Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Step 1: In a medium saucepan combine destemmed strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and grated zest. Heat over medium, stir to release juices, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens.

Step 2: After about 5 minutes of simmering, remove from heat. Break up the fruit with a blender or potato masher, then whisk in the butter until melted and smooth. Chill the filling until needed.

Step 1: Dissolve the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar in warm water. Let sit about 10 minutes until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast may be inactive.

Step 2: In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar and salt. Make a well and add softened butter, eggs, vanilla, warm milk and the yeast mixture. Stir until combined.

Step 3: Use your hands to bring the mixture into a cohesive, slightly sticky dough. It will smooth out as it rests and rises.

Step 4: Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 40 minutes. While it rises, butter a 9″ x 12″ baking pan.

Step 5: Punch down the dough, flatten and fold it a few times until smooth and supple.

Step 6: On a floured surface roll the dough into a large rectangle, roughly 18″ x 24″.

Step 7: Reserve 1/4 cup of the strawberry filling for the glaze. Spread the remaining filling over the dough, leaving a 1″ border. Sprinkle the reserved chopped fresh strawberries over the filling.

Step 8: Starting at the long side, roll the dough into a tight log. Divide the log into 12 equal pieces by marking it in halves and then into thirds.

Step 9: Use unflavored dental floss or string to wrap and pull through the log when cutting—this avoids squashing the rolls and preserves their shape. Place each cut roll into the prepared pan, scooping any escaped filling back on top.

Step 10: Let the rolls rise again in a warm place until puffed, about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden on top. While they bake, prepare the glaze.

Step 1: Beat softened cream cheese with sifted powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Add the reserved 1/4 cup strawberry sauce to the cream cheese and beat until fully combined. The glaze will be slightly runny, perfect for seeping into the rolls.

Step 3: Let the baked rolls cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Spread the glaze over the warm rolls so it settles into the crevices. Serve best while warm.

✔️ Expert tips

1. Measure flour accurately: Use a kitchen scale when possible. If not, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it—don’t pack it down.
2. Handle the dough minimally: Less handling keeps the rolls tender; avoid over-kneading.
3. Cut with floss or string: This prevents compressing the spirals and keeps each roll rounded and neat.
4. Allow proper rising: Both rises are important—don’t skip them. They create the light, pull-apart texture you want.

Yes. The dough will be fairly sticky after mixing. It firms up as the flour hydrates during the rise. If it seems excessively runny (more like batter), add a little flour until it resembles a dough.

If the yeast mixture didn’t foam after blooming in warm water and sugar, the yeast may be inactive. Try a fresh packet of yeast and ensure the water temperature is warm, not hot.

A warm, draft-free spot is ideal. A common method is to preheat the oven to its lowest temperature for a few minutes, then turn it off and place the covered dough inside. Keep the oven below 55°C (130°F) to avoid killing the yeast.

Use unflavored dental floss or a piece of string. Wrap it under the log where you want to cut, cross the ends over the top and pull to slice cleanly without squashing the roll.

Mark the log in half, then mark each half in half, and finally divide the remaining sections into thirds. This yields twelve even pieces before cutting with floss.

Frozen berries are fine for the cooked filling since they break down during simmering. For the chopped berries folded into the dough, fresh strawberries give better texture. If you must use frozen for that step, do not thaw them first.

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

Mary

Equipment

• 9 by 13 inch baking pan (9 by 12 also works)

Ingredients

Filling

• 3 cups strawberries, destemmed and chopped (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup cold butter

Dough

• ½ cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (7 g or 1 packet)
• 5 cups all-purpose flour (600 g)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup very soft butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup warm milk
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped (for rolling)

Strawberry cream cheese glaze

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• ¼ cup reserved strawberry filling

Instructions

Filling

1. Combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt and zest in a saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring, until the mixture simmers and thickens.
2. Remove from heat after about 5 minutes, break up the fruit, whisk in butter and refrigerate the filling until ready to use.

Dough

1. Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
2. In a large bowl mix flour, ⅓ cup sugar and salt. Make a well and add butter, eggs, vanilla, warm milk and yeast mixture. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
3. Use hands to bring the dough together, cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 40 minutes. Butter a 9″ x 12″ pan while dough rises.
4. Punch down the dough, fold a few times until smooth, then roll out on a floured surface to about 18″ x 24″.
5. Reserve ¼ cup of the filling for the glaze. Spread the remaining filling over the dough, leaving a 1″ border, and sprinkle with the chopped fresh strawberries.
6. Roll the dough from the long edge into a log, divide into 12 equal pieces and cut using unflavored floss or string. Place rolls in the prepared pan and scoop any spilled filling back on top.
7. Let rise about 15 minutes until puffed. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake 25–30 minutes, until golden. Prepare glaze while the rolls bake.

Strawberry cream cheese glaze

1. Beat softened cream cheese with sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Add the reserved ¼ cup strawberry filling and mix until combined.
2. Let baked rolls cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then spread the glaze over the warm rolls. Serve warm.

Notes

Nutrition