Introduction
Oh, honey, there’s just something magical about a warm, gooey cinnamon roll, isn’t there? It instantly takes me back to cozy mornings, family gatherings, and that feeling of pure, simple comfort. But what if we added a little burst of sunshine to that classic? Enter these Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls! They’re incredibly easy to make, surprisingly quick for homemade rolls, and the addition of fresh strawberries takes them from delicious to absolutely unforgettable. Trust me, your kitchen is about to smell like heaven, and your taste buds are going to sing!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: Quicker than many traditional cinnamon roll recipes thanks to a simple dough and rising method.
- Easy: Even if you’re new to working with yeast, I’ll guide you through every step. It’s totally doable!
- Giftable: These make the most wonderful edible gift for neighbors, friends, or family.
- Crowd-pleasing: Seriously, who can resist a warm cinnamon roll, especially one with juicy strawberries?
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to whip up this batch of pure happiness. Most of these are probably already in your pantry!
- 2 cups Fresh strawberries: Washed, hulled, and diced small. The stars of our show!
- 2 large Eggs: Room temperature is best for happy dough!
- 1 packet Active dry yeast (about 2.25 tsp): Our little helper to make these rolls soft and fluffy.
- 4 cups All-purpose flour: The foundation of our yummy rolls.
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar, packed: For that classic sweet filling.
- 1 tbsp Ground cinnamon: Can’t have cinnamon rolls without it!
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar: A little sweetness for the dough.
- 1 cup Powdered sugar: For that dreamy, pourable icing.
- 1/2 tsp Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors.
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract: Adds a warm depth to the icing.
- 1/3 cup Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled: Goes into the dough.
- 2 tbsp Butter, melted: For brushing onto the dough before filling.
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream: A little secret for ultra-moist rolls!
- 2 tbsp Milk: For the icing.
- 1 cup Whole milk: Warmed gently for activating the yeast.
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get our hands (just a little!) dirty and make some magic happen. Follow these steps, and you’ll have warm rolls in no time.
Step 1: Prep Your Yeast
Gently warm the 1 cup of whole milk on the stove or in the microwave until it’s lukewarm (about 105-115°F). It should feel warm, not hot, to the touch. Pour it into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the active dry yeast over it, and add a pinch of the granulated sugar from your measured amount. Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. You should see it get foamy and bubbly – that means your yeast is alive and ready to work!
Step 2: Make the Dough
While the yeast is blooming, whisk together the 4 cups of flour, remaining granulated sugar, and salt in a separate bowl. Once the yeast is foamy, add the two large eggs and the 1/3 cup of melted, slightly cooled unsalted butter to the yeast mixture. Give it a whisk to combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon or in a stand mixer with a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. It should bounce back slightly when you poke it.
Step 3: Let the Dough Rise (Quick Rise!)
Lightly grease the mixing bowl with a little oil or butter. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Find a warm spot – near a sunny window, on top of a warm oven (not on!), or even in a slightly warmed (then turned off) oven. Let it rise until it has doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes. This dough is pretty forgiving and tends to rise nicely.
Step 4: Prepare the Filling
While the dough is rising, get your filling ready. In a medium bowl, combine the diced fresh strawberries, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir it all together. It will look like a sweet, pinky-brown crumbly mix. Set aside the 2 tbsp of melted butter for brushing.
Step 5: Assemble the Rolls
Once your dough has doubled, punch it down gently to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle, roughly 12×18 inches. Brush the entire surface of the dough with the 2 tbsp of melted butter, leaving about a 1/2 inch border along one of the long edges. Evenly sprinkle the strawberry filling mixture over the buttered dough, right up to the edge where you left the border.
Step 6: Roll and Cut
Starting from the long edge opposite the plain border, tightly roll up the dough into a log. Try to keep it as tight as you can without tearing. Once rolled, use a sharp knife, bench scraper, or even unflavored dental floss (my favorite trick for clean cuts!) to cut the log into 12 equal slices. Aim for about 1.5-inch thick rolls.
Step 7: Second Rise
Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray. Arrange the cut rolls in the dish, leaving a little space between them (they will expand!). Cover the dish loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let the rolls rise again in a warm spot for another 20-30 minutes, or until they look puffy and are touching each other.
Step 8: Bake!
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Once the rolls have had their second rise, pop the uncovered dish into the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the centers are cooked through (they shouldn’t look wet or raw in the middle). About halfway through baking, if you notice them browning too quickly, you can loosely tent the dish with aluminum foil.
Step 9: The Secret Step (Optional, but SO Recommended!)
As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, warm up the 1/2 cup of heavy cream slightly (just a few seconds in the microwave). Pour the warm heavy cream evenly over the hot rolls in the pan. Don’t skip this! It makes them unbelievably soft and moist. Let the rolls soak up the cream for 5-10 minutes while you make the icing.
Step 10: Make the Icing
While the rolls are cooling slightly and soaking up that cream, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tbsp of milk in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. If it’s too thick, add a tiny splash more milk. If it’s too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
Step 11: Glaze and Serve!
Pour or spoon the icing generously over the warm (but not piping hot) cinnamon rolls in the pan. Let it drizzle into all those nooks and crannies. Serve them warm, straight from the pan. Get ready for oohs and aahs!
Substitutions & Additions
Feel free to play around with this recipe! It’s your kitchen, after all.
- Different Fruits: Not a strawberry fan right now? Try finely diced raspberries, blueberries, or even thinly sliced apples or peaches mixed with the sugar and cinnamon.
- Add-ins: Stir in some chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are great!), mini chocolate chips, or shredded coconut into the filling mixture.
- Citrus Zest: Add a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the filling for a brighter flavor.
- Cream Cheese Icing: For a tangier glaze, beat together 4 oz softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup softened butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and a splash of milk or cream until smooth.
Tips for Success
A few pointers to make sure your rolls turn out perfect every time:
- Yeast Temp Matters: Make sure your milk is warm (105-115°F), not hot. Too hot will kill the yeast, and it won’t rise.
- Don’t Skip Kneading: Kneading develops the gluten, which gives the rolls structure and chewiness. Stop when the dough is smooth and springy.
- Warm Spot for Rising: Yeast loves warmth! A warm oven (turned OFF!) or a draft-free spot helps the dough rise properly.
- Cut Carefully: Use a sharp knife or dental floss for clean cuts. This keeps the spiral shape intact.
- Prep Ahead: You can make the dough and assemble the rolls, then cover and refrigerate them overnight. In the morning, pull them out, let them come to room temperature and finish rising for about 60-90 minutes, then bake as directed.
How to Store It
If you happen to have any leftovers (a rare occurrence!), store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to a week. To reheat, pop one in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or warm it gently in a low oven (300°F) until soft and gooey again.
FAQs
Got questions? I’ve got answers!
Can I use frozen strawberries?
I highly recommend using fresh strawberries for the best texture and flavor. Frozen strawberries release too much moisture and can make the filling soggy. If you absolutely must, make sure they are completely thawed and drained very well, and maybe toss them with a tiny bit of flour or cornstarch to absorb excess liquid.
My dough isn’t rising, what went wrong?
The most common reasons are using milk that was too hot (killing the yeast) or using old, expired yeast. Also, make sure your rising spot is warm enough.
Can I make these without a stand mixer?
Absolutely! You’ll just knead the dough by hand on a floured surface. It takes a little more elbow grease but works just as well.
Should I use salted or unsalted butter?
Recipes generally call for unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt yourself. If you only have salted butter, you can use it, but slightly reduce the added salt in the dough.
Homemade Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Stand Mixer Optional, with dough hook
- Wooden spoon
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- Sharp knife or dental floss For cutting rolls
- Small bowl For icing
- Oven
Ingredients
Hauptzutaten
- 2 cups Fresh strawberries Washed, hulled, and diced small
- 2 large Eggs Room temperature
- 1 packet Active dry yeast (about 2.25 tsp)
- 4 cups All-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup Brown sugar Packed
- 1 tbsp Ground cinnamon
- 0.25 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 0.5 tsp Salt
- 0.5 tsp Vanilla extract
- 0.33 cup Unsalted butter Melted and slightly cooled
- 2 tbsp Butter Melted, for brushing
- 0.5 cup Heavy cream
- 2 tbsp Milk For icing
- 1 cup Whole milk Warmed gently
Instructions
- Gently warm the {{ing_15}} on the stove or in the microwave until it's lukewarm (about 105-115°F). Pour it into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the {{ing_3}} over it, and add a pinch of the {{ing_7}} from your measured amount. Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy and bubbly.
- While the yeast is blooming, whisk together the {{ing_4}}, remaining {{ing_7}}, and {{ing_9}} in a separate bowl. Once the yeast is foamy, add the {{ing_2}} and the {{ing_11}} to the yeast mixture. Give it a whisk to combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon or in a stand mixer with a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes until it's smooth and elastic.
- Lightly grease the mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat. Cover the bowl tightly and let it rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, combine the {{ing_1}}, {{ing_5}}, and {{ing_6}} in a medium bowl. Stir it all together. Set aside the {{ing_12}}.
- Once your dough has doubled, punch it down. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle, roughly 12x18 inches. Brush the entire surface with the {{ing_12}}, leaving about a 1/2 inch border along one long edge. Sprinkle the strawberry filling mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
- Starting from the long edge opposite the plain border, tightly roll up the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife, bench scraper, or dental floss to cut the log into 12 equal slices, about 1.5-inch thick.
- Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the cut rolls in the dish, leaving a little space. Cover loosely and let the rolls rise again in a warm spot for another 20-30 minutes, or until they look puffy and are touching each other.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Pop the uncovered dish into the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly.
- As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, warm up the {{ing_13}} slightly. Pour the warm heavy cream evenly over the hot rolls in the pan. Let the rolls soak up the cream for 5-10 minutes.
- While the rolls are cooling slightly, whisk together the {{ing_8}}, {{ing_10}}, and {{ing_14}} in a small bowl until smooth and pourable.
- Pour or spoon the icing generously over the warm cinnamon rolls in the pan. Serve them warm.
Notes
- Yeast Temp Matters: Make sure your milk is warm (105-115°F), not hot.
- Don't Skip Kneading: Kneading develops gluten for structure.
- Warm Spot for Rising: Yeast loves warmth!
- Cut Carefully: Use a sharp knife or dental floss for clean cuts.
- Prep Ahead: You can make the dough and assemble rolls, refrigerate overnight. Let come to room temp and finish rising (60-90 mins) before baking.
Storage:
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. Reheat in microwave (20-30 secs) or low oven (300°F).