These blueberry cinnamon rolls are a take on berries and cream in a fluffy cinnamon roll. The dough makes a soft brioche dough which can be made with a mixer or by hand. Inside is melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and homemade blueberry preserves. On top is cream cheese icing that makes these rolls taste like berries and cream.
Tips To Make The Dough
Some of these tips are good for both using a stand mixer and mixing by hand. Mixing by hand instructions will be below.
- Use warm milk- Warm the milk up to 110F. This warm milk creates a good environment for the yeast to grow. Too cold or too hot, the yeast will not grow. This also goes for the melted butter, it should be slightly cool before using.
- Mix all ingredients together except the flour- Before adding the flour, use a whisk to mix everything together.
- Add in all the flour- Add all the flour at once to the bowl. Turn the mixer on and let it mix until a dough starts to form.
- Knead for 5 minutes- Turn the mixer to medium and let the dough hook knead the dough.
- Tacky dough- The dough should be tacky, but not stick to your fingers. If it is too sticky (this also depends on your location), add an extra tablespoon of flour halfway through kneading the dough.
- Let dough rise- Place dough in a greased large bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rise for 1 hour.
Making The Dough By Hand
First, use a whisk to mix all the wet ingredients together. Then, add in all of the flour. Use a rubber spatula to fold the flour into the wet ingredients. Use the spatula until a dough starts to form.
Then, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes straight. Kneading by hand takes longer than using a stand mixer. Next, follow the rest of the instructions.
Blueberry Preserves
Blueberry preserves are a jam that leaves the blueberries whole. The liquid has a syrup-like feel. Start making the blueberry preserves while waiting for the dough to rise.
Start by mixing the blueberries, lemon juice, water, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, I ended up using fresh.
Heat the blueberries until the sauce thickens. The blueberry preserves should coat the back of the spoon. This takes 4-8 minutes.
Rolling Out The Dough
Once the dough is doubled in size, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 24X12 inch rectangle. It should be long length wise.
Next, spread melted butter on top of the dough and sprinkle the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture on top. Use your hands to spread the brown sugar around.
Use a spoon to spread the blueberry preserves on top. It needs to cover the whole rectangle.
Next, roll the dough up starting on the short side. This is a messy experience with all the blueberries inside. Keep going because if any blueberries spill out, you can just top the cut rolls with the extras.
Roll the dough very tightly and cut into 12 equal rolls. I used a pastry cutter, but you can also use a knife or unscented dental floss. Place the cut rolls in a 9X13 inch pan that has been sprayed with baking non-stick spray. Then, let it rise for 30 minutes.
Baking The Rolls
Once the blueberry cinnamon rolls have finished the last rise, bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. The rolls are done baking when they are lightly golden brown on top.
Let the rolls cool for 15 minutes before topping with the icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
This cream cheese icing is my favorite! I use it on all of the other cinnamon rolls recipes. You can make this icing using a hand mixer.
Beat the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. To avoid a gritty icing, make sure to sift the powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar and mix. First, it will be crumbly, before it becomes creamy. Turn the mixer to high and beat until smooth. Add in the milk and vanilla then mix until combined.
For easy spreading, use a spoon to spread on top of the cinnamon rolls
Making The Cinnamon Rolls Overnight
To make these rolls overnight, first make the dough and let it rise for 30 minutes. Cover them very tightly and chill overnight. In the morning, roll out the dough and form it into cinnamon rolls. Let it sit on the counter for 1 ½ hours-2 hours. Let it rise until it doubles in size and it is no longer cold. Then, bake.
Storing The Rolls
Keep the cinnamon rolls stored in the fridge. They will last up to 5 days. These blueberry cinnamon rolls are best when warm. Heat in the microwave until warm.
Other Brunch Recipes To Try
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats and leave me a review below if you made these cinnamon rolls. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup Milk warm to 110°F
- ½ cup Unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 2 Large eggs room temperature and slightly beaten
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Fast rise yeast 1 packet
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup White granulated sugar
- 4 ½ cups All-purpose flour plus 1-2 TBSP
Blueberry Preserves
- 2 cups Blueberries use fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ¼ cup White granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Water
Filling
- ¾ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter melted
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups Powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon Milk
Instructions
Dough
- In the microwave, melt the butter in a bowl. Set aside to slightly cool. Heat milk in microwave for 45-50 seconds until 110°F. Sift the flour in a separate bowl.
- Using a mixer, mix in milk, melted butter, lightly beaten eggs, yeast, salt, and sugar. Switch to a dough hook, and add in flour. Mix on low until a dough starts to form. Then, turn mixer to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
- The dough should be slightly tacky, if it sticks to your fingers, add an extra tablespoon of flour and incorporate. Spray a large mixing bowl with non-stick spray. Place dough in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rise for 1 hour.
Blueberry Preserves
- In a saucepan over medium heat, mix blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Heat the blueberries until it starts to bubble and thicken, stirring occasionally. Keep the blueberries whole, It should be thick and coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Pour the blueberry preserves into a bowl and let it cool while the dough rises.
Filling
- When the dough is done rising, heat the butter in the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Set aside.
- Roll dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 24X12 inch rectangle. Use a pastry brush to brush on the melted butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture all over the rectangle. The entire rectangle should be covered.
- Spread the blueberry preserves on top of the brown sugar. It should completely cover the square.
- Roll the dough on the shortest side to get a lot of layers. Roll it very tightly and go slow. Warning: this part gets messy! Use a ruler to help cut the dough into 12 equal cinnamon rolls.
- Spray a 9X13 inch pan with baking non-stick spray. Place cut rolls into pan. Cover with kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. The tops of the rolls should be lightly golden brown. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high for 1 minute. It should be fluffy. Add in sifted powdered sugar. Mix on low until it is combined. Switch to high and mix until smooth.
- Add in vanilla and milk. Mix until smooth. Use a spoon to spread on top of the cinnamon rolls. Serve immediately or store in the fridge.
lola says
could i use orange juice instead of lemon juice?
Stephanie Rutherford says
Yes you can!
Ashley says
How would I make this so I can prepare the night before?
Stephanie Rutherford says
Make the dough. Then, cover tightly and let it do its first rise in the fridge overnight. Then, follow the rest of the instructions. For the final rise, let it rise until room temperature.