Sweet

Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Rolls

I recently learned that peaches and raspberries baked together is called Melba. What a lovely name! What a lovely thought! I think that strawberry and rhubarb should have a name for their fruit friendship. They’re BFFs too, ya know. (Best Fruit Frends Forever.)

Strawberry rhubarb pie and cinnamon rolls are my BFFs. Because of this fact, I’ve been thinking about how to combine these desserts for weeks. Consider this their love child. It’s true love. And it’s totally breakfast.

I opted for jam instead of fresh strawberries because I was scared the fresh berries would make these rolls a soggy mess. And well, that’d be so sad. I considered dried strawberries, but then I talked the idea through with my mom and we agreed that jam was the way to go. It’s a quick and simple way to get all the sugar and berries into these rolls without any trouble at all! And if you make your own jam (Freezer jam is a breeze!) then it’s basically fresh berries anyhow!

So trust me about these dreamy swirls and make them before summer ends. You can even assemble them at night for easy morning baking. Invite friends over! These are total brunch party food.

P.S. This is what my weekend looked like. Tell me about yours!

Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Rolls with Vanilla Buttercream
Recipe adapted from this one and a phone conversation with my mom

Ingredients:

proof that yeast –

  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 t sugar
  • 1 pkg. active dry yeast

dough f’sho –

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (cold is fine)
  • 1 cup boiling water + 1 cup cold water
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 7 cups all-purpose flour

strawberry rhubarb filling –

  • 3 T butter, softened
  • scant 1 cup strawberry jam
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb or about 3 stalks, chopped

Directions:

  1. Day one. In a small bowl, proof the yeast. Whisk together 1/2 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 package of active dry yeast in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, until all puffy and bubbly.
  2. In a large bowl stir together 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, a stick of butter, 1 cup boiling water, 1 cup cold water and 2 eggs. Whisk until the butter is mostly melted. (It’s ok if there are a couple small butter pieces that aren’t melted when you add the rest of the dough ingredients.) Add yeast water, and lastly add 7 cups of flour. Stir, stir, stir. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the fridge over night, or 8 eight hours. (This dough doesn’t even need you to knead it.)
  3. Day two, or eight hours later. Spray 3 cake pans with cooking spray or brush with butter. Set aside. And roll out your dough!
  4. Place the dough on a LARGE floured surface and roll out (until about and eighth of an inch thick rectangle). Spread evenly with the 3 tablespoons softened butter using a spatula. Spread jam over the dough and sprinkle with rhubarb. Roll up, slice and place in the prepared cake pans. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in the pan for 30-60 minutes or until they’ve just about filled out the pans. You want the rolls to have risen enough to be touching each other, but it’s ok if they haven’t completely filled the cake pans, considering they will rise in the oven.
  5. Meanwhile turn the oven on to 350 degrees F and bake the rolls for 22 – 35 minutes, rotating positions in the oven. If you’re not sure they’re done poke the center and make sure it’s not doughy. Allow to cool in the pans for a few minutues and then invert onto a cooling rack. Be sure to allow them to cool completely before covering, to prevent sogginess. These are best right out of the oven, but keep well if wrapped tightly for 4 days or so.

Simple Vanilla Buttercream

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup of butter, room temperature
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 2-3 T milk
  • pinch or two of kosher salt

Directions:

  1. Mix butter and powdered sugar until combined. Add vanilla and milk 1 tablespoon at a time until thickened.
  2. Top sweet rolls as you serve!

Yay! Click HERE for a printable pdf of the recipes above.

 A swirled edible valentine.

30 thoughts on “Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Rolls”

  1. I wish I had one of these right now; they look so soft and yummy. I love that you incorporated fresh rhubarb into the jam and then covered the roll in buttercream. I can’t imagine these could be improved in any way.

  2. Unfortunately there is no rhubarb in my grandma’s garden anymore, because I’ve used it all. But when I find some at the market I’ll totally bake these! Btw, I love the idea of Best Fruit Friends Forever – reading your blog is always fun 🙂

  3. I discovered this recipe (and your site) thanks to shutterbean’s friday shout-out. OMG. these were INSANE. I am forcing my friends to take them off my hands before I eat them all. because I really will. did I mention that I made them with my homemade strawberry jam? SO GOOD!!

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