Soft, fluffy, and bursting with strawberry flavor, these Sourdough Strawberry Rolls are irresistible! A soft sourdough dough is rolled with a fresh strawberry filling, baked to perfection, and then topped with a sweet strawberry cream cheese frosting.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl add the milk, melted butter, egg, sugar, salt, active and bubbly sourdough starter, and all-purpose flour. 310 grams milk, 57 grams butter, 1 large egg, 100 grams sugar, 5 grams salt, 200 grams active sourdough starter, 650 grams all-purpose flour
Option 1- Mix in a stand mixer: Mix the dough with a dough hook attachment on 1-2 speed in a stand mixer for 3-5 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a smooth, soft ball.
Option 2- Mix in a bowl: Mix the dough with a danish dough whisk or your hands until the dough begins to come together. Once you can no longer mix it in the bowl, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough forms a soft, smooth ball.
Place the dough in a medium-sized bowl or 2-quart straight edge container. Let the dough rise covered overnight in at room temperature (ideally about 72℉) for 8-12 hours until doubled in size.
The Next Morning
Once the dough is doubled, punch down the dough and roll it out into a large rectangle (about 15" x 17") on a lightly floured surface.
Mix the strawberry jam and fresh strawberries together. Spread the strawberry mixture all over the dough.210 grams strawberry jam, 200 grams fresh strawberries, diced
Using a pizza cutter slice the rectangle into 12 even strips.
Roll up each strip. This can get messy with the strawberry filling but just keep going. If any leaks out you can stuff it back in the rolls once they are in the pan.
Place the rolls in a greased 9×13 inch pan. Cover and let the rolls rise in a warm spot for an additional 1-2 hours until puffy.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ and bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through in the middle. The internal temperature should reach 190℉.
Make the strawberry cream cheese icing by beating together the softened butter and softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the salt, powdered sugar, vanilla and strawberry jam until combined. Slowly add 1 tablespoon at a time of the milk until your desired consistency is reached.56 grams butter, 112 grams cream cheese, 2 grams salt, 240 grams powdered sugar, 2 grams vanilla extract , 35 grams strawberry jam, 30-45 grams milk
Let the rolls cool for 5-10 minutes and then cover with the icing.
Notes
Pro tips:
Leave the dough to rise in a warm spot about 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
If your kitchen is warmer than 75 degrees Fahrenheit you can either leave the dough for less time or reduce the amount of starter to 150 grams.
Ensure your starter is strong and doubled in size when making this dough. Using a weak starter will result in a dough that won't rise.
How to make cinnamon rolls ahead of time:
Bake directly from fridge- This option can work but if your rolls overproof they may not be as light and fluffy when baking.Don’t leave the rolls longer than 12 hours in the fridge. For this method, feed your starter in the evening two nights prior to when you want to eat them. Then make the dough the morning prior. Follow all the instructions for the first and second rise. Once the rolls have almost doubled in size in the pan, place in the fridge overnight. Then, the next morning remove the rolls from the fridge and bake right away (don’t use a glass pan).
Bake & Reheat– This is a great option because you don’t have to worry about the rolls over proofing in the fridge or even worry about baking the next day. For this method, feed your starter in the evening 2 nights prior and make the dough the morning before you want the rolls. I recommend starting as soon as you get up. Go through the entire process and finish the night by baking the rolls. Cover with foil and leave on the counter. In the morning, preheat the oven to 350F and brush the tops with just a little bit of water to rehydrate them. Cover and bake for 8-10 minutes or until warm and then add your icing.