I have made a lot of bread recipes in my life, like a lot. These homemade strawberry rolls are one of the BEST ones! They are tender, swirled with strawberry and cream, and dreamy overall.
Baking bread and rolls might seem like a lot of work but it’s seriously worth it, especially when it comes to these strawberry rolls!
Sweet tender whole wheat bread is filled with homemade strawberry sauce and sweetened cream cheese. After baking they are topped with bright, citrusy lemon drizzle which takes them over the top!
These strawberry cream cheese rolls make a special treat to serve up for brunch or special occasions such as Easter, Mother’s Day, or any other holiday.
Want to experiment with more homemade breakfast rolls? Give these Raspberry Sweet Rolls a try! Or these Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
A special treat the whole family will love! Strawberry rolls will take your next brunch or special occasion over the top!
A great combination of ingredients and flavors. They come together to make the best homemade breakfast rolls with a creamy strawberry filling!
Perfect for special occasions or weekend breakfasts!
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour: I like using Einkorn, but hard white wheat flour also works great.
- Sweetener: You can use honey or sugar for the bread and the cream cheese mixture. I’ve used both with excellent results.
- Butter: You can swap with oil instead, but I prefer the butter's richness in the pastry.
- All-purpose flour: Used in combination with whole wheat flour. Just be sure to note the amount of regular flour in the recipe is variable so you may not need it all.
- Strawberry preserves: You can use any other preserves you like, but this is our favorite!
- Eggs: These are used in the dough and help give it a soft texture.
- Salt: while it is a small amount, it is necessary, both for the rise of the dough and for enhancing the flavor.
- Cream cheese: This is used both in the filling and in the lemon drizzle on top.
- Lemon: Zest and juice are used for maximum flavor in the drizzle.
- Vanilla: Like the salt, it won't take much, but it enhances the flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Rolls
Are you ready to get started making homemade strawberry rolls? Here’s a brief overview of the main steps. Be sure to check the recipe card for all the details before you start preparing them.
Step 1: Mix the Dough
Combine the milk, instant yeast, honey or sugar, butter, eggs, whole wheat flour, and potato flakes in the bowl of a stand mixer. Also, add two cups of all-purpose flour to start.
Mix for about 1 minute on medium speed. If you are working with it by hand, knead for two minutes.
If the dough is still really wet after a minute, add one additional cup of all-purpose flour.
Mix again for a minute and then add in another ½-1 cup flour as needed.
PRO TIP: Make sure you mix for at least one minute after adding the flour to determine how much more flour you will need. The final dough should be tacky (slightly sticky), but not too wet. Wheat flour absorbs more liquid than an all-white dough as it rises and bakes, so be mindful of that. If the area you live in is humid, you may need more flour.
When the dough reaches the right consistency, cover it, and allow it to double in size in a warm place.
Step 2: Make the Sweet Cream Cheese
Mix the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer until it is smooth. Give it a taste and add more sugar if you like it sweeter.
Step 5: Roll out the Dough
Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Make sure you need just enough flour to keep it from sticking.
Roll the dough out into an 18 x 18-inch square.
Top the dough with a layer of cream cheese filling. Then spread a layer of strawberry preserves next.
Imagine the dough is divided into thirds, top to bottom. Fold the left third over the middle and then the right side over the middle.
Step 5: Cut and Shape the Rolls
Use a pastry wheel or sharp knife and cut the folded dough into one-inch strips across the folds.
Take each one-inch strip and twist.
Then roll it up and tuck the end under.
PRO TIP: Shaping the rolls will be messy, so just brace yourself for this!
Once they’re shaped, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure to leave at least 3 inches between the rolls.
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow them to double in size.
Step 6: Bake the Rolls
Bake the tray rolls in a preheated 375° F oven for ____. Be careful not to overbake them.
Step 7: Make the Lemon Drizzle
Mix the ingredients to make the lemon drizzle. Drizzle over the freshly baked rolls while they are still warm.
How to Store Leftovers
Homemade strawberry cream cheese rolls are best served freshly baked. However, if you happen to have leftovers, which I highly doubt, they are best stored in the fridge since they contain fruit.
Place them in an airtight container for up to three days. To enjoy the warmth, heat them in the microwave.
Expert Tips
Be sure to start with only two cups of all-purpose flour. The rest of the flour is added in small increments until you get the desired consistency.
You mustn’t overmix the dough. Mix just enough for all the ingredients to come together.
You can swap out the strawberries for another berry or use a mixture of your favorite berries.
FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the individual elements but they will need to be finished off and baked on the day you want to serve them. Mix up the ingredients for the dough. Cover the bowl and let it rise in the fridge overnight. Then the next day you can finish rolling and then baking the rolls. You can also make the strawberry sauce and cream cheese mixture the day before and keep it refrigerated until the next day when you’re ready to assemble your strawberry rolls.
Can I change the flavor? Sure thing! You can make these breakfast rolls with a different type of berry or fruit. But I think the cream cheese filling goes best with berries.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes
This post will show how to roll the twists. It isn't hard, but hard to show in photos.
Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk This should be right around 100 degrees, just barely warm to the touch
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup honey or sugar
- ⅓ cup softened butter
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ¾-1 cup strawberry preserves
Sweetened Cream Cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened I use a lowfat variety, but use whatever you prefer
- 2-4 tablespoons sugar or honey Test for sweetness
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Lemon drizzle
- 3 tablespoons soft cream cheese
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- lemon juice I add the lemon juice to get the drizzle the consistency I want. Start with about 2 tablespoons and go from there.
Instructions
Dough
- Add the warm milk, sugar, and yeast to the mixing bowl. Let this sit for about 3-5 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Add the other ingredients, starting with 2 cups of whole wheat flour. Mix this for one minute at medium speed, then check the dough. If it is still really wet, add another ½-1 cup of flour. Mix again for another minute, then check again.
- Continue to mix until the dough is smooth.
- Cover the bowl and let this sit until the dough is doubled.
- While it is rising, make the sweetened cream cheese.
- Once the dough has risen, it is time to form the rolls.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll the dough to an 18x18 inch square.
- Spread the sweetened cream cheese over the top, then the strawberry preserves over top of this.
- Start on the right side and fold ⅓ towards the center, then fold the other ⅓ from the left side to the center.
- Next, cut this trifold dough into 1-inch strips.
- Twist each strip, then twirl it around to form the roll. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet.
- Cover with saran wrap and let the rolls double. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Bake for about 15 minutes. The rolls should be a light golden brown.
- Remove them from the oven. Mix the ingredients for the lemon glaze and drizzle this over the rolls.
- They are done and ready to serve!
Brooke says
Amy! These look phenomenal!!!!
admin says
Thank you so much Brooke. They are great!!