Blueberry Cinnamon 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!

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!

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!

Recipe 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

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.