Strawberry Cheesecake Rolls (Printable)
Soft pillowy rolls swirled with cream cheese filling and fresh strawberries, topped with a sweet glaze.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 cup warm whole milk (110°F)
05 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
→ Cheesecake Filling
08 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
09 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Strawberry Filling
11 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, finely chopped
12 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
13 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
→ Glaze
14 - 1 cup powdered sugar
15 - 2–3 tbsp whole milk
16 - 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - In a small bowl, combine warm milk (110°F), active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5–10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and bubbly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, remaining sugar, and salt until well combined. Pour in the activated yeast mixture and stir to incorporate.
03 - Gradually add the all-purpose flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–7 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
04 - Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
05 - While the dough rises, combine the chopped strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously for 3–5 minutes until the mixture thickens into a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and cool completely.
06 - Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl as needed.
07 - Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a floured surface. Roll out into a 16x10-inch rectangle. Spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the dough, then gently layer the cooled strawberry filling on top.
08 - Roll the dough up tightly starting from the long edge. Using a sharp knife or dental floss, cut into 12 equal pieces. Arrange the rolls cut-side up in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
09 - Cover the dish with a towel and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled.
10 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 22–25 minutes until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are set. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
11 - Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk (starting with 2 tablespoons and adding more as needed), and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle the glaze generously over the warm rolls before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dough is shockingly forgiving, so even if yeast intimidates you, this one will cooperate.
- That cream cheese and strawberry combo inside warm bread is the kind of thing people remember and request by name at every gathering.
- They look far more complicated than they actually are, which is always a kitchen win.
02 -
- If your kitchen is cold, turn your oven on for one minute then shut it off and let the dough rise inside with the door cracked open.
- Do not skip the cornstarch in the strawberry filling, because without it you will have a wet, runny mess that soaks through the dough.
- Let the baked rolls cool for just 5 minutes before glazing so the sugar melts into the swirls without sliding completely off.
03 -
- Use unflavored dental floss to cut the rolls instead of a knife because it prevents squishing the beautiful spiral shape.
- Adding a teaspoon of lemon zest to the strawberry filling brightens the whole flavor profile in a way people notice but cannot quite identify.