Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls (2024)

Strawberry cinnamon rolls are super soft and gooey cinnamon rolls with strawberry filling and strawberry cream cheese icing. This fun twist on a classic breakfast favorite is the ultimate summery treat!

We love strawberry recipes here at Cambrea Bakes! From strawberry shortcake cookies to strawberry crepe cake, and now these strawberry cinnamon rolls!

This fresh twist on classic cinnamon rolls is perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch, especially in spring or summer. These strawberry rolls are sweet, super gooey, and soft for days! They are filled with fresh strawberry jam and finished with tangy strawberry cream cheese icing.

Table of Contents

Why We Love Strawberry Rolls

They are packed with strawberry flavor from the fresh berries (no artificial flavors)!
Even though they are not traditional cinnamon rolls, they still have delicious tangy strawberry cream cheese icing on top.
Stays soft and moist for days: This recipe uses an Asian technique called “tangzhong” which results in extra soft, tender, and gooey rolls that stay that way for days, just like in my peach rolls!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Strawberries: You can use frozen or fresh strawberries for the filling.

Yeast: I tested with both active dry and instant yeast and both work well. If you want more of a “yeasty” flavor in the dough, use instant yeast!

Milk: Whole or 2% milk is best and will give the rolls the best structure and texture. I use whole milk in my apple pie rolls, too!

All-purpose flour: For best results, use all-purpose flour. You can also use bread flour if you don’t have any on hand.

Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!

Recipe Instructions

STEP ONE: Make the strawberry filling. In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, and brown sugar. Stir in the water and cornstarch slurry when it has started to thicken.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the filling is very thick and paste-like. Transfer the strawberry jam to a bowl. Chill the jam in the fridge until ready to use.

STEP TWO: Make the tangzhong. In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and all-purpose flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken and is a paste-like slurry.

Scrape the tangzhong into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

STEP THREE: Mix the dry ingredients. In a stand mixing bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, salt, yeast, and sugar until combined.

STEP FOUR: Mix in the wet ingredients. Add the egg, milk, and tangzhong to the bowl.

STEP FIVE: Mix in the butter. Knead with the dough hook until it starts to form a shaggy dough ball. Then, with the mixer running on low, add in the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate into the dough before adding more.

STEP SIX: Knead the dough. Continue kneading the dough until the dough looks smooth and elastic. With lightly buttered hands, remove the dough and pull the sides down into the bottom center to create a smooth round ball.

Place it seam-side down into a large, lightly buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

The dough should be sticking to the bottom of the bowl. If it seems too wet or is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour one tablespoon at a time. If the dough seems dry, add half a tablespoon of milk at a time.

STEP SEVEN: Roll the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 14×18 rectangle, with the long (18-inch) side closest to you.

STEP EIGHT: Spread the cinnamon roll filling. Use an offset spatula to spread the strawberry jam in an even layer all the way to the edges.

STEP NINE: Cut and roll! Use a pizza cutter to cut 12, 1 ½ inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then carefully transfer it to a parchment-lined 9×13 baking tray.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise for another 45-60 minutes or until the rolls double in size.

STEP TEN: Bake! Bake the rolls until the tops are lightly golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack while you make the glaze.

STEP ELEVEN: Make the strawberry cream cheese glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, softened cream cheese, and milk until smooth.

STEP TWELVE: Glaze the cinnamon rolls. Spread the glaze over the tops of the cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the “metric” button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you do not have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
Use fresh yeast! Check the freshness of your yeast before you start. There’s nothing worse than spending all of the time on the dough for it not to rise!
Don’t overbake them. The tops should be golden brown when they are done. If you want soft, gooey centers, don’t bake them past this point!
Make the jam thick. Cook the jam until it is very thick and paste-like; you don’t want too much water in it, or it will pool out of the rolls.

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container or keep them in the baking pan and wrap the top tightly with plastic wrap.

You can reheat them in a 300 F oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.

Make ahead: You can prepare the rolls ahead of time and keep them in the fridge overnight. Place the cut rolls in the baking pan and cover the top with plastic wrap.

The next day, pull the rolls out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature for a few hours before baking.

Freezing: You can freeze the cinnamon rolls after rolling (and before the final proof). When you are ready to bake them, allow them to come to room temperature and double in size before baking!

FAQs

Can I let the dough rise overnight?

Yes! After kneading, transfer the dough to the greased bowl and cover the top tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. The next day, pull the dough out and let it rise until doubled, which could take a few hours!

Can I still bake cinnamon rolls that didn’t rise?

They can still be baked and eaten however, they likely won’t taste very good and will be very dense.

Why did my cinnamon rolls turn out tough?

Using too much flour can result in rolls that are dry and tough.

Why are my rolls not gooey?

Rolls that are dry in the center are caused by overbaking.

Can I prebake these rolls?

Yes, they can be baked the day before and reheated when you are ready to serve them.

Can I use store-bought strawberry jam or preserves instead?

I haven’t tested it with store-bought jam but I’m sure it would be just fine!

More Cinnamon Roll Recipes

Blueberry sweet rolls
Cookies and cream filled cinnamon rolls
Cinnamon bun muffins
Coffee rolls
Lemon curd rolls
Cookie dough cinnamon rolls

If you tried thisor any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in thecomments, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave astar ratingwhile you’re there! You can alsotag me onInstagramorFacebookso I can check it out!

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 76 votes

– by Cambrea Gordon

Strawberry cinnamon rolls are super soft and gooey cinnamon rolls with strawberry filling and strawberry cream cheese icing. This fun twist on a classic breakfast favorite is the ultimate summery treat!

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Equipment

▢
9×13 baking pan

Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams!

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Filling

▢ 3 cups frozen or fresh strawberries
▢ 3 tbsp brown sugar, packed
▢ 2 tsp lemon juice
▢ 1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
▢ 2 tbsp water

For the Tangzhong

▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
▢ ¾ cup water

For the Dough

▢ 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, *see notes for measuring below*
▢ ⅓ cup granulated sugar
▢ 2 tsp instant yeast
▢ 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
▢ ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
▢ 1 large egg, room temperature
▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
▢ Tangzhong, from recipe above
▢ 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

For the Glaze

▢ 1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
▢ 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
▢ 1-2 tbsp reserved strawberry filling
▢ 1 tbsp whole milk

Instructions

Strawberry Filling

Cook the strawberries, brown sugar, and lemon juice over medium-high heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the berries as they cook.
3 cups (367 g) frozen or fresh strawberries, 3 tbsp (45 g) brown sugar, 2 tsp lemon juice
When the berries are completely mashed and have started to thicken, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir it into the jam.
1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp water
Continue cooking, stirring frequently for 5 minutes longer, until the jam is super thick and paste-like. Set aside 1-2 tbsp of the jam (for the glaze), then transfer the rest to a bowl and set it in the fridge to cool.

Tangzhong

In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and all-purpose flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is a paste-like slurry. Scrape it into a bowl and set it aside until ready to use.
¼ cup (32 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (155 g) water

Cinnamon Roll Dough

In a stand mixing bowl, mix together the all-purpose sugar, yeast, and salt until combined.
3 ½ cups (460 g) all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup (63 g) granulated sugar, 2 tsp instant yeast, 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and tangzhong to the bowl. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes until it starts to form a shaggy dough ball.
½ cup (111 g) whole milk, 1 (48 g) large egg, Tangzhong, 1 tsp vanilla extract
With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter 1/2 tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate into the dough before adding more.
4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
Once all the butter is added, continue kneading the dough for another 8-10 minutes or until the dough looks smooth and elastic.
The dough should be sticking to the bottom of the bowl. If it seems too wet and is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add flour one tablespoon at a time. If the dough seems dry, add half a tablespoon of milk at a time.
With lightly buttered hands, remove the dough from the bowl and pull the sides down into the bottom center, to create a smooth round ball.
Place the dough seam side down into a large lightly buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 45-60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 14×18 rectangle, with the long (18-inch) side closest to you.
Use an offset spatula to spread the strawberry jam in an even layer all the way to the edges.
Then use a pizza cutter to cut 12, 1 1/2 inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then carefully transfer them to a parchment-lined 9×13 baking tray.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise for another 45-60 minutes, or until the rolls double in size. Meanwhile, preaheat the oven to 325 F/162 C.
Bake the rolls for 23-26 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown. Let the pan cool on a wire cooling rack while you make the glaze.
In a medium bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth. Then whisk in the milk and reserved strawberry jam. Spread over the cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
1 ounce (1 oz) cream cheese, 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar, 1-2 tbsp reserved strawberry filling, 1 tbsp whole milk

Notes

*Measure your flour properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*

Step-by-step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container or keep them in the baking pan and wrap the top tightly with plastic wrap. You can reheat them in a 300 F oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Make ahead: You can prepare the rolls ahead of time and keep them in the fridge overnight. Place the cut rolls in the baking pan and cover the top with plastic wrap. The next day, pull the rolls out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature for a few hours before baking.

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.