Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

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These Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls consist of soft, pillowy dough filled with a flavor-rich strawberry filling and topped with an irresistible strawberry cream cheese frosting!

Frosted strawberry cinnamon rolls.

You’ll be so impressed with these sweet rolls. Rather than being traditional cinnamon rolls, they are a fun twist: strawberry rolls with a special filling and topping! The strawberry compote, similar to a strawberry jam, is made with fresh strawberries and has hints of citrusy lemon juice and zest.

Meanwhile, the cinnamon roll dough is oh-so-soft and fluffy. Its simple flavor allows the fruity filling and the yummy cream cheese frosting to take center stage. My girls and I thoroughly enjoy these rolls! We may even prefer it to traditional cinnamon rolls!

If you love the idea of strawberry rolls, you’ll definitely enjoy my other strawberry recipes. I also have Healthy Strawberry Jam, No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream, and Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries that you can try after making this cinnamon roll recipe!

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

There’s nothing better than homemade strawberry cinnamon rolls! These golden brown, sweet rolls are decadent enough to make for a special breakfast, such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.

However, you don’t need an occasion to make them! This is also a great recipe for a delicious breakfast treat on casual weekday or weekend mornings, especially in the summer!

Strawberry cinnamon roll with fresh strawberry garnish.

If you’ve never made yeast dough before, you’ll have so much fun with this enriched dough recipe. These pillowy cinnamon rolls are easy to make regardless of your baking skill level. And upon your first bite, all of the effort will be worth it!

From the strawberry cinnamon roll dough to the fresh strawberry filling, I’ll walk you through how to make it and give you some tips along the way. Although you could technically buy strawberry compote, the homemade strawberry filling far exceeds any store-bought filling. It bursts with bold, fruity flavors.

Plated strawberry cinnamon rolls with frosting.

Not to mention, the strawberry cream cheese icing, which is thicker than a strawberry glaze, perfectly adorns the rolls and really brings everything together. If you plan to make this recipe for friends or family, make sure to make enough for yourself, too! Trust me when I say that you will be mesmerized by these sweet rolls and everything they offer.

Ingredients Needed

For this variation to classic cinnamon rolls, you’ll be making a few different components: strawberry compote, cinnamon roll dough, and frosting. First, we have the compote.

The Strawberry Compote has a simple ingredient list. Here is what you need to make it:

Ingredients needed for strawberry compote.

And here is what you need to make the homemade cinnamon roll dough:

Cinnamon roll dough ingredients.

For the frosting, you’ll need butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and the compote.

Below, I have some notes about the most essential ingredients for the entire recipe. You’ll also need other ingredients, but you can scroll down to the recipe card below to find the entire list!

  • Yeast: The yeast helps make the cinnamon rolls fluffy! Use either instant yeast or active dry yeast.
  • Butter: The butter helps the recipe in many ways. It makes the dough nice and soft and the frosting rich. You’ll need both softened and melted butter. 
  • Sugar: You will need both granulated sugar and powdered sugar for this recipe. The granulated sugar is for the compote and cinnamon roll dough. The powdered sugar is needed for the frosting!
  • Flour: For best results, use plain, all-purpose flour. You will need it for the dough and for dusting the work surface.
  • Cream Cheese: Part of what makes the frosting so delicious is the tangy cream cheese. It offsets all the sweetness and gives the frosting a thicker texture.
  • Fresh Strawberries: The chopped strawberries are crucial to the recipe. I suggest using the freshest berries possible; They shouldn’t be overly soft or have too many blemishes.

Be precise when using a measuring cup to measure all of the ingredients. Baking recipes, bread especially, require exact amounts to turn out right!

Recipe Variations

  • Cinnamon Sugar Cinnamon Rolls: Optionally, to make cinnamon buns, sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top of the strawberry filling before cutting and rolling the buns.
  • Brown Sugar Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls: Like the cinnamon sugar idea, you can sprinkle some brown sugar after spreading the strawberry filling mixture. Be careful not to use too much, as it can leak out the rolls and make them stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Strawberry Vanilla Cinnamon Rolls: Add a tsp or two of vanilla extract to the dough to give the rolls subtle hints of vanilla. Such a small amount won’t greatly affect its texture, but you can add a pinch of flour if needed. You can also add vanilla to the frosting!
  • Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze: The compote in the frosting contains lemon. However, for a brighter, lemony flavor, you can add lemon juice and zest separately to the frosting as well.

Substitutions

  • Flour: All-purpose flour is best. However, bread flour will work. It will just give the rolls a slightly different texture.
  • Yeast: If you only have fresh yeast, you’ll need about 3 times the amount of fresh yeast for the dough to rise properly. Use a kitchen scale to use 3x the amount by weight. Since this can be tricky to figure out, I recommend sticking to either instant yeast or active dry yeast.
  • Milk: Ideally, use whole milk or 2% milk. Plant-based milk will work, though!
  • Strawberries: If you have frozen chopped strawberries, allow them to thaw and drain before using them. Otherwise, their extra moisture will affect how the compote thickens.

How To Make Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls 

Strawberry Compote

  1. Combine the compote ingredients (minus the cornstarch) in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat with the pot uncovered for 10 minutes. Mash the strawberries.
Fresh ingredients for strawberry compote.

2. Prepare cornstarch slurry (a mixture of cornstarch and water), add to strawberries, and cook until thickened.

Mixing strawberry compote with a wooden spoon.

3. Cool the strawberry compote before using it. Reserve ¼  cup of the compote for the frosting in a small bowl.

Cinnamon Roll Dough

1. Proof the yeast: Warm milk in a medium saucepan or pot on medium heat. Pour the milk into a large mixing bowl, the bowl of a stand mixer, or the large bowl of a bread machine. Add the yeast and one tablespoon of sugar to the milk. Stir to combine, and let it rest for 5 minutes.

2. Make and knead the dough: To the milk mixture, add the remaining granulated sugar, melted butter, egg, salt, and dry ingredients. Mix everything until the dough forms, using a dough hook attachment if not making it by hand. Then, continue kneading the dough. Add 1 tablespoon of softened butter and incorporate.

Soft cinnamon roll dough in a metal bowl.

3. Let the dough rise: Use cooking spray or butter to grease a large mixing bowl, ensuring all sides are covered. Place the dough inside and turn around to coat it with butter.

Cinnamon roll dough before rising.

4. Keep in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.

Although the dough will rise at room temperature, keeping it in a warm spot will accelerate the process, so this is the best method.

Risen cinnamon roll dough in a bowl.

5. Grease the baking pan: While the dough rises, butter the baking dish. Parchment paper isn’t necessary here.

6. Roll out the dough: Punch the air out of the dough, then shape it into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin.

Cinnamon roll dough rolled into a rectangle.

7. Fill the dough, cut it into strips, and form rolls: Spread the compote on the dough.

Strawberry compote spread on rolled-out dough.

8. Then, cut it into strips using a sharp chef’s knife, serrated knife, or pizza cutter.

Cinnamon roll dough cut into strips.

9. Roll each strip away from you to form a strawberry roll.

Rolling a strawberry cinnamon bun.

10. Let the rolls rise a second time: For the second rise, place the portions into the buttered baking dishes. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen cloth and let the dough rise until it doubles in size in a warm area.

Unbaked strawberry cinnamon rolls.

11. Preheat oven. While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 350° degrees F.

12. Bake. Place the rolls in the preheated oven and bake until golden brown and ready.

Baked golden brown strawberry cinnamon rolls.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Make the strawberry cream cheese frosting. place all frosting ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. Whip them together until well combined and smooth.
Strawberry cream cheese frosting.

2. Frost the strawberry cinnamon rolls. When the strawberry cinnamon rolls are out of the 350 F oven, evenly spread the frosting on them using an offset spatula.

Frosted strawberry cinnamon rolls in round baking dish.

3. Serve. Enjoy strawberry cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting while still warm. That’s one of the perks of baking at home!

A strawberry cinnamon roll on a dessert plate.

Expert Tips For Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

  • Don’t add too much flour to the working surface because it will work into the dough and make it dry.
  • Keep any leftover Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls in an airtight container so that they stay fresh. If you want to keep them in a pan that doesn’t have a lid, make sure to tightly wrap it with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil.
  • Before baking, you can brush some beaten egg yolks or some heavy cream over the rolls, which will give them a deeper golden color when they bake.
  • When adding the flour to the dough, it might be easier to work in segments so the flour doesn’t get everywhere, depending on how large your bowl is. You can add a cup of flour (or two) at a time and then add the remaining flour. 
  • When you cover the dough with a damp cloth while letting it rise, it prevents the top of the dough from drying out.

Serving

These Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls go well with the following dishes for breakfast or brunch!

More Dessert Recipes

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Frosted strawberry cinnamon rolls.

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

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These Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls consist of soft, pillowy dough filled with a flavor-rich strawberry filling and topped with an irresistible strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 35 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total: 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 10 rolls

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer or Bread Machine For mixing dough

Ingredients  

Strawberry Compote Filling

  • 1 pound strawberries washed, hulled, and cut into quarters
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Juice and zest of one lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • cups whole milk sub with 2% milk
  • teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
  • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Kerrygold brand is highly recommended
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • cups all-purpose/plain flour plus 1 Tablespoon more for dusting surface
  • 1 Tablespoon softened butter
  • 2 Tablespoons more softened butter to butter mixing bowl and grease the baking pan Or spray pan with cooking spray

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese block softened
  • 4 Tablespoons butter softened
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup strawberry compote reserved from filling

Instructions 

Strawberry Compote

  • Combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice in a medium pot. Cook on medium heat with the pot uncovered for 10 minutes.
  • Mash the strawberries using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon.
  • Combine the cornstarch and about 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to form a slurry. Mix until smooth. Add the cornstarch slurry to the strawberries. Continue cooking while stirring from time to time for about 5 minutes. The compote will thicken due to the addition of the cornstarch.
  • Cool the strawberry compote completely before using it. Reserve a quarter cup of the compote for the strawberry cream cheese frosting.

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • Proof the yeast: Heat the milk in a small pot on medium heat or for about 1 minute in the microwave to be slightly warm. It should be about 110° F – 115℉. Pour the milk into a large mixing bowl (if mixing by hand), the bowl of a stand mixer, or the bowl of a bread machine (I use the dough function of my bread machine or my stand mixer). Add the yeast to the milk and one tablespoon of granulated sugar. Stir to combine, and let it rest for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the yeast should form a creamy foam on the surface. This means the yeast is active.
  • Make and knead the dough: To the milk/yeast mixture, add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, melted butter, egg, salt, and flour. Mix everything using a stand mixer (with the dough hook attached and set on low speed), bread machine (set to dough setting), or with your hands to form a dough. Then set the stand mixer to medium speed and continue kneading the dough for 2 minutes. Keep kneading for 2 minutes with the bread machine if that's what you're using. If making the dough by hand, knead the dough on a clean and floured working surface until smooth and elastic while sprinkling on tiny bits of flour as needed. It's okay for the dough to be a little sticky as that will yield soft cinnamon rolls. Add 1 tablespoon of softened butter and keep kneading the dough on medium speed until the butter is incorporated.
  • Let the dough rise: Butter a large mixing bowl and place the dough inside. You could remove the dough from the bowl of your stand mixer and butter the stand mixer. Turn the dough around to ensure the butter coats all the sides. Keep in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. It takes about 1 hour. I love turning on my oven for about 2 minutes and then turning it off. Then, I'll place my dough in the oven to rise. It works perfectly every time! You could also leave the dough in the oven to rise with the oven lights on (the oven should be turned off).
  • Grease pan: While the dough rises, butter 2 9-inch pie dishes or a 9 by 13 baking dish.
  • Roll out the dough: Once the dough has risen, punch it in the middle to remove excess air. Flour a clean working surface. Place the dough on the floured working surface and shape it with your hands into a rectangle. Use a rolling pin to further roll out the rectangle to be about 10 by 18 inches.
  • Fill the dough, cut it into strips and form rolls: Spread the cooled strawberry compote on the rolled-out dough all the way to its edges. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough horizontally into 10 1-inch strips. Roll each strip away from you to form a strawberry roll.
  • Let the rolls rise: Place the 10 portions into the buttered baking dishes. Cover them with a clean kitchen cloth and let them rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until they are about double in size. You could use your oven again with the lights turned off to help the rolls rise faster.
  • Preheat oven. While the rolls rise, or after they have risen (remove the rolls from the oven if they were rising in the oven), preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Bake. Place the risen rolls in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the outside of the dough is firm to the touch and not doughy.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Make the strawberry cream cheese frosting. While the rolls bake, place all ingredients for the strawberry cream cheese frosting into a medium mixing bowl. Whip them together using an electric handheld mixer on medium speed until well combined and smooth.
  • Frost the strawberry cinnamon rolls. As soon as the strawberry cinnamon rolls are out of the oven, evenly spread the strawberry cream cheese frosting on them.
  • Serve. Enjoy strawberry cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting while still warm. That's one of the perks of baking at home!

Notes

Add Cinnamon: If you like, sprinkle on a pinch of cinnamon after spreading the strawberry compote on the dough.
Make It Ahead: To make the rolls ahead, follow all the steps up to placing them in the buttered baking pan. Omit the first rising time. Wrap the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature for an hour, then proceed to bake and frost as the recipe stipulates.
Important Tip: If the middle parts of some rolls rise above the other parts of the rolls while baking, gently push them back in once the rolls are out of the oven before frosting them.
Storing and Reheating Instructions: Store strawberry cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat each roll in the microwave for about 15 seconds or until soft before serving. When reheated in the microwave, the rolls get fluffy again, but be careful not to microwave them for too long, or they will get tough. To reheat in the oven, preheat the oven to 300℉ and let the rolls heat up in the oven for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Freezing Instructions: To store in the freezer, place the rolls in a freezer-safe bowl with a tight-fitting lid or wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Don’t miss all the important tips in the post.

Nutrition

Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 382IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 3mg

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 466
Tried this recipe?Mention @preciouscore or tag #PreciousCore!

About Precious

Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.


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