Cinnabon Strawberry Cheesecake (Printable Recipe Version)

Pillowy buns filled with sweet strawberries, cheesecake, and cinnamon. So rich and yummy, you just can't stop at one.

# Ingredients You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
02 - 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 60g unsalted butter, softened
05 - 50g granulated sugar
06 - 7g active dry yeast
07 - 120ml whole milk, just warm to touch
08 - 240g all-purpose flour

→ Cheesecake Filling

09 - 120ml sour cream or Greek yogurt
10 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 50g granulated sugar
13 - 225g cream cheese, brought to room temp

→ Cinnamon Sugar Filling

14 - 60g unsalted butter, left out until soft
15 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
16 - 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
17 - 100g packed brown sugar

→ Strawberry Topping

18 - 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
19 - 150g fresh strawberries, washed, tops off, sliced up

→ Cream Cheese Icing

20 - Pinch of salt
21 - 15–30ml whole milk, splash as needed
22 - 0.25 teaspoon vanilla extract
23 - 60g powdered sugar
24 - 115g cream cheese, left out to soften

# Steps to Make It:

01 - Dump the yeast into the warm milk, give it a quick stir, and just let it chill for up to 10 minutes. When you see some foam, you’re good.
02 - Toss the flour, sugar, and salt into a roomy bowl. Create a dip in the middle, then pour in your bubbly yeast mix, softened butter, vanilla, and egg. Stir with a spoon or your hand until it kind of looks like dough (it’ll look rough and sticky).
03 - Plop your dough on a dusted countertop. Knead it for about 8 to 10 minutes till it feels soft and stretchy. It’s better not to pile on too much flour, so the rolls stay fluffy.
04 - Shape the dough into a rough ball, drop it in a greased bowl, cover it up and forget about it for an hour or so. You want it to double in size somewhere warm.
05 - While waiting, whip the cream cheese in a bowl till smooth with no clumps. Blend sugar, vanilla, flour, and yogurt or sour cream—get it lump-free. Set aside.
06 - Mix your brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in one bowl. Take out the soft butter in another, so they're ready separately.
07 - Knock out the air by gently punching the dough. Stretch or roll the dough into a 40x30 cm rectangle on a floured counter. Rub that soft butter all over, but skip the edges.
08 - Once the dough’s buttered up, carefully spread on the cheesecake mix (don’t reach the very edge). Sprinkle your cinnamon sugar over that layer.
09 - Roll it up snug from the longer side. Pinch to close the edge. Take a sharp knife or a piece of string and cut into 12 chunky pieces.
10 - Move your rolls into a greased 23x33 cm pan. Let ‘em sit covered for about 30-45 minutes—enough so they're touching and puffed up.
11 - Crank the oven to 175°C. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops are golden. If they look like they’re browning way too fast, loosely tent with foil.
12 - Take the pan out, then let everything sit for around 10 minutes before you pour on the icing or start with toppings.
13 - Beat the cream cheese with powdered sugar, a bit of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Drizzle in milk slowly, mixing till it’s silky and spreads easily.
14 - While the rolls are still steamy, slather or zig-zag the icing right on top so it oozes into the warm rolls.
15 - Slice up the strawberries thin, and if you want them sweeter, toss with a spoonful of sugar.
16 - Pile the strawberry slices generously on top of your iced rolls. Dig in while they’re still warm—trust me, it’s the best.

# Extra Information:

01 - For puffy, soft rolls, make sure to let dough rise in a cozy, draft-free spot.
02 - No foam with the yeast? It probably won’t rise, so check that it’s still good.
03 - Room temp cream cheese and butter mean no annoying lumps in your icing or filling.
04 - Want to plan ahead? Freeze fully assembled (but unbaked) rolls, then thaw in your fridge overnight and bake as usual.
05 - Try adding different fruit on top—blueberries or raspberries totally work for a twist.
06 - Need thinner or thicker icing? Stir in milk little by little till it looks right.
07 - That last rise before baking keeps the finished rolls super light and fluffy—don’t skip it!

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