Strawberries & Cream Cinnamon Rolls with Strawberry Glaze

These strawberry cinnamon rolls are super soft and delicious – a fun twist on cinnamon rolls and the perfect breakfast or sweet treat for any occasion!

My kids absolutely love strawberries (and so do I).  Whether it’s fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, strawberry smoothies – they love it all!  This recipe was inspired by our love of all things strawberry flavor.  These sweet rolls are made with a brioche-type dough so they’re super soft (it’s actually just my favorite instant yeast all-purpose dough I use for burger buns too!).

These strawberry rolls with a pink strawberry filling are especially popular around Valentine’s Day when all things pink and red are on the menu in my kitchen.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This is a super quick recipe – it only takes 2 hours from start to finish if you’ve got a warm place to proof the dough, the perfect easy recipes for a weekend breakfast.
• These strawberry rolls are made with a kind of brioche dough which makes super soft, fluffy, and airy inside – the dough can be used for any kind of sweet roll!
• This dough is incredibly versatile and can be used for making cinnamon rolls, bread, dinner rolls, and all kinds of delicious baked goods.

In this video I’m making these delicious strawberry rolls as I await the arrival of baby #5!

What You’ll Need to Make Strawberry Rolls

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

• 1/4 cup (60 grams) warm whole milk
• 1 cup (240 grams) warm water
• 1 tablespoon (12 grams) instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 3 1/4 cups (406 grams) all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 1.5 teaspoons (9 grams) salt
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
• (**for pouring over the strawberry rolls before baking: 1/2 cup heavy cream)

?STRAWBERRY FILLING

• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

STRAWBERRY ICING

• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup sweet strawberry jam

TOOLS

• large bowl or stand mixer with a dough hook attachment
• small bowl
• rolling pin
• piece of thread or unflavored dental floss
• offset spatula
• cast iron skillet or greased 9×13 baking dish

Step-By-Step Instructions

*If you’ll be using active dry yeast, you’ll need to activate it before adding the flour. To do this, just add the warm milk, water, sugar, and active dry yeast to the large bowl, whisk it all together, and wait 15 minutes until it’s foamy before adding the remaining ingredients.*

Prepare the dough

Add all of the dough ingredients to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until everything comes together and all the flour is incorporated into the dough.  

If you’re using a stand mixer, knead the dough on low speed for 5 minutes at this point.  If mixing by hand, cover the dough in the bowl and let it rest for 5 minutes before kneading, which will make it much easier to handle.  After a 5-minute dough rest, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, it should still be just a little sticky.

Let the dough rise

Shape the dough into a tight ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl for the first rise at room temperature.  Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place it in a warm spot or proofing box for faster rise time.

While the dough is rising, make the strawberry filling by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl – set aside.

After about 30-45 minutes of rising time, once the dough has doubled in size, punch the top of the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into an 18×12-inch rectangle.

Assembly & Second Rise

Use a spoon or spatula to spread the strawberry filling evenly over the rolled-out dough.  Then roll it up tightly, and use thread, dental floss, or a sharp knife to cut 12 1.5-inch rolls.

Place the strawberry rolls into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or greased 9×13-inch baking dish, cover, and wait 30-45 minutes for them to double in size.

Bake the Strawberry Rolls

Once the strawberry rolls have doubled in size, pour the heavy cream over them and bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 20 minutes or until the tops are barely golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, whisk together the frosting ingredients, then pour the strawberry icing over the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.  Serve warm.

FAQ

How do I make homemade cinnamon rolls soft and tender?

Start with a buttery dough like a brioche dough, be sure to knead well, and pour some heavy cream over top of the cinnamon rolls right before baking for the best results.

Can I make strawberry rolls ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough and assemble the rolls in advance. After the first rise, roll. out the dough, add the filling, cut the rolls, and place them on a baking sheet. Cover them tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let them come to room temperature and rise before baking.

What can I use if I don’t have instant yeast?

If you don’t have instant yeast, just use active dry yeast. But make sure to activate it in the warm water, milk, and sugar before adding the rest of the dough ingredients. 

Tips

Don’t skimp on kneading

Knead the dough thoroughly to develop the gluten and create a smooth, elastic texture. This helps to give sweet rolls a soft, tender crumb.

Storage

Strawberry rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for a week, they are not best frozen.

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