These strawberry rolls are delicious and sticky, with a sweet taste of strawberries and creaminess. They’re filled with a strawberry filling and strawberry preserves, and topped with a cream cheese glaze. They make a perfect brunch treat!
Think of these strawberry rolls as a fruity twist on cinnamon rolls. They’re bursting with strawberry flavor and make a great treat for special occasions like Mother’s Day. They’re also perfect for a tasty weekend breakfast.
Why This Recipe Works:
- Soft Dough: The dough in this recipe is extra soft due to the incorporation of butter into the flour. As the butter melts during baking, it contributes to the creation of a soft and fluffy roll.
- Strawberry Filling: The filling is a blend of softened butter, sugar, and freeze-dried strawberries, which is generously spread over the dough. This adds a rich strawberry flavor to each bite.
- Strawberry Preserves: A layer of strawberry preserves, similar to a thick jam, is applied on top of the rolls, enhancing the fruity taste and texture.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: To top it off, a cream cheese glaze is drizzled over the rolls because, let’s face it, a roll isn’t complete without that creamy and sweet finishing touch!
Ingredient Notes:
- Milk: Ensure the milk is warmed to 110°F. This temperature activates the yeast, aiding in the rising of the dough.
- Dry Yeast: Opt for active dry yeast in two packets to achieve a better rise in the rolls.
- Eggs: Take the large eggs out two hours before baking to bring them to room temperature.
- Unsalted Butter: Remove all the butter from the fridge two hours before baking.
- Strawberries: Use fresh strawberries for the best flavor.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Look for these in the dried fruit aisle at the store. If unavailable, strawberry jam can be a substitute.
- Cream Cheese: Pull out the cream cheese two hours before baking, and opt for full-fat cream cheese for richness.
- Powdered Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar to prevent a gritty texture in the frosting and to enhance the smooth strawberry flavor.
Baking Tips:
- Flour: Spoon and level the flour when measuring. Plunging the measuring cup into the flour bag can cause it to compact, potentially leading to dry dough.
- Rolling the Dough: When rolling the dough, spread the filling all the way to the short side, but leave a border around the long edges.
- Trimming the Edges: After rolling, trim the uneven edges of the strawberry cinnamon rolls. For uniformity, use a measuring tape to cut the rolls evenly.
- Rising Process: During the first rise, place the rolls in a bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray in a warm oven. This helps achieve a better rise.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: Top the rolls with cream cheese glaze while they’re still hot. This allows the glaze to melt through the cracks and creates a delicious finish.
FAQ:
- Why are my rolls not gooey? If your rolls aren’t gooey, you may have added too much flour. Soft dough is key, and if it’s not soft, it’s likely due to excess flour. Overbaking can also contribute, so consider using a lightly colored pan to prevent the bottoms from baking too much.
- Can I make this overnight? Absolutely! After kneading the dough, place it in a large mixing bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or you can leave it for up to 14 hours.
- Can I prebake these rolls? Yes, you can! Bake for 15 minutes, chill in the fridge, and then finish baking in the morning.
Storing and Freezing:
- Store these strawberry rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Love rolls? Be sure to check out these other delicious roll recipes!
Strawberry Rolls
These strawberry rolls are incredibly soft and gooey, with a delightful taste of strawberry and cream. They’re filled with a sweet strawberry sugar filling and fresh strawberry preserves, then topped off with a luscious cream cheese glaze.
PREP TIME: 1hour
COOK TIME: 25minutes
RESTING TIME: 1 hour 35minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3hours
SERVINGS: 12 rolls
INGREDIENTS
Dough
- 1 cup Milk warmed to 110F
- 2 Packets of dry active yeast equal to 14g
- 2 Large eggs room temperature slightly beaten
- 4 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ cup White granulated sugar
- 10 tbsp Unsalted butter at room temperature and cubed
Strawberry Filling
- ½ cup Unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Brown sugar packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Grounded Freeze dried strawberries Ground the strawberries then measure
Strawberry Preserves
- 2 cups Diced strawberries washed and diced into tiny pieces.
- ⅓ cup White granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp Cornstarch
- 3 tbsp Water
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 oz Cream cheese at room temperature
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups Powdered sugar sifted
- 3 tbsp Milk or Heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
Dough
- Warm the milk in the microwave for 1 minute until it’s around 110°F. Add both yeast packets to the milk and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it foams and activates.
- These instructions are for a stand mixer with a dough hook. If you’re making it by hand, check the recipe notes. In a big mixing bowl, sift the flour and add salt and sugar.
- Put all the cubed butter into the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or fork to make the butter pieces pea-sized.
- Pour the milk/yeast and beaten eggs onto the dry ingredients. Use the dough hook on low speed until a dough forms. Switch to medium speed and knead for around 5 minutes. The dough should be a bit sticky.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F. Spray a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Put the dough in the bowl, cover with a towel, and place it in the oven. Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let it sit for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.
Strawberry Preserves
- Make this quickly so it can cool before using. In a medium saucepan, combine diced strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice. Heat it until the strawberries release their juice, but avoid mashing them. Keep heating until it bubbles and thickens.
- Pour the preserves into a bowl and refrigerate while the dough rises.
Strawberry Filling
- With a hand mixer in a small bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and ground freeze-dried strawberries. Mix until it becomes soft and has a “paste-like” consistency.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Using a hand mixer and a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed for about 1 minute. Then, add in sifted powdered sugar and mix until it becomes smooth. Include vanilla and milk, and continue mixing until it reaches a creamy consistency that can be easily spread on top of the rolls.
Assembly
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s ¼ inch thick and forms a large rectangle.
- Spread the strawberry filling evenly over the dough, ensuring it reaches the edges, using an offset spatula.
- Pour the cooled strawberry preserves on top of the filling, spreading it evenly with a spoon.
- Roll the dough tightly starting from the short side to create as many swirls as possible, even though it might get messy!
- Trim off the uneven ends with a serrated knife and cut the log into 12 even rolls. You can measure them using a tape measure and cut with a gentle sawing motion.
- Spray a 9×13-inch pan with baking spray and place the rolls evenly into the pan. Cover with a towel and let them rise for about 35 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the rolls for 25 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown.
- Spread the cream cheese glaze on top of the hot rolls; the glaze will melt into the cracks. Serve these rolls warm.
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