Blueberry Cheesecake Rolls
These blueberry cheesecake rolls are epic. There, I said it. Fluffy, bursting with a cream cheese and blueberry filling, it’s as if cheesecake and cinnamon rolls had a baby…and it was the dreamiest breakfast you could think of.
Cheesecake and cinnamon rolls are probably my two favourite desserts, so it was only a matter of time until I figured I should put them together. I borrowed the recipe for the blueberry filling from my blueberry pie recipe, in order for them to become jammy and delicious in the oven and not too soggy.
Make this for a lazy weekend brunch, or have them ready for your week. They reheat well in the oven for a few minutes and will be ready to go whenever the mood strikes you.
These Blueberry Cheesecake Rolls are not just dessert; they are a celebration of flavours, textures, and the joy of baking. The recipe may take a little longer to make but boy oh boy is it worth it.
Ingredients (makes 8 rolls)
500g all purpose flour
200 ml milk
15g fresh yeast
3 egg yolks
90g sugar
2 tsp salt
125g butter, softened
For the filling
500g fresh blueberries
80g sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp cornstarch
optional - 1/2 tsp cinnamon
200g cream cheese
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Start by making the brioche dough. In a large bowl mix flour and salt. Set aside.
Separately, combine sugar, yeast, milk, egg yolks. Whisk well.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the liquid in. Start to bring it all together with a wooden spoon until it starts forming a dough. Tip onto a floured surface and knead while adding pats of the butter, until you have a soft elastic dough, 4-5 minutes.
Alternatively, put all of the ingredients (it’s best to start with the wet ones at the bottom) into the bowl of a stand mixer with the kneading attachment and knead for 3 minutes. Only add the butter when the dough starts coming together.
Put the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let rise for one hour at room temperature, until doubled in size.
You can also make the dough the night before and let it slowly rise in the fridge over night. When ready to shape, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes or so.
Prepare the filling: in a large bowl combine blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, cornstarch. Mix well while also squishing a few blueberries, in order to bring out the juices. Set aside for 10 minutes or longer.
In a separate bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract. Mix well until sugar is dissolved.
Knock the air out of the dough and, with a rolling pin, shape it into a large rectangle.
Spread most of the cream cheese mix on the dough (set aside 2 heaped tablespoons for later).
Sprinkle the blueberry mixture on top evenly.
Roll the dough gently until you have a log.
Divide the log into 8 pieces.
Place rolls cut side up in a baking dish that can accommodate them loosely (they will rise again now, as well as in the oven).
Cover with a tea towel and let them rise another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius, fan.
Place blueberry rolls in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Make sure to check on them occasionally to make sure they are not browning too fast. If need be, cover them with tinfoil for the last minutes of baking.
When out off the oven, spread the remaining cream cheese mixture on top, which will melt into the warm rolls. Should you prefer, you can wait until they are cool to do so, for a more stand alone cream cheese topping.
Serve warm and enjoy! Let me know if you make them in the comments!