Strawberry Rolls Recipe

Strawberry Rolls are stuffed with fresh strawberries and lemon-infused jam filling, baked until golden, and smothered with cream cheese icing. They make a perfect treat for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. You can bring them to your church group or the family picnic or make them all yourself. With my expertise and tips, you can make homemade rolls that are a hundred times better than store-bought.

Strawberry Rolls with Homemade Strawberry Filling

Strawberry Rolls are entirely made from scratch, but they cannot be easier! For instance, there’s no kneading involved, and the filling and icing come together in minutes. Not only are these rolls seriously good, but they’re worth making just for the smell alone.

They are going to fill up your house with the heavenly aromas of strawberries and fresh, homemade bread! Finally, it tastes AMAZING. Full of pure strawberry flavor with a hint of lemon, stuffed into the softest rolls and soaked in creamy icing. You HAVE to try these ASAP!

I got this recipe from my grandma when I was younger. She used to make it for me when I was a child, and I always made it with her. Eventually, I started making it with my kids, and I will make it with my grandkids someday. Cooking is a family tradition I plan to keep passing along with every generation—hopefully forever.

These go great with a glass of ice-cold milk or a mug of hot chocolate. I enjoy mine in the morning with coffee before anyone wakes up. However, once they smell the sweet strawberry scent, they are all in the kitchen waiting to be served. The kids love it when I serve them with my strawberry banana smoothies.

Why you will love this recipe

• They are so good: Everyone loves these sweet and soft rolls topped with icing.
• Filled with strawberries: They are filled with fresh strawberries and jam.
• Easy to make: No kneading or hours to wait to rise.
• Not a lot of ingredients: Just a handful of simple ingredients.

The items you need for making this strawberry rolls

• Bowls – Several different sizes for mixing at the various stages.
• Whisk – For whisking the dry ingredients.
• Wooden spoon – To mix the dough.
• Saucepan – For making the filling.
• Baking pan – 9×13-inch baking pan.
• Hand mixer – To beat the icing.

The ingredients for strawberry rolls

For the dough:

• Instant yeast—Like dry yeast, instant yeast is dried faster and milled into finer particles, which makes it dissolve faster and activate quicker.
• Water – Should be lukewarm but not hot. Water over 130 degrees F will kill yeast.
• Sugar – White granulated sugar is the only kind for this purpose.
• Eggs – Warmed to room temperature for better incorporation.
• Milk – Should be lukewarm but not hot.
• Butter – Melted but cooled.
• Flour – All-purpose flour or self-rising flour are both okay.
• Salt – Kosher salt has the cleanest flavor with no additives.

For the filling:

• Strawberry jam – Seedless jam for a smoother filling. You can make your own or use storebought. Or you can try my easy recipe for homemade strawberry jam.
• Cornstarch – This is an essential ingredient. If you do not have it, use tapioca starch or potato starch.
• Lemon zest – Zest your lemon for the freshest flavor.
• Lemon juice – Same here. Fresh lemon juice makes a big difference.
• Strawberries—Buy the freshest, ripest strawberries you can find. I prefer organic from my local farmers’ market.

Cream cheese icing:

• Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature for easier incorporation.
• Butter – Also should be softened to room temperature.
• Sugar – Icing sugar or powdered sugar for a smooth icing.
• Lemon zest – Adds a tangy kick.
• Lemon juice – Also adds some freshness.
• Vanilla – 100% pure vanilla extract.
• Salt – Use kosher salt for a clean, fresh salt taste.

How to make homemade strawberry rolls from scratch

1. Make the dough. Start by mixing the yeast together with a tbsp. of sugar plus the lukewarm water, then leave it for 5 mins. Meanwhile, combine your flour and salt. 
2. After 5 mins., add your wet plus the rest of the sugar to the yeast mix. Combine that with the salt-flour mix, then stir. Let this rest for 10 mins. covered in plastic wrap. 
3. Put the filling together. Take your diced fruit, then cook on medium for 4 mins., until the juices start to come out. 
4. Add the rest of the filling components except for the jam, and continue warming up until thick. Finally, stir in the jam, and chill everything.
5. Prep for baking. Roll out your dough flat. Spread the chilled fruit filling, then make a log shape by rolling it up. Cut into 2-inch slices. Leave it for 10 mins. to rest.
6. Bake. Place in a 350F oven for up to 25 mins. until golden.
7. Finish with icing. Beat the cheese and softened butter, then add the rest of the icing components. Pour all over the freshly-baked rolls.
8. Serve. Enjoy fresh with more strawberries!

Expert tip

Why we need yeast

While certain breads like banana bread and cornbread do not need yeast, those that we want to rise, like these strawberry rolls, need it to get that lift. For example, if you tried making sandwich bread at home without yeast, you would have dense bread like banana bread. Yeast is a leavening agent that causes baked goods to expand and makes them lighter and airier.

If you left the yeast out of this strawberry roll recipe, you would have tiny and dense rolls. They may still taste good but would be very chewy and hard. The flavor may also be different because the yeast typically significantly changes the flavor.  However, there are some tricks to getting around this. You can always use a substitution for the yeast.

I would not recommend doing this when baking a loaf of bread, but you can try this in a pinch for baking a batch of strawberry rolls. One thing about using this substitute is that it is fast. There is no waiting around for proofing. Simply mix a half teaspoon of baking soda with a half teaspoon of lemon juice. Then, mix it into the rest of your ingredients, which calls for the yeast. It may not rise as well, but it will be pretty darn close.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Other fruits: Instead of (or in addition to) strawberries, add some blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, or apples.
• Chocolate icing: Everyone loves chocolate-covered strawberries, so add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder into the icing. 
• Chocolate chips: You could add some chocolate chips to the filling for even more chocolate.
• Different filling: Instead of strawberry jam, try this with plum, peach, raspberry, or persimmon jam.
• Cinnamon rolls: Sprinkle some cinnamon in the filling and add a bit to the icing. 
• Frosting: For a more decadent treat, covered in cream cheese frosting!

Serving suggestions:

• These are perfect from brunch, especially for Mother’s day, serving these rolls with my frozen strawberry daiquiris.
• Kids can always have them with strawberry lemonade or strawberry smoothie.
• These will be a hit if you bring them to a picnic or church.
• On the side, you can also serve them with strawberry ice cream and whipped cream.
• You can skip the icing, and just serve them with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
• Top with crushed nuts, chocolate chips or chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, more fruit chunks, or even softened Nutella.
• Pair these with a hot London fog latte for a wonderful sweet breakfast.

Frequently asked questions

Can I let these rise in the fridge overnight?

You can put them all together in the baking dish and prepare them for the second rise. Then, cover them tightly with plastic wrap. After, put them in the fridge and let them rise overnight. However, they may not rise as much as you think. When you take them out, let them sit on the counter until they have doubled in size before you bake them. Then, all you have to do is frost and eat them. If they have risen, just let them sit for 30 minutes to warm up a bit before baking.

Why are my rolls hard and dense?

It could be that your yeast was not fresh. Or the dough did not rise enough the first or second time. The dough needs to double in size both times. But the second time is essential for a light, airy dough. If you live in a cooler climate, it may take longer for your dough to rise. Another problem could be that you kneaded the dough too long. You should only knead it until it is smooth but still elastic.

How do I know if my yeast is still active?

First, know when you bought it. Opened dry yeast in an airtight container lasts four months in the fridge and six months in the freezer. If you are not sure, do a proofing test. Mix one teaspoon of sugar with a quarter cup of warm (not hot) water. Mix in the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes. If it has doubled or tripled, it is good if it is creamy and foamy. If it has not done much, throw it away.

Is it possible to let your dough rise too long?

Yes, it is possible to let your dough rise too long. They call this overproofing. You will know right away if your dough is overproofed because it will be sticky and will probably fall if you handle it too roughly. To test it, poke it with your finger. If it springs back quickly, it is underproofed. If it does not spring back or collapses, it is overproofed. If it springs back slowly, it is ready to bake.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Put these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days in the fridge.
• Freezing: To freeze, wrap in plastic and put them in a freezer bag for up to three months.   
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture and flavor.

More rolls to try:

Recipe tips:

• The milk should be lukewarm. This makes a difference.
• You will need a good amount of flour when rolling. Use it on your hands or rolling pin, and sprinkle the dough with some.
• Using whole milk will give your rolls the best flavor.
• Also, using butter rather than margarine is essential for flavor.
• Start with four cups of flour. Add more by the tablespoon if necessary. You want the dough to be slightly sticky but not wet.
• Do not overfill the dough. You do not want the layer of strawberry filling to spill out while rolling it.
• Make the filling first because it has to be chilled before you can spread it on the rolls.