Do I have to make the Tangzhong for this recipe?

Yes, you do! This recipe has been developed and tested with tangzhong. Please check out my Blood Orange Cinnamon Rolls or Nutella Brioche Knots , which do not use the tangzhong method.

I do not have a stand mixer, can I still make these rolls?

Yes, you can either use the dough hooks from a hand-held mixer or mix by hand. You will just need to knead the dough by hand for up to 20 minutes. It can get quite sticky and messy when adding the butter, but refrain from adding too much flour. I like to knead the dough with oiled hands and use a plastic bench scraper to help move the dough around. Don’t forget to perform the u003cstrongu003ewindow pane testu003c/strongu003e to know that it has been properly kneaded.

Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

Description

The softest and fluffiest Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls! Soft tangzhong milk bread dough filled with homemade strawberry jam, baked until golden brown and topped with a dreamy strawberry cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Jam

16 Ounces Fresh or Frozen Strawberries *see note below
1/2 Cup (100g) White Sugar
1/4 Cup (50g) Brown Sugar
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

For the Tangzhong

1/4 Cup (30g) Bread Flour
2/3 Cup (150g) Water

For the Dough

2 1/4 Teaspoons (7g) Dry Active Yeast **see note below
3/4 Cup Whole Milk (170g)
1/3 Cup + 1 Teaspoon (67g + 4g) White Sugar, divided
All the Tangzhong
2 1/2 Cups (300g) Bread Flour
2 Cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
3 Tablespoons Dry Milk Powder
2 Large Eggs, room temp
5 Tablespoons (70g) Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Teaspoon Salt

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

4 Ounces Full-Fat Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Cup (113g) Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons Strawberry Jam
2 Tablespoons (10g) Freeze-Dried Strawberry Powder
Milk if needed

Cook Mode Press to prevent your screen from going dark!

Instructions

Make Strawberry Jam - Over medium heat, cook diced strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and cornstarch until thickened. Stir frequently. Will take about 20 minutes. Immediately transfer to a jar or bowl, cover and store in the fridge until needed. Can be made a week in advanced.
Make the Tangzhong - In a small saucepan, whisk together bread flour and water until there are no lumps. Over medium heat, cook the mixture until it thickens and the temperature is 149ºF (65ºC). It will take about 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately transfer the mixture to a small bowl and allow to cool on the counter.
Make Tangzhong Brioche Dough - In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm milk (105ºF), active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon of white sugar and stir to combine. Allow the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes.
To the yeast mixture, add bread flour, all-purpose flour, all of the tangzhong mixture, 1/3 cup of sugar, eggs, milk powder and salt. With a spoon or spatula, mix the the ingredients until it becomes a shaggy ball.
Fit your stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead the dough on medium/low speed for about 5 minutes. Then mix in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, should take about 2 minutes. After all the butter is incorporated, continue kneading the dough on medium speed for about 10 minutes or until it passes the window pane test. ***See note below.
With oiled hands, form the dough into a smooth ball and place into a well oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.
Shape the Rolls - Gently punch the dough down to release gas bubbles. Transfer to a lightly floured work service and roll out to roughly a 16x24 inch (40x60 cm) rectangle. Please note, the longer edge could be between 20 to 24 inches (50 to 60 cm). For taller rolls, aim for 24 inches.
Evenly spread a thin layer of 1 cup of strawberry jam onto the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border (1.2 cm). With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, trim any irregular edges and then cut the dough into 12 even pieces.
Roll each strip of dough into buns and transfer to a buttered 9x13 inch (22x33cm) baking pan. The dough will be super soft and squishy, so don't worry about making them look perfect. Allow to proof for about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
When the rolls are almost done proofing, set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350ºf (176ºC).
When rolls are fully proofed (****see note below) bake for 26 to 30 minutes or until an inserted thermometer registers at 191ºF (88ºC).
Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting While Rolls are Baking - In a medium sized bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam, 2 tablespoons of strawberry powder and whisk until combined. For a thinner frosting, add 1/4 cup of milk or until desired consistency is achieved.
Allow rolls to cool for 15 to 20 minutes in the pan, then slather with frosting. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

*Frozen Strawberries - There is no need to thaw frozen strawberries. As the strawberries cook and soften, use a potato masher or back of a spoon to break the pieces down.

** For Instant yeast, skip to step 4. Combine instant yeast with all the dough ingredients (except butter) into the bowl of your stand mixer Just make sure the salt and yeast are not touching.

***To perform the Window Pane Test, take a small (2 tbsp) ball of dough and stretch it into a small square. It should be stretched thin enough to let light pass through without tearing it. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

****How to know when your rolls are done proofing - Perform a "Poke" test! Gently press your pointer finger into the dough and if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it's ready. If the dough bounces back immediately, then needs more time.

Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Rise/Proof Time: 1 Hr + 30 Mins
Cook Time: 26 to 30 Mins