Strawberry Cheesecake Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Easy strawberry cheesecake cinnamon rolls are filled with strawberry sugar and finished with a creamy cream cheese frosting. No sticky jam or extra moisture—just bright strawberry flavor concentrated from freeze-dried berries.

Instead of fresh berries or jam, this recipe uses freeze-dried strawberries for the filling. They deliver intense strawberry flavor without the extra liquid that can make rolls soggy or prevent proper rising. A touch of lemon zest in the filling brightens the flavor and gives these rolls a cheesecake-like tang. My family loved them—my husband said they were a close runner-up to our favorite orange rolls.

Many recipes use fresh strawberries or jam for cinnamon roll fillings. Those options are tasty but often messy and can add too much moisture. Freeze-dried strawberries avoid that issue while still providing rich strawberry taste. Lemon zest is a simple addition that lifts the fruit flavor and keeps the finished rolls from being cloyingly sweet.

If you enjoy cheesecake-flavored baked goods, these rolls pair beautifully with a smooth cream cheese frosting for a dessert-like breakfast or a sweet treat any time of day.

Recipe Summary: Strawberry Cheesecake Cinnamon Rolls

• ✅ Recipe Name: Strawberry Cheesecake Cinnamon Rolls
• 🕒 Ready In: 2 hours 45 minutes
• 👪 Serves: 12
• 🥣 Main Ingredients: flour, yeast, freeze-dried strawberries, sugar, cream cheese
• 📖 Dietary Info: contains gluten and dairy; kid friendly
• ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: All the strawberry flavor without the mess or extra moisture from jam or fresh fruit.

Save this recipe for later — it makes a great special breakfast or dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Taste: A sweet strawberry sugar filling with a rich cream-cheese frosting to echo strawberry cheesecake—lemon zest enhances the fruit flavor.
• Ease: This recipe is moderate in difficulty — yeast dough with two rises — but using freeze-dried strawberries keeps the filling tidy and simple.
• Time: Expect about 2.5–3 hours from start to finish, including rising and baking time.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

• Sugar: Coconut sugar can be substituted in the dough and filling.
• Berries: Replace freeze-dried strawberries with freeze-dried raspberries for a tart twist.
• Frosting: Store-bought cream cheese frosting or mascarpone can be used to save time.
• Flavor swap: Try orange zest instead of lemon for a citrus variation.
• Spice note: You may add a small pinch of cinnamon if you like, though these rolls are lovely without it.

1. Step 1: Combine warm milk (100–110°F), water, sugar, and active dry yeast in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Step 2: In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine salt, softened butter, egg, and flour. Add the foamy yeast mixture and mix with a dough hook on low for 5–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. If mixing by hand, stir until combined and knead 8–10 minutes.

3. Step 3: Oil a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover, and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour or until doubled.
4. Step 4: Place freeze-dried strawberries in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely powdered, or pulse in a blender to a fine powder.

5. Step 5: Mix the strawberry powder with granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and a little flour. Save 2–3 tablespoons to sprinkle over the finished rolls if desired.
6. Step 6: On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 24″ x 12″ rectangle, shaping by hand as needed to keep the edges straight.

7. Step 7: Spread softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a ½” clear edge on one long side. Sprinkle the strawberry sugar mixture evenly over the butter.
8. Step 8: Carefully roll the dough lengthwise into a tight log, starting at the long edge with filling.

9. Step 9: Use clean dental floss or a sharp knife to slice the log into 12 even rolls. Dental floss can make cleaner cuts without squashing the dough.
10. Step 10: Place the rolls cut-side down in a lightly oiled 9×13″ pan or on a sheet pan, leaving space for them to rise. Let rise for 1 hour or until nearly doubled in size.

11. Step 11: Bake the rolls at 350 °F for 25–30 minutes (25 minutes for dark pans, 30 minutes for glass or thick ceramic). Allow baked rolls to cool at least 20 minutes before frosting so the frosting does not melt into them.
12. Step 12: Using an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency with a little milk if needed.

📌 More Expert Baking Tips

• Weigh ingredients: For consistent results, weighing flour and sugar is more reliable than measuring by cups.
• Control strawberry texture: Blend freeze-dried strawberries to a fine powder for a smooth filling, or pulse coarsely if you prefer small fruit flecks.
• Presentation: Reserve a few tablespoons of the strawberry sugar to scatter on top of frosted rolls for color and texture.

Frosting is thicker and spreadable, while icing is thinner and better for drizzling. For these rolls, a thicker cream cheese frosting works best to mimic a cheesecake texture.

Yes. Make the dough, complete the first rise, shape and cut the rolls, then freeze them before the second rise. Freeze on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw and let rise before baking.

You can use either. Salted butter will add a touch more salt to the dough; if you use unsalted butter, taste and adjust the salt in the recipe as desired.

Mascarpone can be used instead of cream cheese for a slightly milder, creamier frosting.

Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and a comment on the recipe card below if you enjoyed it. Your feedback helps other home bakers and is greatly appreciated.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk (220 mL)
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup white granulated sugar (55 g)
• 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast (11 g)
• 1 teaspoon salt (6 g)
• ½ cup salted butter (113 g), divided and softened
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (563 g)

For the filling

• 2 oz freeze-dried strawberries (56 g), powdered
• 1 cup granulated sugar (223 g)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup salted butter, softened

For the frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2½ cups powdered sugar (331 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Combine warm milk (100–110°F), water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
2. In a mixer or large bowl, mix salt, butter, egg, and flour. Add yeast mixture and mix until dough is smooth and elastic (5–8 minutes in a mixer; 8–10 minutes kneading by hand).
3. Oil a bowl, place dough inside, cover, and let rise 1 hour or until doubled.
4. Make the filling: crush or blend freeze-dried strawberries into a powder. Mix with granulated sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and flour.
5. Roll dough to a 24″ x 12″ rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, leaving a ½” edge. Sprinkle filling evenly over the butter.
6. Roll the dough lengthwise into a log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Place cut-side down in an oiled 9×13″ pan. Let rise 1 hour or until nearly doubled.
7. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Bake 25 minutes for dark pans or 30 minutes for glass/thicker pans. Cool at least 20 minutes before frosting.
8. For frosting: beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over cooled rolls and optionally sprinkle with reserved strawberry sugar or fresh strawberry slices.

Notes

Overnight method: After shaping and cutting, place rolls in the pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Do not let the second rise before refrigerating. Remove from fridge and let rise 30–40 minutes before baking.

Freezing: Freeze cut rolls before the second rise on a sheet tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and let rise before baking (3–5 hours at room temperature or use a warm oven method).

Nutrition (approx.)

Per roll: Calories 537; Carbohydrates 82 g; Protein 7 g; Fat 21 g; Sugar 49 g.

Hi, I’m Sara!

Registered nurse by day and food blogger on weekends. I test my recipes obsessively so each bite is worth it. I love sharing approachable, flavor-forward recipes that families enjoy.