These strawberry cinnamon rolls have a soft, pillowy brioche texture swirled with a homemade strawberry filling and topped with a strawberry cream cheese frosting.
The secret to keeping the dough light and fluffy is simmering the berries first so excess liquid evaporates before baking. Serve them warm while the cream cheese frosting melts into the warm centers.
For more cinnamon roll recipes, check out my pumpkin cinnamon rolls and apple cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling.
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- No soggy dough: Cooking the strawberries into a thick compote first removes excess liquid, keeping the bottoms of the rolls light rather than gummy.
- Stays soft for 3 days: The enriched brioche dough uses butter, milk, and egg to retain moisture, keeping the rolls soft long after baking.
- Real fruit in every layer: Concentrated strawberry compote goes into both the filling and the frosting for pure berry flavor and color without extracts or dyes.
- Basic ingredients and easy prep: Uses standard kitchen basics and simple steps with no complicated pastry techniques.
Ingredients
Before starting, measure out your ingredients for a smooth baking process. Full measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
For the Dough
All-Purpose Flour: Use standard all-purpose flour for soft, fluffy rolls. You can also swap in bread flour if you prefer a chewier, bakery-style texture.
Whole Milk: Whole milk gives the dough its soft texture. Warm it to around 105°F to 115°F so it activates the yeast without killing it.
Instant Yeast: Mixes straight into the dry ingredients. Active dry yeast also works, but bloom it in warm milk for 5 minutes first.
Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature to blend easily into the dough. If you only have salted butter, cut the added salt in half.
Granulated Sugar: Standard white sugar feeds the yeast and lightly sweetens the dough.
Egg: One large egg adds fat and structure.
Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness. If using fine table salt, use half the amount.
For the Strawberry Filling
Fresh or Frozen Strawberries: Fresh berries are great, but frozen strawberries work just as well. Toss them straight into the saucepan frozen without thawing first, and simmer a few minutes longer to cook off the extra liquid.
Granulated Sugar: Helps draw out the natural juices as the berries cook down.
Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the berry flavor.
Cornstarch: Thickens the fruit into a jam-like consistency so the filling stays inside the rolls while baking.
Brown Sugar & Ground Cinnamon: Light or dark brown sugar mixed with ground cinnamon adds a warm spice layer under the fruit.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Full-Fat Cream Cheese: Always use full-fat block cream cheese. Avoid tub cream cheese spreads because the extra water makes the frosting runny.
Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature so it beats completely smooth with the cream cheese.
Powdered Sugar: Sift it first to prevent lumps.
Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste gives the best flavor.
Strawberry Reduction: Use 1 tablespoon of the cooled fruit filling reserved from the stovetop step for natural color and flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the strawberry filling
1. Add the diced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries break down and the liquid reduces by half.
2. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the simmering berries and cook for 1 minute until thick and jam-like.
3. Reserve 2 tablespoon of compote for the frosting and let the rest cool completely
Make the dough
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, and sugar.
5. Add the warm milk (105°F to 115°F), softened butter, egg, and salt. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
6. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 to 7 minutes. The dough is ready when it is smooth, elastic, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
7. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Assemble and Roll
8. Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 12x18-inch rectangle.
9. Spread the cooled strawberry compote evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the brown sugar and ground cinnamon evenly over the top of the fruit layer.
10. Roll the dough tightly into a log starting from the long side. Slice into 12 equal pieces using unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife.
11. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and let them rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy.
Bake and Frost
12. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22 to 27 minutes until the tops and edges are light golden brown.
13. While the rolls bake, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until smooth. Mix in the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and the reserved 1 tablespoon of strawberry filling until smooth.
14. Let the rolls cool for 5 to 10 minutes after taking them out of the oven, then spread the frosting evenly over the top so it slightly softens into the centers.
Expert Tips for Softest Cinnamon Rolls
- Check Milk Temperature: Keep milk between 105°F and 115°F. Excess heat kills yeast, while cold milk delays rising times.
- Do Not Over Flour: The dough should feel smooth and slightly tacky. Adding too much flour leads to dense rolls.
- Clean Cuts: Use unflavored dental floss slid under the log, crossed over the top, and pulled through to slice without squashing the dough layers.
- Cool Fruit Completely: Warm filling will melt the fat in the dough, causing a gummy bottom layer.
Faq's
Yes. Assemble the rolls in the pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Sit at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before baking.
Store-bought jam has too much water and sugar, which makes the dough gummy and soggy. Stick to the homemade compote.
Yes. Split the 12 rolls between two 9-inch round pans. Check them a few minutes earlier, around the 20-minute mark.
Yes. Mix the ingredients in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Storage and Freezing
Refrigeration: Store frosted rolls covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing Baked Rolls: Wrap individual frosted rolls tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave directly from frozen.
Freezing Unbaked Rolls: Freeze sliced rolls on a parchment-lined tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer container. Thaw and proof in a greased pan for 3 to 5 hours before baking.
Substitutions & Variations
Berry Swaps: Replace the strawberries 1:1 with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or mixed berries. Use fresh or frozen berries without thawing.
Dairy Free: Substitute whole milk with unsweetened oat or soy milk, and use plant-based butter and block vegan cream cheese.
Active Dry Yeast Swap: Whisk active dry yeast into warm milk and sugar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy before combining with dry ingredients.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- Small saucepan
- Instant read thermometer
- Rolling pin
- Unflavored dental floss
More Strawberry Desserts
Strawberry Bundt Cake: Tender cake baked with fresh strawberry reduction and finished with a sweet glaze.
Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes: Individual cheesecakes on a graham cracker crust topped with homemade strawberry compote.
Strawberry Shortcake Cake: Layers of vanilla cake filled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
Connect With Us
Review: Leave a rating and comment below if you enjoyed this recipe. Socials: Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Save: Pin this recipe to Pinterest for later.
📖 Recipe
Most Amazing Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 5 cups Flour AP, plain flour
- 1 tablespoon Dried yeast
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup Butter unsalted, melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cups Milk
Strawberry compote filling
- 1 lbs Strawberries
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Orange zest or lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon Cornstarch for the cornstarch slurry
- 2 tablespoon Water for the cornstarch slurry
Assembly
- ½ cup Brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
Strawberry cream cheese icing
- ½ cup Cream cheese unsalted, softened, full-fat
- ¼ cup Butter softened, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups Powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon Strawberry sauce from the strawberry compote filling that we made
- 1 tablespoon Strawberry jam
Instructions
Make the strawberry filling
- Add the diced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries break down and the liquid reduces by half.
- Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the simmering berries and cook for 1 minute until thick and jam-like.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of compote for the frosting and let the rest cool completely.
Make the dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, and sugar.
- Add the warm milk (105°F to 115°F), softened butter, egg, and salt. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 to 7 minutes. The dough is ready when it is smooth, elastic, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
- Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Assemble and Roll
- Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 12x18-inch rectangle.
- Spread the cooled strawberry compote evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the brown sugar and ground cinnamon evenly over the top of the fruit layer.
- Roll the dough tightly into a log starting from the long side. Slice into 12 equal pieces using unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife.
- Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and let them rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy.
Bake and Frost
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22 to 27 minutes until the tops and edges are light golden brown.
- While the rolls bake, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until smooth. Mix in the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and the reserved 1 tablespoon of strawberry filling until smooth.
- Let the rolls cool for 5 to 10 minutes after taking them out of the oven, then spread the frosting evenly over the top so it slightly softens into the centers.
Notes
- Flour Measurement: For the softest texture, weigh your flour with a digital kitchen scale. If using measuring cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a flat edge. Scooping directly from the bag packs down extra flour, leading to dense rolls.
- Milk & Yeast Temperature: Keep the milk between 105°F and 115°F. Temperatures above 120°F will kill the yeast, while milk under 100°F will significantly delay rising times.
- Cooling the Compote: The strawberry filling must cool completely before spreading. Warm filling melts the butter fat in the dough, causing the layers to slip apart and create a gummy bottom.
- Cream Cheese Selection: Use full-fat brick cream cheese only. Tub cream cheese spreads contain added water and air, which will make the frosting thin and runny.
- Slicing Technique: Slide unflavored dental floss under the dough log, cross the ends over the top, and pull through to slice cleanly without squashing the rolls.
- Overnight Timing: Limit the overnight refrigeration step to 12 hours maximum. Leaving the rolls longer can cause the dough to over-proof and collapse in the oven.
Comments
No Comments