Strawberries and Cream Cinnamon Rolls
These strawberries and cream cinnamon rolls have soft dough wrapped around a sweet strawberry filling, all topped with cream cheese icing.
Servings 12 rolls
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- 9x13 inch (23 X 33 cm) baking pan
- mixing bowls
- medium saucepan
- potato masher or immersion blender
- Rolling Pin
- sharp knife or pizza cutter
Ingredients
For the strawberry filling
- ½ cup water (125ml)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 7.5 oz fresh or unsweetened frozen strawberries (213g) (no need to thaw)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70g)
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for dusting optional
For the dough
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon milk (200ml)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30g)
- 1 beaten egg, at room temperature
- 2 ½ -3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1-3 tablespoons more if needed (313-375g)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast (7g or 1 packet) * See Notes below on using different kinds of yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup of heavy cream (83ml)
For the cream cheese icing
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese, full-fat, at room temperature (60g)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (15g)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (60g)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 - 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
Instructions
Make the strawberry filling
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the water and the cornstarch to make a slurry.½ cup water (125ml), 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Add the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon (if using) and stir everything together. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring until the strawberries have softened up a bit.7.5 oz fresh or unsweetened frozen strawberries (213g), ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70g), 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for dusting
- Once the strawberries soften, use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash them up and make them chunky.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium or low. Simmer for about 5 minutes and keep stirring so that it doesn't burn. The strawberries will get darker and the mixture will thicken slightly.
- Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover it and put it in the refrigerator to cool completely. It will get a bit thicker once it has cooled completely.
Make the dough
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk and the butter. Heat it for about 30 - 40 seconds. The milk should be warm, not piping hot. The butter doesn't need to melt completely.¾ cup + 1 tablespoon milk (200ml), 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30g)
- Stir the beaten egg into the milk mixture with a fork. Set aside.1 beaten egg, at room temperature
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook, whisk together the flour, yeast, the sugar, and the salt.2 ½ -3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1-3 tablespoons more if needed (313-375g), 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast (7g or 1 packet), ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70g), 1 teaspoon salt
- Slowly pour the egg/milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed using the dough hook. Alternatively, you can knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface. Continue kneading on medium to medium high speed for about 10-12 minutes until a soft dough forms. The dough should be a bit tacky, but not sticky.
- If the dough is too sticky, add 1-3 tablespoons more flour (a tablespoon at a time) until it's smooth and elastic. In the stand mixer, it will gradually leave the sides of the bowl completely and remain on the hook.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl (I use oil) and grease the dough all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 140℉ / 60℃ for a few minutes and then TURN IT OFF. Please make sure the oven is off!
- Place the dough in the warm oven and let it rise for about 1 – 1 ½ hours.
Roll out and cut the dough
- Lightly butter the pan and set it aside.
- After the dough has risen, transfer it to a lightly floured surface.
- Roll it out into a rectangle, about 14 X 18 inches (36 X 436 cm), with the long side facing you. I use a bench scraper to shape it into a rectangle.
- Give the filling a good stir and then spread it all over the surface. (You can reserve some to serve on top of the rolls, if you prefer.) Sprinkle the top with a little ground cinnamon, if using.
- Cut twelve 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) strips with a pizza cutter so you have a total of 12 rolls.
- Roll each dough strip away from you. Carefully transfer the rolls to the baking pan, four per row, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Let the dough rise a second time
- Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel.
- Let them rise a second time, about 30 minutes, or until they're puffy.
- Meanwhile, turn the oven back on to 350℉ / 180℃.
- Warm the heavy cream until it's lukewarm, but not hot. You just want to heat it enough to lose the chill.
- After the rolls have risen and are puffy, remove the plastic wrap and the kitchen towel and pour the warm heavy cream all over the top.⅓ cup of heavy cream (83ml)
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for about 20– 30 minutes or until they’re just light golden brown and puffy.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes while making the icing.
Make the cream cheese icing
- Beat the butter on high speed until it's soft and fluffy.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (15g)
- Add the powdered sugar and beat on high for a few minutes until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the bowl a few times in between as needed.½ cup powdered sugar (60g)
- Add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat until it's combined. Then add two tablespoons of cream and mix to combine. If you prefer a glaze, add more cream to make it runnier.4 tablespoons cream cheese, full-fat, at room temperature (60g), ¼ teaspoon vanilla, 2 - 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Spread the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Notes
Storage & Reheating
If using active dry yeast, however, you'll need to proof it first. How to Proof Active Dry Yeast Warm the milk. To test if the temperature is right without a thermometer, it should feel comfortably warm on your wrist, not hot. If you have a thermometer, the temperature should be 105°F-115°F / 40°C – 46°C .
Add the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar to the warm milk and give it a little stir. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy and bubbly. Overnight Cinnamon Rolls After the first rise, arrange the rolls in a greased pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, let the rolls sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes to allow for the second rise before baking as directed. Picture Tutorial & Tips I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success. Baking Measurements I have used weight measurements for all the recipes on this website. Even though I have also included American volume measurements for convenience, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh all ingredients for the most accurate measurements. Digital kitchen scales are more precise than cups, which is so important in baking, and they give the most accurate, consistent results. Happy baking! More Strawberry recipes to try! Strawberry Filled Cupcakes Strawberry Apple Crumble Strawberry Filled Vanilla Cake Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Easy No-bake Strawberry Charlotte Cake ©Pastry Wishes
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Keep in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap unfrosted rolls individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Warm unfrosted rolls in a 350°F (180°C) oven for about 10 minutes, covered with foil.
If using active dry yeast, however, you'll need to proof it first. How to Proof Active Dry Yeast Warm the milk. To test if the temperature is right without a thermometer, it should feel comfortably warm on your wrist, not hot. If you have a thermometer, the temperature should be 105°F-115°F / 40°C – 46°C .
Add the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar to the warm milk and give it a little stir. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy and bubbly. Overnight Cinnamon Rolls After the first rise, arrange the rolls in a greased pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, let the rolls sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes to allow for the second rise before baking as directed. Picture Tutorial & Tips I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success. Baking Measurements I have used weight measurements for all the recipes on this website. Even though I have also included American volume measurements for convenience, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh all ingredients for the most accurate measurements. Digital kitchen scales are more precise than cups, which is so important in baking, and they give the most accurate, consistent results. Happy baking! More Strawberry recipes to try! Strawberry Filled Cupcakes Strawberry Apple Crumble Strawberry Filled Vanilla Cake Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Easy No-bake Strawberry Charlotte Cake ©Pastry Wishes
