Description
Delightfully sweet and fragrant strawberry cinnamon rolls featuring a soft yeast dough rolled with a luscious homemade strawberry filling and topped with a creamy strawberry cream cheese glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a special dessert treat that blends the classic cinnamon roll concept with fresh strawberry flavors.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 260 ml (1 cup) warm milk
- 10 g (1 tbsp) instant dry yeast
- 540 g (4 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 65 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 80 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, very soft
Strawberry Filling
- 250 g (1 ¾ cups) fresh or frozen strawberries
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- Juice of half a lemon
Strawberry Cream Cheese Glaze
- 100 g (½ cup) cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia recommended)
- 40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 60 g (½ cup) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp strawberry puree, cold (from the filling)
Instructions
- Make the Strawberry Filling: Place the fresh or frozen strawberries in a saucepan with the lemon juice and granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cool.
- Prepare the Dough: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, salt, and instant dry yeast. Mix briefly to combine. Add the warm milk, softened butter, and the egg. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes on medium speed until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft but not overly sticky. Cover with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Roll and Fill the Dough: Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll out the risen dough to form a large rectangle approximately 40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 inches). Spread the cooled strawberry filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a small border at one of the longer edges. Starting from the opposite long edge, gently but firmly roll the dough into a tight log. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 even strips.
- Second Rise and Bake: Arrange the cut rolls in a large, greased baking dish (a 9×13 inch dish works well), leaving a little space between each roll. Cover the dish again with a clean cloth and let the rolls rise for another 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until visibly puffy. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the rolls for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are lightly golden brown on top and soft to the touch. Remove from oven and let them cool slightly in the dish.
- Prepare the Glaze: While the rolls are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and the cold strawberry puree with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes, until the glaze is smooth, creamy, and a beautiful light pink color. Adjust sweetness or thickness if desired by adding more powdered sugar or a tiny bit more milk.
- Glaze and Serve: Spread the freshly made strawberry cream cheese glaze generously over the slightly warm cinnamon rolls. The warmth of the rolls will allow the glaze to melt slightly and seep into all the nooks and crannies. Serve immediately and enjoy the warm, sweet, and tangy flavors!
Notes
- Ensure the milk is warm, not hot, to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- For best results, use fresh strawberries, but frozen works well if thawed and drained.
- You can prepare the strawberry filling a day ahead and refrigerate it to save time.
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened for easy mixing and smooth glaze.
- Use unflavored dental floss to cut rolls cleanly without squashing them.
- Allow rolls to cool slightly before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting too much.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, reheat gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
