Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Rolls (Printable Version)

Soft yeast rolls swirled with creamy cheesecake filling and fresh strawberry compote, topped with sweet vanilla glaze for a decadent dessert twist.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1 cup warm milk (110°F)
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg

→ Cheesecake Filling

08 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
09 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Layer

11 - 1 1/2 cups diced fresh strawberries
12 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
13 - 2 tsp cornstarch
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice

→ Glaze

15 - 1 cup powdered sugar
16 - 2 tbsp milk
17 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Whisk warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy. Add melted butter, egg, and salt. Gradually incorporate flour until soft dough forms. Knead by hand or with dough hook for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer to greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
02 - Combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened to jam consistency, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely before using.
03 - Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract with electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Set aside until assembly.
04 - Punch down risen dough and roll on floured surface to 16x12 inch rectangle. Spread cheesecake filling evenly over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with cooled strawberry mixture. Roll tightly from longer edge to form log. Slice into 12 equal pieces.
05 - Arrange rolls cut-side up in greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 22-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Cool slightly before glazing.
06 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth consistency forms. Drizzle glaze generously over warm rolls immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is outrageous fluffy pillowy dough wrapped around silky cheesecake filling and pockets of jammy sweet strawberries
  • They taste like someone smashed together the best parts of strawberry shortcake and cheesecake into one handheld package
  • The glaze ties everything together with just enough sweetness to make you forget you spent two hours waiting for dough to rise
02 -
  • The strawberry layer MUST be completely cold before you spread it or it will melt your dough and create a sticky disaster that refuses to roll neatly
  • Room temperature cream cheese is non negotiable unless you want to fight lumps in your filling for ten minutes
  • Letting the dough rise in a slightly warm spot like an oven with just the light on makes a huge difference in how fluffy your final rolls turn out
03 -
  • Use dental floss or unflavored thread to slice the log instead of a knife it cuts through the dough without squishing the rolls
  • If the strawberry layer feels too thick after cooling stir in a teaspoon of warm water to loosen it slightly before spreading
  • Place your baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet before baking to catch any bubbly overflow from the fruit filling

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