Sweet, jammy, and so much fun! These Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls are everything you love about the classic breakfast treat, with a fruity twist and a tangy strawberry lemon glaze that makes them irresistible.
To the bowl of your stand mixer, add the warmed milk, dry active yeast, and granulated sugar. With the whisk attachment added, stir until just combined. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes until bubbles start to form on the top.
Add the melted and cooled unsalted butter and strawberry cake mix. Stir to combine so the butter and cake mix are fully incorporated into the milk-yeast mixture.
Switch the whisk attachment for the dough hook.
Slowly start working the flour into the mixture by adding ½ cup at a time. The dough will be slightly sticky but come away from the sides of the bowl when it is being mixed. You may notice that it sticks to the bottom of the bowl but pulls away from the sides of the bowl. That is enough flour.
Set your stand mixer to medium speed and allow the dough to knead for about 5 minutes. This will soften and strengthen the dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and allow to rise for about 90 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Make the Filling:
To a saucepan add the frozen strawberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat and allow the strawberries to thaw, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Once the strawberries have thawed, and a sauce has formed, remove from heat and using a potato masher or an immersion blender, break up the strawberries so the mixture becomes a chunky sauce.
Add the cornstarch slurry and place back over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent over-thickening. Allow the mixture to thicken. You want the consistency of a jam.
Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Allow to cool for 15 minutes then transfer to the fridge to cool. **This is an important step. You do not want this mixture hot when adding it to your dough as it will affect the texture of the rolls.
Assemble the rolls:
Once the dough has doubled in size, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to an 18”-26” rectangle (about the size of a baking sheet).
Add the strawberry mixture over the top, reserving about 2 tablespoons for the icing. Spread the mixture out so it is evenly distributed and touching the edges.
Place a piece of parchment paper into a 9x13 baking dish and spray it with some baking spray. Set aside.
Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into 12 equal strips. Roll each strip up into a roll. Transfer them to the prepared baking dish.
Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and allow them to rise for 30 minutes.
Bake the rolls:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake the rolls for 30 minutes or until baked all the way through with an internal temperature of 190°F.
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Make the icing:
Prepare the icing by adding the powdered sugar, reserved strawberry filling and lemon juice to a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
Drizzle the icing over the top and serve.
Notes
Cake mix notes: Depending on the brand and size of the cake mix will determine how much flour you will need. I tested a Duncan Hines and a Betty Crocker cake mix for this recipe. One is measured at 15.25 oz, and the other is measured at 13.25 oz. There was a ½ cup difference depending on the size/brand that is used.
If you are using fresh strawberries, add an additional 2 tablespoons of water to the saucepan. Frozen strawberries give off more moisture, and that will be lacking when using fresh strawberries.