Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Strawberry cinnamon rolls have a gooey, sweet strawberry cinnamon filling all wrapped up in the most soft, tender and fluffy homemade dough.
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 standard packet active dry yeast 2 ¼ tsp
- 1 cup warm milk
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
- 4 ½ - 4 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 1 ½ cup strawberries chopped small
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- 1 tbs water
- 1 tbs cinnamon
- 1 tbs granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
For the dough
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, Add yeast, warm milk and 1 tbs of measured out sugar. Stir together lightly and allow to sit for 10 minutes or until foamy on top. Stir in remaining sugar, salt, melted butter and beaten eggs until combined.
- Add 3 cups of flour first and then add one tablespoon at a time until you have a workable dough. The dough WILL still be sticky so do not over-flour your dough! It should be sticky but not sticky enough where it sticks to your hands. Also note that your dough may not completely stop sticking from the bottom of the bowl so don't base your flour additions on that.
- Place dough into a lightly greased bowl and set into a warm place to rise until doubled, about one hour. I like to turn my oven onto 170 degrees and then turn it off, it creates the perfect warm environment.
For the Filling
- While the dough is rising, gather your ingredients for the strawberry filling. In a medium-sized saucepan, add the strawberries and sugar. Stir constantly for 5 minutes until they start to release their juices. Mix corn starch and water together and stir it into the strawberry mixture. Allow to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the strawberry filling to cool to room temperature.
- Stir together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside for later.
- Pat it down lightly to release the air inside and roll it with a rolling pin into a very large rectangle, about 12 x 24. Smear the butter on into an even layer and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top. Pat it down lightly to pack it down. Top with a hearty layer of strawberry preserves.
- Roll the dough up very tightly into a long log. Cut the log into 12 or 16 cinnamon rolls. 12 for a large 9x13 pan or 16 for two round 8" baking pans (8 rolls in each). Grease your pan of choice extremely well and place cut rolls into prepared pan.
- At this point, if you are preparing these for the next day, wrap them TIGHTLY with saran wrap (you do not want any air to get in and dry out the dough) and refrigerate until you are ready. Remove from the refrigerator and set back into warm environment for the second rise.
- Allow them to rise in a warm place one more time until puffy, about thirty minutes.
- Once rolls have done their second rise. preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange the rack into the center of the oven. Bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
For the frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth with no lumps. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread half of the frosting onto the rolls while they are warm and the second half once they have cooled.
Notes
Storage Instructions: These Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls will stay fresh for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I always store mine at room temperature and have never had an issue. If you are concerned about the cream cheese, store in the refrigerator.
Freezing Instructions: Freeze unbaked strawberry cinnamon rolls right before they have their second rise. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Take rolls out and place in a warm environment to rise one more time. Bake as directed in the recipe.