To Die For Easy Strawberry Rolls

an Easy Strawberry Roll with strawberry frosting from on a plate showing its fluffy and tender texture.

These Easy Strawberry Rolls are soft, fluffy, and dreamy! They are filled with juicy strawberries and topped with creamy, delicious strawberry icing. Easy to make with just basic pantry staples that you probably already have on hand.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 3 30

Cook Time 25

Total Time 3 55

Servings rolls

Calories 755kcal

Author Oriana Romero

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Rolls Dough:

4 ½ cups (630 g) all-purpose flour or bread flour
1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoon (6 g) salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast (1 US standard size packet)
½ cup (120 ml) evaporated milk (see notes)
½ cup (120 ml) water
½ cup (120 ml) milk
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter + more for the pan, softened

Strawberry Filling:

1 cup (150 g) finely chopped fresh strawberries (see notes)
½ cup (160 g) strawberry jam

Strawberry Frosting:

¼ cup (58 g) unsalted butter, softened
8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) heavy cream or milk
2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberry powder or 3 tablespoons strawberry puree, or strawberry jam, or 2 teaspoons strawberry bakery emulsion (see notes)

Instructions

Make the Rolls Dough:

Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in the bowl of the stand mixer.
Mix evaporated milk, water and milk in a bowl or measuring cup. Microwave for 1 minute to warm up, like lukewarm – about 100° F/ 38º C. This is essential to activate the yeast.
Add warm milk/water mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture. Beat with a dough hook on low speed for 2 – 3 minutes until combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium, continue kneading until the dough comes together, about 3 more minutes
Add the softened butter, with the mixer running, one tablespoon at a time, letting each piece incorporate before adding the next. The dough will be sticky after adding in the butter. Scrape the bowl as needed to make sure the dough is mixing correctly.
After adding all the butter, keep mixing the dough for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, velvety, screechy, and the dough passes the windowpane test. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 15 minutes, so be patient.
Note: Make sure to knead the dough long enough, so your rolls are light and fluffy and not dense or heavy. Heavy rolls can be the result of not kneading the dough long enough.

First Rise:

Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let it set in a warm place for 1 ½ – 2 hours, or until double in size.
Note: Alternately, you can rise the dough in the refrigerator overnight. If you do this, the second rise will take longer, about 1 – 2 hours, because the dough will be the cool.

Form the Rolls:

Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, then grease the bottom with butter. Set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, turn out the risen dough. Press the dough with your hands to shape it into a square and release a little bit of air. Roll the dough into a 20 x 14-inch (50 x 35 cm) rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick, even at the corners.
In a small bowl, stir together the chopped strawberries and jam.
Spread the mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on long side.
Roll dough to form a log. Cut the log into 8 rolls and place rolls in the prepared baking pan. Cover the rolls and allow to rise in a warm environment once again until the are puffy—about 45 – 60 minutes.

Bake:

While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C).
Uncover the rolls and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown, and the center of the rolls are cooked through. Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 -15 minutes as you make the fronting.
Tip: About halfway through the bake time, cover the rolls loosely with aluminum foil if you dont want the tops to brown too much.

Make the Frosting:

In a large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese using an electric mixer. Add vanilla extract salt, and heavy cream; continue mixing until well combined. Then add powdered sugar. Beat until combined. Add you preferred strawberry flavoring; mix until evenly distribute.
Spread the frosting over the warm rolls.

Overnight Strawberry Rolls Instructions:

Prepare the dough, roll out, fill, roll into a log and cut into rolls following the recipe's steps above. Arrange rolls cut side down in the baking pan; cover tightly with aluminum foil and let rest in the warmed place for about 10 - 15 minutes to kick start the rising process. Then, store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 16 hours.
The next day, preheat the oven to 200º F (90º C) for 10 minutes; turn off the oven. Place rolls, covered, in the warm oven, close the oven door, and let the rolls rise until they look slightly puffy, approximately 45 - 60 minutes. Take the rolls out of the oven.
Then, preheat the oven to 375º F (190º C). Uncover the rolls and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown, and the center of the rolls are cooked through (or until the internal temperature reaches 185º F / 90º C. While the rolls are baking, prepare the frosting.
Spread the frosting over the rolls and serve immediately.

Notes

Store leftover rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze:

To freeze unbaked rolls: Make them through the rolling and cutting steps and place them in the pan. Unbaked rolls can typically be frozen for up to 1 month. Before freezing, it's important to properly wrap them to prevent freezer burn and maintain their freshness. Individually wrap each unbaked roll tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. When you're ready to bake, simply thaw the rolls in the refrigerator overnight, then let them rise until puffy, about 2 hours, before baking according to the recipe instructions. Please keep in mind that yeast may lose some of its potency over time, especially if frozen for extended periods. To ensure the best results, using the frozen unbaked rolls within 2 weeks of freezing is a good idea.
To freeze baked rolls: I recommend freezing the baked rolls without frosting. Baked rolls can be frozen for up to 2 months. You can either freeze the entire pan or individual cinnamon rolls. Make sure they are well covered to avoid freezer burn. When ready to eat, defrost the cinnamon rolls at room temperature, then warm in the oven at 350º F for 10-15 minutes or in the microwave for 20-30 seconds intervals until warmed through.

Reheat leftover rolls in the microwave for 30- 45 sec.

Evaporated milk: If you don't have evaporated milk on hand or prefer to use an alternative, you can use an equal amount of regular milk as a substitute for evaporated milk. Keep in mind that evaporated milk has a slightly thicker consistency and creamier taste compared to regular milk, so your final result may vary slightly in texture and flavor.

Strawberries: Fresh or frozen chopped strawberries work. Do not thaw first if using frozen.

Strawberry Frosting: For the frosting, you can use freeze-dried strawberry powder, strawberry puree, strawberry jam, or strawberry emulsion, depending on your preference. Feel free to add more or less.

Recipe Tips:

Yeast. If using active yeast, you need to activate it. To do so, mix warmed water and milks (bath temperature), yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl and stir. Cover with a paper towel and let it sit until bubbly, about 5 - 8 minutes. If using instant yeast, you don’t need to activate it. In that case, add to the flour in step 1.

Make sure your liquids are not too hot. It must be slightly warm to the touch but not steaming, about 105-115º F. Anything hotter is likely to kill the yeast, which means the cinnamon rolls will not rise. TIP: Dip your finger in the milk — it should feel warm, like warm bath water, but not HOT. If you warmed it up too much, simply wait a few minutes until it cools down enough to touch.
Knead long enough. The windowpane test is one of the best ways to tell if you’ve sufficiently kneaded your bread dough. If properly kneaded, the dough should stretch, without tearing or breaking, into a thin membrane that you can see through. It means that the gluten is well-developed, and your dough is ready to rise.
Don't overfill your rolls with strawberry jam, or you risk them bursting open during baking. A thin, even layer is all you need.
Let your rolls cool slightly before frosting them to prevent the icing from melting and sliding off.

Food Allergy Swaps:

Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives. Instead of butter and cream cheese, use vegan butter and vegan cream cheese. Instead of milk, use non-dairy milk like soy or oat milk. There are many brands available in stores. I usually use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks and Violife Just Like Cream Cheese Original. Check out my favorite dairy-free substitutes here.
Gluten-Free: I haven’t tested this recipe with a gluten-free flour mix, but you can give it a try. My favorite GF blend for bread is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix. Keep in mind that gluten-free doughs may require a shorter rise time than doughs made with regular flour. Also, gluten-free breads may bake at a slightly lower temperature and for a shorter amount of time than traditional breads. Start by baking the bread at the temperature specified in the recipe, but be prepared to adjust the baking time if necessary.

Variations & Additions:

Feeling adventurous? Here are a few fun variations you can try:

Add a sprinkle of lemon zest to the strawberry filling for a bright, citrusy twist.
Drizzle melted chocolate over the rolls instead of frosting for a decadent treat.
Feel free to get creative with your fillings and toppings! Try using different fruits like raspberries or blueberries, or swap the cream cheese frosting for a simple vanilla glaze or whipped cream.

If you're making this recipe, please read the whole post content to get lots of tips, tricks, variations, frequently asked questions, and step-by-step photos.

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Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate, and it can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition