Berry Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
These rolls replace the traditional cinnamon-sugar filling with a homemade, tart-sweet jam made from blackberries and cherries. A little bit of that jam is saved to swirl into the frosting for a beautiful purple hue and extra berry flavor.
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Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 433kcal
Ingredients
For the Berry Filling
- 2 pints blackberries fresh
- 1 cup cherries pitted and halved (fresh or frozen)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 1 cup milk
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg large, room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Berry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons berry filling reserved from above
- 1-2 tablespoons milk only if needed to thin
Instructions
Make the Filling:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blackberries, pitted cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook for about 10–15 minutes, mashing the fruit slightly with a wooden spoon as it softens.2 pints blackberries, 1 cup cherries, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water. Stir this into the boiling fruit mixture.2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Turn heat to low and let it simmer for another 2–3 minutes until it is very thick, almost like pie filling. Remove from heat and let it come to room temperature.
Make the Dough:
- In a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan, heat the milk until it is warm but not yet steaming.1 cup milk
- Place the warm but not hot milk in the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. Add the butter, sugar, yeast, salt, and egg, then mix until well combined.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 egg, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Switch to a dough hook to slowly add the flour. Knead the dough for 5–10 minutes until it's smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed. If it's too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Lightly grease a bowl. Place the dough inside, cover it with a warm towel, and let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Assemble and Bake
- Gently punch down the risen dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a large rectangle approximately 9x15 inches.
- Spread all but two tablespoons of the cooled berry filling evenly across the dough, leaving a clean 1-inch border at the top edge. Save that last two tablespoons for the frosting.
- Starting from the long bottom edge, roll the dough up tightly into a log. Pinch the clean seam at the top to seal.
- Use a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 equal rolls.
- Grease a 9x13 baking pan, and place the cut rolls into the pan. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees towards the end of this rise. Remove the cover and bake the berry cinnamon rolls for 25–30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling.
The Frosting:
- While the rolls bake, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until they're smooth and no lumps remain.4 ounces cream cheese, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the 2 tablespoons of reserved berry filling you set aside, and mix it to create the swirl you want to see. If it's too thick, add a splash of milk.1-2 tablespoons berry filling, 1-2 tablespoons milk
- Spread the frosting generously over the rolls while they're still just a little warm but not piping hot.
Notes
- You can make the berry filling days in advance if need be.
- I use whatever berries are cheapest at the time. I also use frozen berries when fresh aren't available, and they work great. Add them to the saucepan while still frozen.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
Serving: 1roll | Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 621IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.