Soft, fluffy sweet rolls filled with a delicious strawberry rhubarb and ginger compote, topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze and crunchy almond praline. The perfect summer bake and no cinnamon in sight!
Strawberry and rhubarb is one of my favourite flavour pairings for late spring and summer. Sweet, tart and wonderfully nostalgic, they are a perfect match especially when homegrown and freshly picked from the garden. In these sweet rolls, I’ve added a hint of ginger for a vibrant, jammy compote filling, topped off with almond praline for the loveliest crunch. Heaven!
Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Rolls
If you’ve been searching for a fruit-filled alternative to cinnamon rolls, these strawberry rhubarb sweet rolls are exactly what you need. The classic combination of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb makes for a beautifully balanced filling, while freshly grated ginger adds a warm, aromatic lift that ties everything together.
What makes these truly special, though, is the almond praline crunch. A simple homemade caramel tossed with toasted flaked almonds, roughly chopped and scattered over the top. It adds texture, nuttiness, , turning these rolls into a real showstopper bake.
These sweet rolls can easily be made fully dairy-free, a brilliant option for anyone avoiding dairy without wanting to compromise on flavour or texture. The cream cheese glaze is made using a dairy-free alternative, while the dough relies on plant-based spread, creating rolls that are every bit as soft, rich and delicious. You genuinely can’t tell the difference.
When to Make These Rolls
Rhubarb and strawberries are at their very best in late spring and early summer in the UK (typically from April through to June / July), making this the ideal seasonal bake for:
- A lazy bank holiday weekend breakfast or brunch
- A spring celebration or garden party centrepiece
- Any time you want something special but approachable
They’re also a fantastic option when you’ve got a glut of rhubarb from the garden and want to do something a bit more exciting than crumble.
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Watch How To Make These Rolls
Ingredient Notes
The Filling
The filling is made by blending the strawberry and rhubarb with cornflour and ginger before cooking it down into a thick, jammy consistency. Unlike a chunky filling, using a blender gives the filling a smooth consistency, ensuring that every roll is evenly coated with a luscious swirl of fruit.
- Rhubarb: Fresh garden rhubarb or forced rhubarb both work brilliantly here. Forced rhubarb (the deep pink variety available in early spring) will give you a more vibrant colour.
- Strawberries: Fresh is best, but at a pinch you can use frozen strawberries that have been fully defrosted and drained.
- Ginger: Freshly grated ginger is best Ground ginger won’t give you the same punchy, aromatic quality.
- Cornflour: This is what helps the filling set to a thick, spreadable consistency. Don’t skip it.
The Dough
A simple enriched yeasted dough, straightforward and forgiving. I use the Kenwood Cooking Chef XL (with its integrated scale and induction plate which is ideal to prove doughs at low temperatures), but other stand mixers fitted with a dough hook work too. You can also knead the dough by hand.
The Almond Praline
Making praline might sound intimidating, but it’s genuinely simple: melt sugar into a golden caramel, add toasted almonds, pour it out and leave it to cool. The only rule is to keep a close eye as the caramel and almonds can go from perfect to burnt very quickly.
Tips for the Best Sweet Rolls
- Cool the fruit filling completely before spreading it over the dough. A warm filling will start to melt the dough and make it difficult to roll and cut cleanly.
- Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the strips. A blunt knife will drag and compress the dough.
- Don’t rush the prove. The second prove (after shaping the rolls) is important. Under-proved rolls will be dense. They should look noticeably puffed before you put them in the oven.
- The glaze goes on warm, not hot. Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes before glazing so the cream cheese glaze doesn’t melt away completely.
- Add the praline just before serving if you’re making them ahead, to keep the crunch intact.
How To Make The Filling
The filling comes together quickly, but it’s worth giving it your full attention. Getting the consistency right is the key to rolls that hold their shape and deliver a proper jammy swirl in every bite.
Start by placing the rhubarb and strawberries into a blender along with the cornflour and freshly grated ginger. Blitz until completely smooth. This gives you a uniform, silky base rather than a chunky filling.
Pour the blended mixture into a saucepan and add the sugar and dairy-free spread. Set over a medium-high heat and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture has reduced and thickened considerably. You’re looking for it to coat the back of a spoon. Think thick jam rather than a sauce.
Once it’s reached that consistency, take it off the heat and leave it to cool completely before spreading it over the dough. It will thicken further as it cools, which is exactly what you want. Don’t be tempted to rush this step, a warm filling will make the dough slippery and difficult to roll.
Make it ahead: The filling can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in an airtight jar in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before using.
How To Shape These Sweet Rolls
Once your dough has had its first prove and doubled in size, punch it down firmly to knock out the air, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll it out into a rectangle measuring approximately 42 x 30cm (16½ x 12 inches). Try to keep the edges as straight and even as possible. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but a reasonably neat rectangle will make cutting the strips much easier. If the dough keeps springing back, leave it to rest for five minutes and try again.
Spread the cooled filling evenly over the entire surface, taking it right to the edges so you get filling all the way through each roll.
Now for the part that makes these rolls different to a traditional roll-and-slice method. Rather than rolling the whole sheet of dough into a log and slicing it, you cut the dough lengthways into individual strips (working from one long edge across to the other) creating 12 strips, each roughly 3.5cm wide and 30cm long. A sharp knife or pizza cutter works best here.
Take each strip and roll it up from one end into a tight swirl, then place it cut-side up in your prepared dish. Repeat with the remaining strips until the dish is full. Leave some space between each roll, they’ll puff up into each other during the second prove, which is exactly what gives sweet rolls that soft, pillowy pull-apart quality.
Can I Make These Sweet Rolls Ahead?
Yes, and they’re actually wonderful the next day. Here are your options:
- Same day: Bake, glaze, and add praline just before serving.
- Overnight prove: After shaping the rolls and placing them in the dish, cover tightly with cling film and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature and complete the second prove (about 1–1½ hours), then bake as normal.
These sweet rolls can be kept for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. Reheat briefly in a low oven before serving. Bear in mind that the praline will lose its crunchy slightly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. If you’re not dairy-free, you can substitute like-for-like with unsalted butter and regular full-fat cream cheese.
This can happen if you stir the caramel while it melts. Let it melt undisturbed and only swirl the pan gently if needed. Also make sure your pan is completely clean and dry.
A little bubbling at the edges is completely normal and actually rather delicious. If it’s excessive, your filling may not have been thick enough or cool enough when you spread it. Make sure it reaches that thick, jam-like consistency before cooling.
I hope you enjoy this Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Rolls with Ginger & Almond Praline recipe as much as I do. If you do make it, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Make sure to save this recipe for later and share it with friends and family looking for fresh, healthy meal ideas!
Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Rolls with Ginger & Almond Praline
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING:
- 175 g rhubarb cut into chunks
- 175 g strawberry hulled and halved
- 2 Tbsp cornflour
- 3 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 125 g sugar
- 3 Tbsp dairy-free spread
FOR THE ROLLS:
- 400 g plain flour
- 1 sachet fast-action dried yeast (7g / 2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 200 ml milk of choice
- 60 g dairy-free spread
FOR THE GLAZE:
- 100 g cream cheese of choice
- 120 g icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
FOR THE ALMOND PRALINE:
- 50 g sugar
- 25 g flaked almonds
Instructions
- Sift the flour, then add it to the bowl of a food mixer along with the yeast, sugar and salt. Fit the dough hook.400 g plain flour, 1 sachet fast-action dried yeast (7g / 2 ¼ teaspoons), 3 Tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt
- Warm the milk and dairy-free spread in a small saucepan over low heat (or in the microwave) until the spread has melted and the mixture reaches around 40–45°C / 104–113°F. Pour this into the dry ingredients.200 ml milk of choice, 60 g dairy-free spread
- Knead until the dough forms and is elastic and supple, about 10 minutes at speed 1 or 2.
- Remove the dough hook and place the splashguard (or cover with a damp cloth if you are not using a Kenwood Cooking Chef XL).
- Prove the dough for around 1 to 1 ½ hour, or until the dough has doubled in size at 30°C speed off (if you are not using a Kenwood Cooking Chef XL leave to prove covered in a warm place).
- Meanwhile, make the strawberry and rhubarb filling. Place the fruits in a blender with the cornflour and ginger and blend until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and add the sugar and dairy-free spread.175 g rhubarb, 175 g strawberry, 2 Tbsp cornflour, 3 tsp freshly grated ginger, 125 g sugar, 3 Tbsp dairy-free spread
- Heat over medium-high heat for around 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture has reduced and thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon and reach a thick jam-like consistency. Once done, leave to cool down completely. The filling will continue to thicken further.
- Lightly grease an ovenproof rectangular dish (approx. 23 x 33cm / 9 ×13-inch) with dairy-free spread.
- Once risen, punch down the dough to release the air. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle measuring approximately 42cm x 30cm (16.5 x 12 inches). Spread the cooled filling evenly over the surface.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough lengthways (working from one long side of the rectangle to the other) into 12 equal strips, each about 3.5cm wide and 30cm long. Carefully roll up each strip into a roll, then place them in the ovenproof dish.
- Cover with a cling film or tea/ kitchen towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make the almond praline. Dry-toast the almonds in a saucepan over medium heat until lightly golden, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.50 g sugar, 25 g flaked almonds
- Place the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and allow it to melt into a deep golden caramel. Add the toasted almonds and stir quickly to coat, then pour onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Leave to cool completely, then roughly chop with a sharp knife.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Bake the rolls for 20–25 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the glaze.
- To make the glaze, fit the whisk attachment to the mixer. Add the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl and whisk until smooth.100 g cream cheese of choice, 120 g icing sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls and sprinkle with the chopped almond praline. Allow to cool before serving.
Nutritional Information
Find this recipe online:
Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Rolls with Ginger & Almond Praline
https://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/strawberry-rhubarb-sweet-rolls-with-ginger-almond-praline/
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