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These delicious strawberry cinnamon rolls are made with pie filling and a quick and easy dough. Once you drizzle them with a delicious lemon glaze, you won’t be able to resist coming back for seconds!
If you love strawberry recipes, then you’ve got to try a few more of my favorites! Start with these delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies, this yummy Strawberry Crunch Cake or this classic Fresh Strawberry Pie.
Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Can you imagine a cinnamon roll with a strawberry glaze and juicy strawberries inside when you take a bite? Life just doesn’t get much better than that. Oh wait, it does. These are frosted with a lemon cream cheese glaze. It took these already amazing cinnamon rolls to the next level! They’re sweet, a little bit zesty, and sure to make your mouth water.
Cinnamon rolls can be intimidating, especially if you haven’t made them from scratch before. Don’t you worry. This recipe is perfect for those that want it quick and easy. I’m impatient when it comes to dough anyway- I don’t want to wait for hours for them to rise. I want to be able to throw everything in the oven within an hour and enjoy the deliciousness ASAP! Once you use this dough recipe, it will become your favorite! And once you taste the amazing strawberry flavor in these cinnamon rolls, you will want to make them for your family again and again!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Don’t let the long list of ingredients fool you, these strawberry cinnamon rolls use a lot of pantry staples! As long as you have a can of strawberry pie filing and some cream cheese, you’ll likely have everything else needed to whip up these bad boys. All measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the strawberry cinnamon rolls structure.
- Instant Yeast: Makes the dough rise and puff up. Be sure you’re using instant yeast and not active dry yeast.
- White Sugar: Adds sweetness and also helps the dough grow.
- Salt: Makes everything taste better and the dough stronger.
- Large Egg: To help hold everything together.
- Water: Keeps the dough from being too dry.
- Milk: Adds moisture and nice flavor. Whole milk is best for soft, tender cinnamon rolls.
- Butter: Makes things rich and tasty. You can’t go wrong with butter!
For the Filling:
- Strawberry Pie Filling: This is the delightful strawberry jam that you’ll spread inside the dough. If you’re having trouble finding it, check out my tips section below on how to make it from scratch!
- Cinnamon: Just a sprinkle of it gives the rolls that lovely spiced touch.
- Sugar: A tiny bit of sugar goes a long way in enhancing the filling for the strawberry cinnamon rolls.
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is the magic ingredient that makes the glaze creamy and velvety. When it’s softened, it’s easy to mix and gives the glaze a rich and tangy flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter blends beautifully with the cream cheese to create a smooth, rich texture.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the glaze and helps it become thick and delightful.
- Half and Half: This is a mix of milk and cream that adds a bit of creaminess to the glaze. It helps thin it out just enough to make it easy to drizzle.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: Gives the glaze a bright flavor that contrasts wonderfully with the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and depth to the glaze, making it even more delicious.
How to Make Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Even though this recipe uses homemade dough, these strawberry cinnamon rolls are super easy to make. The hardest part is waiting for them to come out of the oven! Be sure to have one while they’re warm, you’ll be obsessed after the first bite.
- Butter Mixture: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the milk and butter. Stir until the butter has melted and remove from heat. Let stand until lukewarm temperature.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 ¼ cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add to the stand mixer with dough hook attached. (You can also make this by hand, just knead until smooth once all of the ingredients are added.) Add the egg and water and mix until just starting to combine. Slowly add in the milk mixture and 1 cup of flour until the dough starts to form and become smooth. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Shape, Add Filling: On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large 9×15 rectangle. About 1/4-½ inch thick. Spread strawberry pie filling evenly on top of the dough. In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top of the strawberry filling. Roll up the 15 inch side into a log and pinch the seams. Cut into 9-12 slices depending on how thick you want your cinnamon rolls. Place in a greased 9×13 inch pan and cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 minutes or until just golden brown on the tops.
How to Make the Glaze
- Beat Cream Cheese: Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Lemon Zest: Add the half and half, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest until combined.
- Serve: Drizzle over the warm cinnamon rolls and then enjoy!
Tips and Variations
These are a few things to keep in mind as you make your strawberry cinnamon rolls! They’re just a few simple fixes (and fun variations) that will have them turning out perfectly.
- Homemade Strawberry Filling: Instead of canned strawberry pie filling, you can prepare your own filling. In a saucepan add 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, ½ cup of water, and 2 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of chopped fresh strawberries and 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. Let cool completely before spreading over your cinnamon roll dough.
- Using Other Fruits: Swap out the strawberry pie filling for apple or cherry!
- Roll Tightly: These strawberry cinnamon rolls are kind of messy to roll up, but if you take your time to pull the dough tight, and even as you roll them, you will end up with a nice swirl of dough through the rolls.
- Even Slices: Use a serrated knife to gently slice through the rolls. Going slow and carefully with the sawing motion will allow the knife to cut through chunks of strawberry, making the rolls stay intact instead of smooshing them and dragging berries through the dough.
Storing Leftovers and Making Ahead
These strawberry cinnamon rolls can be prepared the night before. After placing the rolls in the pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in the fridge. Remove from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours before baking as directed!
Baked cinnamon rolls will keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
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In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the milk and butter. Stir until the butter has melted and remove from heat. Let stand until lukewarm temperature.
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In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 ¼ cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add to the stand mixer with dough hook attached. (You can also make this by hand, just knead until smooth once all of the ingredients are added.) Add the egg and water and mix until just starting to combine. Slowly add in the milk mixture and 1 cup of flour until the dough starts to form and become smooth. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large 9×15 square. About 1/4-½ inch thick. Spread strawberry pie filling evenly on top of the dough. In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top of the strawberry filling. Roll up the 15 inch side into a log and pinch the seams. Cut into 9-12 slices depending on how thick you want your cinnamon rolls. Place in a greased 9×13 inch pan and cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 minutes or until just golden brown on the tops.
Glaze
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Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Add the half and half, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest until combined. Drizzle over the warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Updated on August 31, 2023
Serves: 12
Calories307kcal (15%)Carbohydrates42g (14%)Protein6g (12%)Fat13g (20%)Saturated Fat8g (40%)Cholesterol49mg (16%)Sodium213mg (9%)Potassium87mg (2%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar15g (17%)Vitamin A434IU (9%)Vitamin C1mg (1%)Calcium45mg (5%)Iron2mg (11%)
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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This story originally appeared on TheRecipeCritic
