Strawberries & Cream Rolls – The Stay At Home Chef

We’ve taken the classic cinnamon roll you know and love and given it a delicious strawberry twist! Soft, gooey, and bursting with strawberry flavor, these melt-in-your-mouth rolls are an easy treat that’s sure to impress. One bite and you’ll wonder why you didn’t try this sooner!

You can’t go wrong with strawberries and cream, strawberry cake, or our beautiful strawberries and cream star bread.

We’re famous for our homemade cinnamon rolls. Now, we’re kicking it up a notch with a fruity twist you’ll absolutely love. Say hello to Strawberries and Cream Rolls! These delightful treats use the base of cinnamon roll dough and are perfect for dessert, brunch, bake sales, or any occasion where a sweet strawberry dessert roll is welcome (spoiler alert: that’s pretty much everywhere!). Bet you won’t be able to stop at just one!

Ingredient Notes

• Warm Milk (100-110°F): Aim for a warm, bathwater-like feel. Whole or 2% milk works best, though milk alternatives are fine. Use a thermometer if unsure.
• Instant Dry Yeast: Instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated beforehand. If you only have active dry yeast just allow an extra 10–15 minutes of rising time.
• Salted Butter: If you only have unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt. Ensure it’s at room temperature and easily spreadable.
• All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour can be substituted if desired.
• Cream Cheese: Soften it to avoid lumps in the glaze.
• Strawberry Jam: Any jam works, but one with fruit pulp and seeds adds great texture.
• Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works; dark will give a richer flavor.
• Powdered Sugar: Adjust to achieve your desired glaze consistency. Start small and add more to thicken.

Jam vs Jelly

When making strawberry rolls, you can choose between strawberry jam or strawberry jelly based on what’s available or your personal preference. We personally recommend using strawberry jam with fruit pulp, as it adds more flavor and creates a better overall texture for the rolls.

Going by Feel

The dough should be soft, slightly sticky, and easy to handle. It should just barely pull away from the sides of the bowl without clinging. Adding too much flour will make the dough stiff, resulting in tougher rolls. Aim for a dough that feels soft and pillowy to the touch—that’s the secret to perfectly fluffy cinnamon rolls!

Rolling and Cutting

When rolling the dough, make sure it’s rolled tightly to prevent air pockets and keep the filling secure. Once rolled, use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss for clean, precise cuts.

For the knife method, gently saw through the dough without pressing too hard to avoid squishing the rolls.

With dental floss, slide it under the roll, cross the ends over the top, and pull tight for a perfect cut without flattening the dough.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Overnight Instructions
After filling, rolling, cutting, and placing each strawberry roll into the pan, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in your refrigerator. The next day, remove them from the fridge. Allow them to sit at room temperature to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour before baking.

Freezer Instructions
Roll and cut your cinnamon rolls and place them several inches apart on a baking sheet to freeze rolls individually. Once frozen, transfer to a resealable plastic freezer bag. When ready to bake, place in a lightly greased baking dish and allow to come to room temperature before baking, about 2 hours.