Blueberry cinnamon rolls with gooey milk bread dough, swirls of homemade wild blueberry jam and brown sugar cinnamon filling, and a thick layer of blueberry cream cheese frosting on top. They follow the same milk bread cinnamon roll base as my classic cinnamon rolls, with a fruit-forward filling similar to my strawberry cinnamon rolls.
To make the fruity blueberry flavor stand out, I use wild blueberries instead of regular ones. This is what I exclusively used in bakeries, and when I tested this recipe multiple times, it was what gave them the best flavor.
The blueberry jam bakes into the spirals, keeping the filling bright and jammy while the milk bread dough stays soft and fluffy, and you get pockets of juicy blueberries in every bite.
Serve them for breakfast, brunch, or whenever a warm, bakery-style cinnamon roll sounds good.
Step-by-Step How to Make Them
1
Let the jam cool slightly before spreading it over the dough. I often make extra because it’s the same wild blueberry filling I use in my blueberry-filled cupcakes.
2
Make the tangzhong. In a small pot, whisk the all-purpose flour and water together over medium heat until thick and paste-like. Scrape into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
3
Once kneaded, the dough should look smooth and feel soft and tacky.
4
Once the dough is rolled out, spread the brown sugar-cinnamon filling first, then the blueberry jam on top.
5
Arrange the rolled-up rolls into the prepared baking pan. You’ll want to give plenty of space between them so they can rise properly.
6
Before baking, the rolls should just be touching, and the sides should feel light and airy when touched gently.
7
The cream cheese frosting will be a gorgeous light purple from adding some blueberry jam!
8
You’ll know the cinnamon rolls are done baking when the centers are barely golden brown, and a thermometer inserted into the center of a middle roll reads 185°F. If you prefer your rolls well done, you’ll want to bake them longer.
Blueberry rolls are one of my favorite flavors and actually one of the first recipes I ever developed!
This same dough shows up again in my peach cobbler cinnamon rolls, and when I have extra blueberries around (I always buy the huge 3-lb bag 😂), they usually end up in a batch of bakery-style blueberry muffins.
—Cambrea 🫶🏻
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Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Blueberry Jam Filling
- 3 cups frozen wild blueberries
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Tangzhong
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup bread flour
For the Dough
- 3 2/3 cups bread flour , *see notes for measuring below*
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Tangzhong, from recipe above
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cold cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons reserved blueberry filling
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Blueberry Jam
- Cook the blueberries, brown sugar, and lemon juice over medium-high heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the berries have started to thicken, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir it into the jam.3 cups (372 g) frozen wild blueberries, 3 tablespoons (45 g) brown sugar, 1/2 lemon, juiced, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water
- Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Set aside 4 tablespoons of the jam (for the frosting), then transfer the remaining jam to a separate bowl to cool.
Tangzhong
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is a paste-like slurry. Scrape it into a bowl and set it aside until ready to use.1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour, 3/4 cup (155 g) water
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- In a stand mixer bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the cream, milk, egg, and tangzhong to the bowl. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes, until the dough forms a rough ball.3 2/3 cups (485 g) bread flour, 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/3 cup (78 g) whole milk, 1/3 cup (78 g) heavy cream, 1 (50 g) large egg, Tangzhong
- With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding more. Then, continue kneading for an additional 12 minutes, until the dough appears smooth and elastic. Set aside while you make the filling.8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter
- In a large bowl, make the brown sugar filling. Combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon with a spoon until smooth.2/3 cup (133 g) brown sugar, 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Line a metal 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 21×15 rectangle. Spread the brown sugar filling across the entire surface of the dough. Then spread the blueberry jam filling on top.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut twelve 1 3/4-inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then place each one into the prepared baking pan.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise for 1-2 hours, or until the rolls have doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F (162 °C).
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the center roll's internal temperature reaches 185°F.
- While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth and lump-free. Then mix in the powdered sugar. Keep beating on low speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, then mix in the heavy cream and half of the reserved blueberry jam.6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, 4 ounces cold cream cheese, 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons reserved blueberry filling, 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Once baked, let the pan cool on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes, then spread the cream cheese frosting on top. Use the remaining blueberry jam to swirl into the frosting on the tops of the rolls. If it's too thick, you can thin it with a bit of water.
Everyone loved it! Top alone was bit hard so be sure to bake to the right time.
Hi there – can I cold proof these in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning?
Yes! Absolutely!
Most amazing and simple to follow recipe. Can’t thank you enough for these crowd pleasing rolls! My sister and I live on opposite sides of the country and ft each other to make them Christmas eve! We love this sweet treat!
Awww how sweet! I love that so much, thank you for making them!
My God these are amazing! Absolutely need to use wild blueberries for the flavor to shine thru. These are great with an amercan salted buttercream as well for bakers that can’t use cream cheese. These are wonderful without any frosting or if you must, be sure to add a little compote to your desired topping.
So happy you loved them Shannon! Wild blueberries really do make all the difference, and I love your buttercream + compote tip. Thanks so much for sharing your tweaks!
Love me some bloob cinnys!