Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Recipe: Soft, Gooey Breakfast Treat

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls blend the familiar brown sugar and cinnamon filling with a simple blueberry sauce. These fluffy sweet rolls are finished with extra blueberry sauce and a bright lemon glaze. They’re delicious and straightforward to make using pre-made frozen dough.

Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade cinnamon rolls are hard to beat: soft, yeasted dough wrapped around a sticky brown sugar and cinnamon filling, then finished with a sweet glaze or cream cheese frosting. They’re comforting, flavorful, and perfect for breakfast or dessert.

I enjoy many variations of sweet rolls. I often pair lemon with berries, but I hadn’t combined cinnamon directly with blueberries until now. The result is an excellent balance of warm spice and bright fruit.

Cinnamon and Blueberries

Do blueberries and cinnamon pair well? Yes. Cinnamon enhances the natural blueberry flavor and adds a comforting warmth that complements the fruit. This recipe still includes lemon in the sauce and glaze, so you get both brightness and spice in every bite.

Easiest Cinnamon Rolls with Real Yeast Dough

Canned cinnamon rolls and biscuit-based shortcuts are convenient but don’t match the texture of real yeast dough. Making rolls from scratch can be time-consuming, so a practical shortcut is to use high-quality frozen rolls that thaw and roll out like fresh dough.

Using frozen yeast rolls saves time while still delivering the soft, fluffy texture of homemade sweet rolls. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced baker, you can create beautiful, bakery-style rolls with minimal effort.

Using Frozen Bread for Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe uses 12 frozen dinner rolls or one loaf of frozen white bread. For taller rolls, use larger frozen rolls (Texas-size) or increase the number of standard rolls. Frozen bread products are found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.

Thaw the rolls on a baking sheet at room temperature for 1–2 hours until they are soft enough to roll but still cool, or thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Placing the rolls close together makes it easier to roll them into a single sheet.

Note: Different packaged rolls vary in size. If yours are smaller, the recipe will still work but the rolls may be shorter in height—use more rolls or a larger pan if you prefer a fuller pan of taller rolls.

Ingredients for Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Aside from frozen rolls, you’ll need:

• Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• Granulated sugar
• Cornstarch
• Lemon juice
• Butter (softened)
• Light brown sugar (packed)
• Ground cinnamon

For the Blueberry Sauce

Start by making a quick blueberry sauce: combine the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently; the sauce will thicken suddenly. Set aside to cool. If you need to save time, blueberry jam can be used as a substitute.

Filling the Rolls

Prepare the dough and add the filling:

• Pinch the dough where the rolls touch, then roll the combined dough into a rectangle roughly 10×15 inches.
• Spread a thin layer of softened butter over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
• Sprinkle an even layer of packed light brown sugar and ground cinnamon over the butter.
• Dollop about 1/2 cup of the cooled blueberry sauce across the cinnamon-sugar and spread it evenly with a spatula. Reserve the remaining sauce for topping.

Shaping and Cutting the Rolls

Shape and cut the rolls:

• Roll the dough into a log from one long edge toward the opposite edge. When you reach the end, fold the edge over the log and pinch the seam closed.
• Cut the log into 12 even pieces. Dental floss works well to slice without squashing the rolls—slide floss under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull to cut cleanly. A sharp knife also works.
• Place the rolls in a lightly greased 13×9-inch baking dish, cover with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes or until plump. The dough should spring back when touched.

Baking and Topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for about 25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through; the internal temperature should reach 190–200°F. As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, brush them with the reserved blueberry sauce while they are still warm.

Quick Lemon Glaze

Finish the rolls with a quick lemon glaze: whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and a splash of milk until smooth, then drizzle over the warm rolls. For a bolder fruit finish, mix some of the remaining blueberry sauce into the glaze before drizzling.

Storing and Reheating

These rolls are best enjoyed warm from the oven. Store leftovers covered at room temperature (68–72°F) for up to 3 days in an airtight container or covered pan. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 10–20 seconds for a soft, warm treat.

Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

Soft yeast rolls filled with blueberries, brown sugar, and cinnamon, finished with a lemon glaze.

Yields: 12 rolls

Ingredients

Blueberry Sauce:

• 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Cinnamon Rolls:

• 12 frozen dinner rolls, thawed but still cool
• 1 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Place frozen rolls close together on a silicone-lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours until soft but still cool. Alternatively, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Make the blueberry sauce: in a medium saucepan combine blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Pinch the thawed rolls together where they touch, then roll the combined dough into a 10×15-inch rectangle.
4. Spread softened butter thinly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with packed brown sugar and cinnamon.
5. Dollop 1/2 cup of the cooled blueberry sauce over the cinnamon-sugar and spread evenly. Reserve remaining sauce for brushing after baking.
6. Roll the dough into a log from one long edge to the other. Fold the final edge over and pinch the seam to seal.
7. Cut the log into 12 even pieces. Dental floss works well to slice without squashing the rolls; otherwise use a sharp knife.
8. Place the rolls in a lightly greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until plump. Preheat oven to 350°F while the dough rises.
9. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, until golden and cooked through (internal temperature 190–200°F).
10. Brush warm rolls with the reserved blueberry sauce. Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk for the glaze, then drizzle over the rolls. Serve warm.

Notes

• If you prefer not to make the sauce, substitute blueberry jam: use 1/2 cup for the filling and 1/2–3/4 cup for the top.
• Best eaten warm. Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 10–20 seconds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 roll | Calories: 176 kcal | Carbs: 36 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 3 g | Sugar: 21 g

Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates calculated with a third-party tool.

Sharing this recipe with a link is appreciated. Copying full recipes and photos to social media is prohibited; content and photos are copyright protected.