There is nothing quite like sinking your teeth into a fluffy sweet roll first thing in the morning— especially if that roll is tender, soft, and loaded with a succulent strawberry filling. This yeasted dough recipe is different from most; it only requires one rise, which considerably reduces the total preparation time. It’s a great recipe for yeast beginners. I love topping the gooey strawberry rolls with a shower of vanilla glaze, because in my world, no sweet roll is complete without it!
Ingredients
Filling
- 1½ cups (190g) finely chopped strawberries
- 0.33 cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch
Dough
- 2¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2¼ tsp instant dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk
- 2½ tbsp (40g) butter
- 1 egg
Glaze
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp (30ml) heavy cream or milk
How to Make It
- MAKE THE FILLING: Warm the diced strawberries in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir constantly for 4 minutes until the strawberry juices have been released. Add the granulated sugar and cornstarch and continue to stir for another 2 minutes. The mixture will thicken. Remove from the heat and chill until ready to use. The filling must be very cold.
- MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, toss 2¼ cups flour, the granulated sugar, salt, and yeast together until evenly dispersed. Set aside.
- Heat the water, milk, and butter together in the microwave until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot to touch—about 125–130°F. Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and add at least 1∕3 cup of additional flour to make a soft dough. You may need up to ½ cup if your dough is too wet. The dough will be ready when it gently pulls away from the side of the bowl and has an elastic consistency.
- On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough for 3 minutes. Lightly spray a bowl with non-stick spray and set the dough inside. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, roll the dough out into a 14 x 8in rectangle. Spread the strawberry filling on top. Roll up the dough tightly along the long edge. Cut into 10–11 even pieces and arrange them in a lightly greased, 9-in, round or square pan. Loosely cover the rolls with aluminum foil and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1–1½ hours.
- After the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 25–30 minutes until lightly browned. After 15 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven and loosely cover the rolls with aluminum foil to avoid heavy browning.
- MAKE THE GLAZE: Mix the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and cream together until smooth and drizzle over the rolls immediately before serving. These rolls taste best served on the same day. Unglazed rolls may be frozen for up to 2 months.
