Soft and fluffy strawberry cinnamon rolls are a fun twist on the classic breakfast treat. Made with a quick and easy homemade jam filling and a pretty pink strawberry cream cheese icing.

strawberry cinnamon rolls with fresh strawberries

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Are cinnamon rolls are as big of a treat at your house as they are at mine? Whether it's just for a weekend breakfast or for a holiday brunch; soft, fluffy, gooey centered cinnamon rolls slathered in icing are always welcomed.

Strawberry cinnamon rolls have a not-too-sweet, super fluffy yeast dough and are filled with a scrumptious {and super easy to make!} homemade strawberry jam filling made with frozen strawberries.

Since I know you are busy bakers {like me!}, you'll be happy to know you can make these rolls with an overnight option! Cause no one needs to be taking that much time to make breakfast in the morning!

For more strawberry desserts be sure to try my strawberry filled cupcakes, strawberry vanilla cake or strawberry lemon roll out cookies.

why you will love this breakfast sweet rolls recipe

Flavor ~ strawberries, cream cheese, and a touch of cinnamon.
Texture ~ this easy roll recipe creates soft, tender and fluffy cinnamon rolls.
Overnight option ~ I don't know about you, but I want a quick and easy breakfast in the mornings! These strawberry cinnamon rolls can be prepped up to the second rise and stored in the refrigerator overnight.
Color ~ the homemade strawberry jam gets mixed into the cream cheese icing and makes the prettiest pink iced rolls!

🍓ingredients needed

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

ingredients for strawberry cinnamon rolls

Strawberries ~ frozen strawberries are used to make a quick and easy jam filling.
Cornstarch ~ gets dissolved in water and added to the strawberries. It helps to thicken the homemade jam.
Vanilla ~ adds nice flavor to the strawberry jam.
Kefir ~ I love the slight tang, protein and softness that kefir brings to these rolls. Buttermilk, whole milk or 2% milk will work as well.
Dry active yeast ~ this is the ingredient that helps the strawberry cinnamon rolls rise and give the soft and fluffy texture.
Granulated sugar ~ brings a tiny bit of sweetness and helps to activate the yeast. It's used in both the homemade jam and the strawberry roll dough.
Bread flour ~ adds moistness and softness to the classic rolls, if you have it I highly recommend using it. {King Arthur Bread Flour is what I use}. I've also tested this recipe with all-purpose flour and it works fine. See notes in the recipe card for the correct amount.
Kosher salt ~ if you only have table salt, start with half the amount.
Large eggs ~ 2 are needed, they should be room temperature.
Unsalted butter ~ gets melted for the rolls. If you only have salted, omit the kosher salt. You will want room temperature butter for the filling and easy strawberry cream cheese icing.

Pro tip ~ to quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5-10 minutes.

strawberry cinnamon roll on a plate with a fresh strawberry

👩🏼‍🍳how to make strawberry cinnamon rolls

See the recipe card below for how to make the quick, simple homemade strawberry jam.

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the warm kefir, sugar, yeast and melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter and give it a little stir. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.

Add the eggs, bread flour and kosher salt, and beat at medium speed with the dough hook until a soft dough forms. *If you do not have a stand-mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand in this step. You can see my sweet pull apart bread post for the how to.

yeast that has activated in a mixing bowl — The yeast should bubble and be foamy after sitting for 10 minutes.

bread flour added to yeast mixture in a mixing bowl — Add the eggs and bread flour over the activated yeast and sprinkle the kosher salt over the top.

yeast rolls dough in a mixing bowl — The yeast rolls dough after it has kneaded in a stand mixer.

Grease the bowl you mixed the dough in {no need to wash it} and place the dough in the bowl, cover and let rise about 1 hour, or until double in size. {I place it in my slightly warm toaster oven}. While the dough is rising, prepare the baking pan. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter or cooking spray and set aside or line the pan with parchment paper.

🌀how to fill and cut the strawberry yeast rolls

Remove the dough from the bowl and roll it into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. I like the narrow side to be about 12 inches and the long side about 16-18 inches.

Spread the strawberry jam filling over the dough, covering almost to the very edge. Then sprinkle the cinnamon over the strawberry jam. Tightly roll the dough starting from a long side until you create a log.

Using dental floss {or clean thread}, cut the log into 12 equal pieces and place them in the prepared pan. I cut the thin ends off the log and usually smoosh them together and bake it in a small ramekin.

cinnamon roll dough rolled out into a rectangle — Roll the dough out to approximately a 12x18 inch rectangle.

strawberry jam and cinnamon spread over dough — Spread the strawberry jam over the dough and then sprinkle with cinnamon.

floss being used to cut strawberry cinnamon rolls — Using dental floss is a great way to cut the rolls.

Place the dough back in your warm spot and allow it to rise a second time, about 30 to 45 minutes until the rolls have doubled in size {if your kitchen is warm, it may not take this much time}. When the strawberry cinnamon rolls are close to the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for about 18-25 minutes, until the edges are lightly brown. If you want to check by temperature, the sweet rolls internal temperature should be 190°F. When the rolls are done, remove the pan from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool for a couple minutes while you prepare the cream cheese icing.

rolls in a baking pan for the second rise — Place the strawberry cinnamon rolls in a parchment lined or greased 9x13 pan.

rolls after their second rise — The rolls will rise a second time after resting another 30-45 minutes.

baked strawberry cinnamon rolls in a pan — The rolls will be lightly golden brown when they have finished baking.

how to make strawberry cream cheese icing

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until combined.

Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low until combined, then increase the speed until a thick frosting forms.

Then add 2 tablespoons of the reserved strawberry filling and beat on medium until fully mixed in. Isn't this a pretty shade of pink?

cream cheese and butter creamed together in a bowl — Cream the butter and cream cheese in a bowl.

strawberry jam in creamed butter and cream cheese — After the confectioners' sugar has been added, add the reserved homemade strawberry jam.

strawberry cream cheese icing in a bowl — The strawberry cream cheese icing will have flecks of strawberries in it.

🌝can I make them overnight strawberry rolls?

You can prepare the strawberry cinnamon rolls up until the second rise, then loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Pull the rolls out of the refrigerator when you wake up. Start the coffee and preheat the oven, then bake.

You can also bake the rolls and allow them to cool {don't glaze them yet}. Then cover them tightly and store at room temperature for up to one day. Gently rewarm them {tightly wrapped with foil and warmed at 300°F for 10-15 minutes}. Then add the strawberry cream cheese icing and serve.

Tips for the best gooey sweet rolls

Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your kefir {or milk}. If the liquid is too hot, it can kill the yeast. If it's too cold, it won't activate the yeast.
Don't add too much flour when making and kneading the dough! The dough is very sticky to start and you may be tempted to add extra flour. Be patient; if you add too much flour the rolls will be dense instead of soft and fluffy. I typically 2 - 3 tablespoons of additional flour.
Don't rush the rise time; the dough needs to double in size, which typically takes about an hour in a slightly warm environment.
Create a warm environment for the cinnamon rolls to rise if your kitchen is cold like mine. I usually create a warm environment in our Breville Smart Oven. A regular oven also works. Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature setting {ideally less than 200°F, you really don't want it warmer than about 90°F in there}. Leave the oven on for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the oven, but leave the door closed. When the dough is ready to rise, place it in the barely warm oven.
For extra gooey strawberry rolls ~ pour a half cup of heavy cream over the rolls right before they go in the oven. This also adds extra softness to the rolls.

variation ideas

Strawberry rolls with lemon glaze ~ use the tart lemon glaze from this blackberry lemon scone recipe. You will want to 1.5x the recipe.

Strawberry cinnamon rolls with vanilla glaze ~ use the vanilla bean glaze from these chocolate swirl rolls.

Strawberry rolls with cream cheese icing ~ leave out the strawberry jam and use 1 - 2 tablespoons of milk or cream to get the icing to a spreadable consistency.

frequently asked questions

what temperature should the milk be?

Ideally, you want the kefir or milk between 100-110°F. I use my ThermoWorks Thermapen for a quick and easy temperature reading. Using a thermometer is the most accurate way to determine the temperature of your milk. Any thermometer that reads between 75°-135°F will work.

If the milk is too warm, you run the risk of killing the yeast. If the milk is too cold, the yeast won't activate and the yeast rolls may rise too slowly or not at all.

what flour is best for cinnamon rolls?

Bread flour is going to give the homemade yeast rolls the best soft and fluffy texture {I like King Arthur Bread Flour}. If you only have all-purpose flour, see the recipe notes for how to substitute it.

can I use frozen strawberries?

Absolutely! I personally prefer using frozen strawberries for the easy homemade strawberry jam. They are available year round and are often more economical.

why are my strawberry rolls not gooey?

The most common reason cinnamon rolls can turn out dry is that they are over baked. Using a thermometer is a great way to check if the strawberry cinnamon rolls are done baking. 190°F is what the internal temperature should be when they are finished.

Another reason for not gooey cinnamon rolls is that too much flour is added. I know I sound like a broken record, but a kitchen scale is truly your best friend in baking. This is the scale I use in my kitchen.

how to store

Cover and store leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The strawberry cinnamon rolls can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and rewarm following the instructions below. If you know you will be freezing the rolls, I would wait to put the icing on until after you have rewarmed them.

how to rewarm strawberry rolls

Gently rewarm the cinnamon rolls by tightly wrapping them with foil and warm them in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes. This works for both strawberry cinnamon rolls frozen with icing/glaze or without.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls