These soft and fruity blueberry cinnamon rolls are the absolute BEST! Made with pillowy-soft brioche dough, a sweet cinnamon and blueberry filling, and topped with blueberry cream cheese icing, these rolls will delight any blueberry lover. The easy-to-follow recipe has detailed, step-by-step instructions and photos to ensure perfectly baked rolls.
When it comes to brunch dessert, cinnamon rolls take the cake! They're soft and sweet and slathered in icing, and I would do just about anything to wake up to a fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon roll. The only thing that can make them even better: blueberries!
Blueberries and cinnamon go together like peanut butter and jelly, so it seemed like a no brainer to add a layer of blueberry jam to the cinnamon sugar filling of these ultra-plush rolls. Add a bit of the fruit jam to cream cheese icing too, and these soft blueberry cinnamon rolls
It takes just an hour of hands on time (plus time for the dough to rise and the rolls to bake) to bake these rolls, and the reward is 100% worth the effort!
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Why This Recipe Works
This easy-to-follow recipe is adapted from my favorite, tried-and-true brioche cinnamon rolls recipe. The soft brioche dough and drizzle of heavy cream makes the rolls extra soft!
Brioche Dough: This sweet, plush dough makes the absolute best cinnamon rolls! Its softness and sweetness is the ideal base for a sweet blueberry cinnamon filling.
Blueberry Cinnamon Filling: A smear of flavor-packed blueberry jam and a hefty sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon makes for flavorful spirals in every bite.
Make Ahead: Making the dough a day ahead of time and letting it rest in the fridge overnight makes the dough easier to roll out and (most importantly) means that you don't have to wake up early to to enjoy a fresh batch. In the morning just shape the rolls, let them do a final rise, and bake them!
Want to learn my method for par-baking and freezing homemade cinnamon rolls so that you can heat them up and enjoy them whenever you want? Check out my make-ahead cinnamon rolls recipe!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Whole Milk - The addition of milk - along with eggs and butter - is what gives this enriched brioche dough its pillowy soft texture.
Instant Yeast - Yeast is key to this recipe because it's what allows the dough to rise. You can substitute active dry yeast for instant yeast, but you will need to allow a bit of extra time for the dough to rise. Also, if using active dry yeast be sure to proof the yeast by letting it sit in the milk for 5 minutes. It should activate and become foamy. If it doesn't, the yeast is dead and you'll need to start over with a new batch of yeast.
Sugar & Brown Sugar - A bit of white sugar adds a hint of sweetness to the dough, while both white and brown sugars add flavor to the filling.
Cinnamon - You can't have cinnamon rolls without cinnamon, and the spice also pairs perfectly with the blueberry flavor.
Blueberry Jam - Blueberry jam is used to stuff the rolls with blueberry flavor and also to flavor the cream cheese icing. I used Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry Preserves for this recipe, but you can use any blueberry jam or preserves you like!
Heavy Cream - The secret to ultra soft and gooey cinnamon rolls is pouring a little bit of heavy cream over the rolls just before baking. This is optional, but it's definitely worth a try!
Cream Cheese - Cream cheese is the key ingredient in the blueberry cream cheese icing. Just be sure your cream cheese is room temperature to avoid lumps is your icing.
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.
Special Equipment
In addition to essential baking equipment (like a mixing bowl and spatula), I recommend some special tools for making this recipe.
- An instant read thermometer, for checking the temperature of the milk.
- A stand mixer with dough hook attachment for mixing and kneading the brioche dough.
- A pizza cutter, for cutting the cinnamon roll dough.
- A stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer for mixing the cream cheese frosting.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Make the brioche dough. Add warm milk and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the egg, melted butter, flour, sugar, and salt and mix until the ingredients are blended. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Beat until a sticky dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth.
Step 3: Knead the dough before gently forming it dough into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover the bowl with a clean dish towel.
Step 4: Let the dough rise until doubled in size, then cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Step 5: Prep the cinnamon filling. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugars and spices. Set aside.
Step 6: Shape the cinnamon rolls. Roll the dough into a rectangle that's 9 inches x 12 inches.
Step 7: Spread softened butter over the rectangle of dough. Spread the blueberry jam evenly over the butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the butter.
Step 8: Use a pizza cutter to make 5 evenly spaced vertical slits in the dough, starting at the short (9 inch) end. Roll up each strip of dough to create a spiral.
Step 9: Place the rolls cut side up onto your baking sheet or pan. Let the rolls rise until doubled in size.
Step 10: Once the rolls have risen, pour heavy cream over them immediately before baking.
Step 11: Bake the rolls at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes, or until they're golden brown.
Step 12: Make the blueberry cream cheese icing. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar slowly and continue to beat until blended and smooth. Add blueberry jam and beat until blended. Spread icing over the still warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Allison's Top Tips
It's a good idea to read the recipe all the way through before you begin and so you're sure to allow plenty of time for the dough to rise and chill before the rolls are baked.
The jam filling is more likely to squish out of the dough when you're rolling it up, so roll gently and slowly. This is also the reason I recommend cutting the dough before rolling it up, rather than rolling the dough up into a log and then slicing. We'll use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into strips after spreading the filling onto it, then roll up each strip individually.
Be sure to leave 1 to 2 inches between the rolls when placing them in the pan to rise before baking. This will ensure that the rolls have enough room to rise and bake.
Recipe Variation
Other Berry Flavors - You can tweak this recipe to feature any fruit flavor you like, though berries - like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries - are likely the best choice. Spread the same measurement of berry jam onto the dough before rolling, and add the same measurement of jam to the glaze, too. You can omit the cinnamon sugar filling if the fruit you choose doesn't pair well with cinnamon flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, beautifully! A bit of cinnamon really complements the sweetness of the blueberries. This is a common flavor pairing, and I use it in my favorite blueberry muffin recipe, too!
Brown sugar contains molasses, which creates a caramel-y flavor in baked goods. It's especially delicious in cinnamon rolls because it helps to amplify the flavor of the cinnamon. I absolutely love it in blueberry cinnamon rolls, since it pairs so nicely with both the blueberry jam and the cinnamon.
Of course! You can use any flavor of jam you like, but berries - like strawberry, blackberry, or raspberry would work especially well.
Storage Instructions
Blueberry cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, but with proper storage and reheating the rolls will still taste fresh for several days!
Room Temperature: Rolls that have not yet been iced can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat (see recommendation below) and spread with blueberry cream cheese icing before serving. Do not store iced cinnamon rolls at room temperature.
Refrigerator: Leftover cinnamon rolls that have already been iced should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat the rolls (see recommendation below) before serving.
How to Reheat: The best way to reheat blueberry cinnamon rolls (either iced or not) is in the microwave to preserve the softness of dough. Heat the roll(s) on a plate in the microwave for about 20 seconds on full power. The roll should be warm and soft and the icing slightly melty.
Be sure to check out this article that details the best way to store cinnamon rolls so they stay soft and fresh.
More Blueberry Recipes
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Recipe
Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
Special Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Pizza Cutter
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Brioche Dough:
- ½ cup (122 grams) whole milk
- 1 ¼ teaspoons (15 grams) instant yeast
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea salt
- ¼ cup (60 grams) heavy cream
Cinnamon Blueberry Filling:
- 3 Tablespoons (36 grams) brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons (3 grams) ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, softened but not melted
- ½ cup (170 grams) blueberry jam
Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup (120 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons (30 grams) blueberry jam
Instructions
Make the brioche dough.
- Warm the milk to between 110ºF and 115ºF either in the microwave or on the stove. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the milk. It should be warm but not hot to the touch. Pour the warmed milk into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and add the yeast.
- Add the egg, melted butter, flour, sugar, and salt and mix until the ingredients are blended. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes (to give the flour time to hydrate).
- Using the stand mixer's dough hook attachment, beat on medium speed until a sticky dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth. (NOTE: If not using a stand mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes, or until a soft and smooth dough forms.)
- Knead the dough gently with your hands on a lightly floured surface for 1 minute before gently forming the dough into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover the bowl with a clean dish towel.
- Place the dough in a warm spot and let it rise until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the filling. Line a quarter baking sheet or a 9 inch round metal cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Prep the cinnamon filling.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugars and spices. Set aside.
Shape the cinnamon rolls.
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle that's 9 inches x 12 inches. (TIP: Use a bench scraper to gently nudge the edges of the rolled dough to form a perfect rectangle.)
- Use a small spatula to spread the softened butter over the rectangle of dough. Spread the blueberry jam evenly over the butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the butter, covering the dough all the way to the edges.
- Beginning at the short (9 inch) end of the rectangle of dough, use a pizza cutter to make 5 evenly spaced vertical slits in the dough. You should now have 6 strips of dough, each measuring 1 ½ inches wide and 12 inches long.
- Roll up each strip of dough to create a spiral.
- Place the rolls cut side up onto your baking sheet or pan.
- Cover the pan with a clean dish towel and place it in a warm spot until the rolls have doubled in size, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- While the rolls rise, position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Bake the cinnamon rolls.
- Once the rolls have risen, pour heavy cream over them immediately before baking.
- Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, or until they're golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a roll comes out clean with no raw dough. (NOTE: If the rolls become golden brown before they're finished baking, carefully place a sheet of aluminum foil over the rolls to keep them from over-browning as they continue to bake.) Remove the baked rolls from the oven, and allow them to cool slightly on a wire rack while you prepare the cream cheese icing.
Make the blueberry cream cheese icing.
- Add the cream cheese and butter to a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt until smooth and combined. Add the confectioners' sugar slowly and continue to beat until blended and smooth. Add the blueberry jam and beat until blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed using a rubber spatula while mixing the icing.
- Spread the icing over the still warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Notes
- Room Temperature: Rolls that have not yet been iced can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat (see recommendation below) and spread with blueberry cream cheese icing before serving. Do not store iced cinnamon rolls at room temperature.
- Refrigerator: Leftover cinnamon rolls that have already been iced should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat the rolls (see recommendation below) before serving.
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