Description
Delight in these Strawberry Cream Rolls, a luscious dessert featuring soft, buttery dough swirled with fresh strawberries and a creamy, sweetened cream cheese filling. Perfect for a summer treat or a cozy gathering, these rolls are baked to golden perfection and offer a delicious balance of fruity freshness and rich creaminess.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- â…” cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
Cream Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt ensuring they are well combined to create an even base for your dough.
- Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend it in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, which helps create a flaky texture.
- Form the Dough: Pour in the whole milk and vanilla extract, stirring gently until a soft dough forms. Take care not to overmix to keep the dough tender.
- Add Strawberries: Fold the diced fresh strawberries into the dough carefully, distributing them evenly without breaking them apart too much.
- Roll the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle about ½ inch thick, preparing it for spreading the cream filling.
- Prepare Cream Filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and lemon zest (if using). Mix until the filling is smooth and creamy.
- Spread the Filling: Evenly spread the cream cheese filling over the rolled-out dough, covering the surface completely.
- Shape the Rolls: Carefully roll the dough into a log shape, starting from one edge, then slice the log into 8 evenly sized rolls.
- Bake the Rolls: Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the rolls to cool slightly before serving. For extra sweetness, consider drizzling them with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and milk after baking.
Notes
- If fresh strawberries are unavailable, you can substitute with thawed and well-drained frozen strawberries.
- For an added touch of sweetness and shine, drizzle the rolls with a glaze made by mixing powdered sugar with a splash of milk once they have cooled slightly.
- Be gentle when folding in strawberries to prevent them from breaking and releasing too much juice into the dough.
- Ensure the butter is cold when cutting into the flour mixture to achieve a flaky texture.
