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Once you try these strawberry cinnamon rolls, they’ll be a family staple! The secret? Freeze-dried strawberries and lemon zest in the glaze! They are seriously so good!
Why You Need These In Your Life!
- Delicious Bright Flavor: I’m telling you, the combo of sweet strawberries, warm cinnamon, and that tangy lemon glaze is a total game-changer for cinnamon rolls.
- Life Changing Glaze! The incredible glaze has the best strawberry flavor mixed with lemon and cream cheese, it is to die for!
- Strawberry Season: This is a great way to use fresh strawberries! While I use pie filling, you can swap in my homemade strawberry sauce.
A Reader’s Review
The BEST rolls I’ve ever had, much less made. This frosting belongs on EVERYTHING. About to make another batch because I can’t stop thinking about how good they are!
Erika
Ingredients Needed
- Filing Tip: If you can’t find canned pie filling, double my homemade strawberry sauce recipe and add 4 teaspoons cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water to thicken.
- Glaze Tip: Freeze-dried strawberries are the key to the incredible strawberry flavor. If you can’t find them, use strawberry jam or jelly, but reduce the half & half to keep the glaze thick.
How to Make Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Even though this recipe uses homemade dough, these strawberry cinnamon rolls are super easy to make. The hardest part is waiting for them to come out of the oven!
Dough
- Melt Butter: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the milk and butter. Stir until the butter has melted and remove from heat. Let stand until lukewarm temperature.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 2 ¼ cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
- Combine: Add the egg and water and use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment to mix until combined.
- Slowly Add Milk: Slowly add the milk mixture and the remaining 1 cup of flour to the dough until combined.
- Knead: Knead on medium speed for 6-7 minutes until smooth and pulling away from the bowl. If too sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour and knead 2-3 more minutes. To knead by hand, mix ingredients, then knead on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Form into a ball, place in the bowl, and let rest for 10 minutes. place it back into the bowl. Set it aside to let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the strawberry cinnamon roll dough into a large 9 x 15-inch rectangle that is about ¼-½ inch thick.
Strawberry Filling
- Spread: Spread the strawberry pie filling evenly over the dough. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle it evenly on top of the strawberry filling.
- Roll: Roll up the 15-inch side into a log and pinch the seams. To avoid the filling squeezing out the other side, try lifting the rolled side up and placing it down on top of the filling before pulling it back towards you to make the roll tighter. Repeat this for the entire process of rolling the dough to prevent losing all the filling.
- Slice: Use a very sharp knife to slice the rolled dough into 12 even rolls. I recommend using a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels to wipe the knife clean between each cut.
- Let Rolls Rise: Place the rolls in a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan, cover with a damp cloth, and set them aside to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Bake: While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 minutes or until just golden brown on the tops.
Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
- Mix Glaze and Frost Rolls: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the half & half, lemon juice, lemon zest, and freeze-dried strawberry powder and mix until combined.
- Add Glaze: Spread over the warm strawberry cinnamon rolls after they cool for 10 minutes or so.
All Things Cinnamon Rolls
I know how much everyone loves cinnamon rolls! So I’ve rounded up every version, from quick and easy to more advanced homemade! You can find them all in one place! With Lots of tips and tricks!
Storing Leftover Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
- Refrigerating: Store leftover strawberry cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm in the microwave for 20–30 seconds before serving.
- Freeze: You can freeze the cinnamon rolls right after rolling them, before the final rise. When you’re ready to bake, just let them come to room temperature and rise until doubled in size—then pop them in the oven.
- Room Temperature: Since the glaze has cream cheese, avoid keeping these at room temp.
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Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
These delicious strawberry cinnamon rolls are made with pie filling and a quick and easy dough. The flavor is out of this world amazing!
Ingredients
Dough
- ¾ cup milk
- ⅓ cup softened unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour,
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour +2 tablespoons if the dough is very sticky
Filling
- 1 (21-ounce) can strawberry pie filling
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Strawberry Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 ounce cream cheese softened
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries crushed into powder about .5-ounces freeze-dried strawberries
- 3 tablespoons half & half
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest about 1 large lemon
Instructions
Dough
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add ¾ cup milk and ⅓ cup softened unsalted butter. Stir until the butter has melted and remove from heat. Let stand until lukewarm temperature.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add 1 large egg and ¼ cup water and use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment to mix until combined.
- Slowly add the milk mixture and 1 cup all-purpose flour to the dough until combined.
- Knead on medium speed for 6-7 minutes or until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is very sticky and won’t pull away from the sides even after 6-7 minutes, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour and knead again for 2-3 minutes. You can alternatively make the dough by hand. Stir all the ingredients together in a large bowl before kneading it on a lightly floured surface until smooth, about 10 minutes or so.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl. Set it aside to let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large 9 x 15-inch rectangle that is about ¼-½ inch thick.
Filling
- Spread the 1 (21-ounce) can strawberry pie filling over the dough. Combine the 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon granulated sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle it evenly on top of the strawberry filling.
- Roll up the 15-inch side into a log and pinch the seams. To avoid the filling squeezing out the other side, try lifting up the rolled side and placing it down on top of the filling before pulling it back towards you to make the roll tiger. Repeat this for the entire process of rolling the dough to prevent losing all the filling.
- Use a very sharp knife to slice the rolled dough into 12 even rolls. I recommend using a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels to wipe the knife clean between each cut.
- Place the rolls in a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan, cover with a damp cloth, and set them aside to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- While the rolls rise, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 minutes or until just golden brown on the tops.
Glaze
- In a medium bowl, combine 4 ounce cream cheese softened, 3 Tablespoons salted butter softened, and 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons half & half, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries crushed into powder and mix until combined. Spread over the warm rolls after they cool for 10 minutes or so.
Video
Notes
Originally posted April 15, 2014
Updated on August 31, 2023
Update March 18, 2025
Nutrition
Calories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 177mgPotassium: 139mgFiber: 3gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 431IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
More Tasty Strawberry Recipes
If you loved these strawberry cinnamon rolls, then you’ve got to try a few more of my favorites strawberry desserts! Like my strawberry cake from scratch!
What type of flour do you use
I used all-purpose flour for this recipe!
Just to make sure I’m not missing something, does this dough not have a first rise?
In step 2 you let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. Then, in step 3 you let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
Sooo good! Messy to roll up, but totally worth it! I used homemade pie filling. Love the lemon!
Would the strawberries in the pie filling need to be cut up? Just asking because I’ve gotten a couple cans of a different brand and the strawberries were pretty big.
You don’t have to cut them up but that’s totally up to you!
Does the pie filling have to be lucky leaf?
No! Any brand of pie filling will work!
My stores don’t carry strawberry pie filling in a can. Any suggestions?
Oh no! You could try using another flavor of pie filling. Cherry would be delightful! I have a homemade recipe here: Delicious Cherry Pie Filling
Can you pre make then and refrigerate till you want to bake them? Have them set in fridge over night?
You can try that! If you do, then place them in your refrigerator (covered, on your baking sheet) immediately after you shape them. Don’t let them rise at room temperature. They can stay in the fridge for no more than 24 hours. Let them come to room temperature before you bake them according to the directions!
Can you use already made cinnamon rolls in a can
I haven’t tried that with this recipe before! But I have cooked those in the air fryer if you want to try that out sometime! Easy Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls (From a Can!)
Can these be made ahead of time and frozen. How would you reheat? They look fantastic.
Yes! Once they have cooled then I would wrap them in plastic wrap, and place them in an airtight container. Thaw them in the fridge for about 45-60 minutes and then heat them up in your oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes!
My niece made these for her husband and his co-workers. An absolute hit!
We’ve tried using other flavors and they are just as delicious.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
These are amazing. I have my own personal cinnamon roll dough recipe but, these were a hit especially for my daughters youth fund raiser auction. Thank you!
Suggestions for a pan?? 9×15???
Am I missing something?
The 9×15 is the approximate size that you roll out the dough on the counter. Then, you will roll that up to make a log shape and cut it into rolls. You can cook these cinnamon rolls in a 9×13 baking dish!
What type of flour
All-purpose flour works great!
This wasn’t just my first time making cinnamon rolls, it was my first time making my own dough! Which is surprising because I love to cook and bake. Everything came out fantastic! Thank you for the recipe!
Absolutely wonderful recipe easy and the taste is out of this world.
Going to try this with Grand Cinnamon rolls since I don’t have the space or own a mixer.
How would you be able to do that since Grands are already rolled? I’d like to try it also if it works for you.
Made these vegan and they were a hit! I used Oatly for the milk. Country Crock Plantbased Butter, Bob’s Redmill Egg Replacer, and Ripples Half & Half. Came out perfect with the same measurements!
What did you use in place of the cream cheese for the icing? I’ve never seen/heard of the half & half you mentioned.