from our Chai Cake for a spiced alternative.
- Whole Milk: Oat milk makes an excellent dairy-free substitute for steeping the tea, as its natural creaminess mimics the fat content of dairy milk.
- All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour can be used in a 1:1 ratio for an even chewier, more bakery-style roll texture.
- Active Dry Yeast: Instant yeast works perfectly; simply skip the proofing step and mix it directly into the dry ingredients.
I hope these rolls bring a little bit of quiet, fragrant comfort to your next lazy weekend morning. Let me know in the comments if you try them, and don't forget to save a little extra glaze for dipping!
Susan Rosie
I've spent over 12 years perfecting recipes so you can cook with confidence. Every dish on Storied Skillet is tested multiple times – because your dinner matters. I believe in simple ingredients, clear instructions, and big flavors.
Learn More About Me →