Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
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Start your morning on a high note with these Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing. Packed with the juicy goodness of strawberry jam, fresh strawberries and enveloped in a tender, fluffy dough, these rolls are a delightful treat. Perfect for those leisurely weekend breakfast or brunches.
Strawberry Rolls With Cream Cheese Icing
Is there anything that rings in the weekend better than a sweet, scrumptious breakfast loaded with fresh berries? I think not! These dreamy rolls combine fluffy dough with luscious strawberry jam and fresh strawberries, topped with a rich, creamy icing that perfectly complements the sweet tang. They are also so easy to whip together, just a handful ingredients you probably already have are all you need. Seriously. I’ve been making these rolls for years and I know they’re fool proof!
Pro Tip
Patience is key! Make sure your dough is proofed properly. Letting the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in size is crucial for achieving that wonderfully soft and fluffy texture. If you’re short on time, warm your oven for a minute, turn it off, then place your dough inside—this little trick speeds up the rising process without overdoing it.
- Milk: Make sure the milk is lukewarm. Lukewarm basically means the milk is between 98℉ and 105℉ (36.5°C to 40.5°C). I used whole milk (3.25%) but you can use whatever is in your fridge.
- Active dry yeast: You can use instant yeast if that’s what you have. If you use instant, you won’t need to bloom it first, but it’s a good idea to test if it’s still alive. If your yeast doesn’t foam up your yeast is dead and the bread won’t turn out.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and enriches the dough’s texture. For a vegan option, try a flax egg.
- Sugar: Sweetens the dough. Honey or maple syrup are great alternatives if you prefer natural sweeteners.
- Margarine or butter: Unsalted as always. Unsalted butter gives us control on how much sodium is in our food. You can also use margarine, but butter is best.
- All-purpose flour: I used all-purpose flour for this. You can also use bread flour can be used for a chewier texture.
- Salt: We always need to add a bit of salt to our baked goods, to bring out all the flavors. Salt basically makes everything taste better.
- Strawberries: You’ll need to chop up some fresh strawberries into tiny pieces. You can also use frozen strawberries, but that them first completely.
- Strawberry jam: Intensifies the strawberry flavor in the filling. Any berry jam can be substituted depending on what you have on hand.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is what you’ll want to use.
- Powdered sugar – This is also known as icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar.
- Cream cheese – Make sure it’s at room temperature. I always use Philadelphia cream cheese.
- Vanilla extract – Just a bit to add a touch of vanilla in the icing.
- Salt – A little bit is all you need to bring out all the flavors.
Start by warming your milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds. This helps activate the yeast, which is crucial for your dough to rise properly. After heating, stir in the yeast and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it dissolves completely. You can also add about a teaspoon of sugar to help it along.
In the bowl of you stand mixer, combine the flour, salt and sugar together. To it, add the butter, egg and the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the mixture for about 3 to 5 minutes. You’re looking for the dough to become elastic and soft.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place. It should double in size, which usually takes about 45 minutes. If you’re in a rush, pop it in a slightly warmed oven (turned off after heating for a minute) to speed things up.
Once the dough has doubled, roll it out on a floured surface into an 18×12 inch rectangle. Spread the strawberry jam evenly across the dough, then sprinkle the chopped strawberries on top.
Roll the dough tightly from one long end to the other and pinch the edges to seal. Slice the log into 8 equal pieces.
Place the cut rolls in the prepared dish, cover them with plastic wrap, and let them rise again until they’ve doubled in size. This second rise is key for achieving that light, airy texture.
Bake your rolls in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. This is where everything comes together, and your kitchen starts to smell amazing.
While the rolls are baking, prepare the cream cheese icing. Combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth. If the icing is too thick, you can thin it with a tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Once the rolls are out of the oven and have cooled for about 10 minutes, drizzle them with the cream cheese icing. I like to slather them with icing while the rolls are still warm so that they get all nice and gooey, but it’s totally up to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can prepare the dough the night before and let it do the first rise in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling it out and proceeding with the recipe.
How can I ensure my rolls are fluffy and not too dense?
To ensure fluffy rolls, make sure your yeast is fresh and active, and that you allow the dough to properly rise until doubled in size for both the first and second rises. Also, be careful not to over-knead the dough; just knead until it’s smooth and elastic.
How can I tell if my yeast is still active?
To test if your yeast is active, sprinkle it over the warm milk as directed in the recipe and wait for about 5 to 10 minutes. If the mixture becomes frothy and bubbly, your yeast is alive and ready to use. If there’s no activity, it may be expired, and I recommend using new yeast to ensure your rolls rise properly.
How important is it to let the dough rise fully?
It’s crucial to allow the dough to fully rise, as this process not only affects the texture but also the flavor of your rolls. Under-risen dough will result in dense and heavy rolls. Patience is key here; give the dough enough time to double in size during both rises. This can take longer in cooler environments, so adjust your expectations based on where you are.
Expert Tips
- Activate the yeast properly: Ensure your milk is warm but not too hot (about 110°F) to activate the yeast without killing it. This step is crucial for a successful rise.
- Avoid overfilling: When adding the jam and strawberries, keep the layer thin and even to prevent it from spilling out during rolling and cutting.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Allow ingredients like eggs and cream cheese to come to room temperature before using. This helps ensure a smoother dough and icing.
- Proof in a warm spot: Find the warmest spot in your kitchen for proofing the dough, especially in cooler weather. A slightly warmed oven or a spot near a heating vent can provide the perfect environment.
- Check the oven temperature: Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is at the correct temperature. Even a small deviation can affect baking times and the final texture of your rolls.
Storage
To store your Strawberry Rolls, place them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the rolls without the icing for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw them at room temperature, then warm slightly in the oven and apply the icing just before serving for the best taste and texture.
Discover More Baked Goods
- Finnish Cardamom Rolls
- Apple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Banana Fritters
- Homemade Croissants
- Banana Buzz Scones
- Blueberry Lemon Rolls
- Strawberry Bread
- Strawberry Cake
- Blueberry Rolls
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Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
Video
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (or margarine, softened to room temperature)
- 1 egg
Filling
- ¾ cup strawberry jam
- 1 cup strawberries (fresh and chopped into small pieces)
Cream Cheese Icing
- ½ cup cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 3 tablespoon butter (unsalted, softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Warm up the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the yeast to it, stir and let sit for 5 minutes until yeast dissolves. You can also add about a teaspoon of sugar to it to help the yeast along.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar and salt together. To it, add the butter, egg and the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the mixture for about 3 to 5 minutes. You're looking for the dough to become elastic and soft.
- Place the dough in a slightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. If your oven has the proof function use that and keep the dough inside the oven, otherwise turn the oven on to 350℉ for about 1 minute until it's warm inside, turn off the oven and place the bowl with the dough in the oven and close the door. This speeds up the process and in about 45 min your dough should have doubled in size.
- Butter a 9-inch pie plate or a cast iron skillet and set aside.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle that’s about 18 inches x 12 inches. Spread the strawberry jam over the dough evenly. If you use too much jelly it will come out when you slice into rolls. Evenly arrange the strawberries over the jelly.
- Start rolling the dough, starting from the far side towards you. When you reach the end make sure to pinch the sides together.
- Gently cut the roll into 8 equal rolls. To make this easier cut the roll in half first, then each half in half and so on, until you have 8 rolls. I found it easier to cut the rolls using a sharp, serrated knife.
- Place the rolls into the prepared baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Let the rolls rest and rise until doubled in size. You can use the oven trick again to speed up the process. Just make sure to turn off the oven, you only want it to warm for about a minute so that the rolls stay in a warm environment.
- In the meantime you can prepare the cream cheese icing. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and mix until smooth. If you find the icing is too thick add 1 tablespoon of milk, keep adding milk until the desired consistency, but only add 1 tablespoon at a time because it thins out quickly. You shouldn't need more than 1 or 2 tablespoon of milk, I didn't use any at all. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar and mix. Play with the ingredients, until you get your desired consistency. I like mine a bit thicker, but not too thick so that you can still drizzle over the rolls.
- Once the rolls have doubled in size, bake at 350℉ for about 30 minutes or until nice and golden. Let the rolls cool a bit, for about 10 minutes then drizzle with the cream cheese icing and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- You could use instant yeast. If using instant yeast, you do not need to dissolve it in milk, you could just add it to the dough.
- Make sure your milk is not too hot or it could kill the yeast which will cause your dough not to rise at all. The ideal temperature for the milk should be between 105℉ and 110℉ for proofing. While 95℉ is the best temperature for yeast to multiply, that’s not warm enough for proofing active dry yeast.
- If after dissolving the yeast in the warm milk, the yeast didn’t start to froth up, do not continue with the rolls, your dough will not rise.
- You could prepare this the day before up until step 8. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight. The rolls should continue to rise in the fridge but if by morning they have not doubled in size, turn your oven on to 200℉ until it warms up, then turn it off. Place the pan in the oven for about 30 to 45 minutes until the rolls double in size. Then you can bake them as instructed.
- To freeze unbaked rolls, complete everything up to and including step 8, then wrap the pan in two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze for 8 hours up to 6 weeks. The night before you want to bake the rolls, thaw them out in the refrigerator, still wrapped. They will thaw overnight. Finish the rest of the steps to bake them.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
