Sweet Rhubarb Rolls

Vibrant and delicious Sweet Rhubarb Rolls. These rolls are a twist on the classic cinnamon rolls. If you love to start your day in a sweet way, then you will love these soft and fluffy rolls. Made with rhubarb, strawberry jam and drizzled with butter cream icing, these rolls taste so good when eaten warm! Every bite of these fruity rolls is a melt in your mouth delicious moment.

About these rolls

There is something so comforting about a weekend bake, or the delicious holiday breakfast / brunch moment to indulge in. For those of you who may not already know, the festive holidays in New Zealand happen in the summertime, and so summer fruits are everywhere. And while rhubarb is a year-round fruit, it adds to the vibrant colours that summer is all about. The combination of rhubarb and strawberry jam is simple, yet so delicious! The perfect match if you ask me. I love the sweet jam texture and how soft these rolls are to bite into. The combo is a great summer twist. If you have year-round rhubarb and a jar of jam, you can make these any time!

First, make the dough

Start by warming the milk until it is lukewarm, then add one teaspoon of sugar, the yeast and give a gentle stir. Let it stand until bubbly, this should take 5 to 10 minutes. In the meantime, in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the all-purpose flour, salt and sugar. Make a well in the middle, pour in the melted butter and one large egg. Once the milk and yeast mixture are ready, add into the flour bowl as well.

With a dough hook attachment, beat on medium-low speed until a smooth and sticky dough forms, about 5 – 10minutes. Lightly oil a separate large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl. Cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

While the dough rests, make the filling

In a large pan, place the butter, chopped rhubarb, sugar and juice of half a lemon. Cook on medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes, stirring often, until the rhubarb has softened and resembles a jam-like consistency. Place the filling in a separate bowl and allow it to cool while the dough rises.

Assembling the rolls and baking

On a floured surface, turn out the risen dough. Press the dough lightly with your hands to shape it into a square. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, 30 x 38 cm (does not have to be exact). Lightly spread the strawberry jam over the surface, leaving a 1cm border on the sides. Then, lay the rhubarb filling on top of the strawberry jam layer and spread evenly.

Loosely roll up the dough into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 8 even sized rolls. Place each roll in a rounded dish, greased with butter. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Once the dough is ready, uncover and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Butter icing (optional)

The icing for these rolls is entirely optional. If you do make the icing, why not add some fun food colouring to match the vibrant colour of the rhubarb and jam?

In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter until soft and fluffy (2 minutes on medium – high speed). While mixing, add the powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Half-way through, add the powdered sugar, add the vanilla essence and 3 teaspoons of cold water. Beat until smooth. Lastly add the pink food colour and combine. Spread over the top of the rolls and serve warm.

Looking for more?

If you are looking for more ideas, try one of the recipes below:

Prune, Walnut & Chocolate Loaf

Chocolate & Mascarpone Cake

Walnut & Chocolate Squares

The smell of these baked Sweet Rhubarb Rolls is heavenly! Wait until the rolls are just slightly cooled, take a bite into these sweet and soft rolls and then you will realize how delicious they really are. I hope that you enjoy this recipe and if you do, feel free leave a comment below. If you have a moment, please leave this recipe a rating. I would love to hear what you think, and if you make them, you can tag me over on Instagram.