These warm, fluffy Strawberry Crunch Rolls are a twist on the classic cinnamon roll. They’re beautiful and packed with fresh strawberry flavor, making them the perfect summer brunch treat! 🍓⭐️
The Best Way to Start Your Weekend
Nothing says weekend like warm, gooey cinnamon rolls. Here at Delish, we adore all variations, from classic cinnamon to lemon curd or tart cranberry-filled rolls. Our latest love? Tall, fluffy strawberry cinnamon rolls topped with bright pink cream cheese frosting, crunchy freeze-dried strawberries, and fresh strawberries. Here’s how we make them so plush and delicious.
Tips and Tricks
Instant Yeast:
Instant yeast is easy to use because it doesn’t need to be dissolved in warm liquid first. Just sprinkle it over the wet ingredients before adding the salt and flour.
Kneading the Dough:
This dough is stickier than usual because it has a lot of whole milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. We start kneading with a dough hook in a stand mixer to develop the gluten without extra flour. Once the dough clings to the hook, finish with a quick hand-knead on a floured surface to shape it into a smooth ball.
Overnight Rise:
After shaping the rolls, let them rise in the fridge overnight. The next morning, let them sit at room temperature for an hour before baking. All you need to do is preheat the oven and frost the cooled rolls.
Using Strawberries:
We use frozen and freeze-dried strawberries for the filling because they make a better, more consistent jam. Freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting add a tart flavor and beautiful color. Top each roll with fresh strawberries for a perfect finish.
Strawberry Crunch Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
**Dough:**
- – 3 large eggs
- – 1 cup whole milk
- – 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- – 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- – 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- – 1 1/4-oz. packet instant yeast
- – 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- – 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour divided, plus more for dusting
- – Cooking spray
**Filling:**
- – 1 pound frozen strawberries about 3 1/2 cups, thawed and chopped
- – 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- – 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- – 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- – 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- – 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- – Cooking spray
- – All-purpose flour for dusting
- – 1 large egg
**Frosting:**
- – 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- – 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- – 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
- – 2 tablespoons whole milk
- – 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- – Fresh strawberries for serving (optional)
Instructions
#### Dough
- In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Add yeast, salt, and 2 cups of flour, stirring until just combined.
- Fit the mixer with a dough hook, add the remaining 3 cups of flour, and mix on low speed until the dough is sticky and starts to form a ball, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Form into a ball.
- Spray the mixer bowl with cooking spray, return the dough, and turn to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
#### Filling
- In a saucepan over medium heat, cook strawberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, orange zest, and salt, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and boils, about 10 minutes.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes more. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Spray a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with cooking spray. Roll dough into an 18″ x 15″ rectangle on a floured surface. Spread filling to the edges. Roll tightly from a long side, trim ends, and cut into 12 pieces.
- Place pieces in the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
- Remove plastic wrap, cover with a towel, and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat the egg with 2 tablespoons of water and brush over the rolls. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes.
#### Frosting
- Crush freeze-dried strawberries in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.
- In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and 1/4 cup of crushed strawberries until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add milk and salt, and beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Spread frosting over cooled rolls and sprinkle with remaining crushed strawberries. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.