Cherry Cinnamon Rolls (Printable)

Fluffy rolls swirled with cinnamon sugar and juicy cherries, finished with sweet vanilla glaze. Perfect for weekend breakfast or dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
03 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ¾ cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature

→ Filling

08 - 1 cup pitted cherries, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained), chopped
09 - ½ cup brown sugar, packed
10 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
11 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Vanilla Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2–3 tbsp milk
14 - ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

# How To Make:

01 - Combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add remaining sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined.
03 - Gradually incorporate flour until a soft dough forms. Knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
06 - Punch down risen dough and roll out on a floured surface to a 16x12-inch rectangle.
07 - Spread softened butter evenly over dough. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon, then scatter chopped cherries.
08 - Roll up tightly from the long edge to form a log. Slice into 12 equal rolls.
09 - Arrange rolls in prepared baking dish. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
10 - Bake for 22–25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
11 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
12 - Drizzle glaze over warm rolls immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tart cherries cut through all that sweet richness perfectly so every bite feels balanced instead of cloying
  • They freeze beautifully and I bake from frozen whenever unexpected guests show up
02 -
  • Cherry juice can make your filling soggy so really press those thawed frozen cherries between paper towels
  • Overbaked beats underbaked every time with cinnamon rolls because gooey dough in the center is just sad
03 -
  • Warm your measuring cup with hot water before measuring the milk so it stays perfectly warm
  • Reserve a tablespoon of the cherry filling to sprinkle on top before the glaze for pretty contrast

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