Ruby Ripple Twists

Indulge in the irresistible charm of these delightful Strawberry Twists with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze. These soft, pillowy pastries are an exquisite twist on classic cinnamon rolls, boasting a luscious homemade strawberry filling nestled within a tender, yeasted dough, all crowned with a bright, tangy lemon glaze. This enchanting sweet and tart combination is a symphony of flavors that promises to become a cherished addition to your recipe collection, perfect for any occasion from a special brunch to a cozy afternoon treat.

Can’t resist the vibrant pairing of sweet strawberries and zesty lemon? Neither can we! If you’re a fan of this classic flavor duo, you’ll also adore our Lemon Strawberry Trifle and refreshing Strawberry Lemonade.

Crafting Your Own Strawberry Twists: A Step-by-Step Guide

These gorgeous pastries, with their amazing strawberry lemon flavor combination, are simply perfect together and incredibly delicious whether you enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, or an evening treat. Let’s take a quick look at the process involved in bringing these delectable twists to life. As always, you can find the comprehensive, printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions at the end of this post.

Homemade Strawberry Filling: The Heart of the Twist

The secret to an extraordinary strawberry twist begins with a vibrant, homemade filling that bursts with fresh fruit flavor. This simple process yields a rich, thick, and utterly delicious strawberry compote.

1. Combine & Cook: In a small saucepan, gently combine the diced fresh strawberries and granulated sugar. Cook this mixture over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the strawberries begin to soften and release their juices.
2. Thicken with Zest: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the fresh lemon juice and cornstarch until smooth. Add this slurry to the strawberry mixture in the saucepan. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook for another five minutes, stirring frequently. Watch as the filling visibly thickens to a glossy, jam-like consistency. The lemon juice not only adds a lovely tang but also helps to brighten the strawberry flavor.
3. Cool & Chill: Once thickened, remove the filling from the heat. Transfer it to a heat-safe container, such as a glass jar, and allow it to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating. Chilling the filling thoroughly is a crucial step that prevents the butter in your dough from melting prematurely during assembly, ensuring your twists hold their beautiful shape.

The Secret to Perfectly Soft Twists Dough

Our unique dough, with its surprising ingredient, is what makes these twists so incredibly tender and delightful.

1. Prepare Yeast Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour with the active dry yeast. Give it a quick stir to distribute the yeast evenly, then set this bowl aside.
2. Warm Wet Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, those special instant mashed potato flakes, cubed unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and kosher salt. Heat this mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a temperature of about 120°F (49°C). This temperature is ideal for activating the yeast without killing it.
3. Combine Mixtures: Carefully pour the warm milk mixture into the flour and yeast mixture. Stir to combine the ingredients thoroughly. Next, add the room temperature eggs and beat on low speed for approximately 30 seconds, ensuring to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to fully incorporate everything.
4. Add Remaining Flour & Knead: Gradually stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can by hand, or using the “stir” setting on your stand mixer. If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook attachment and continue to mix for another 3 to 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 to 7 minutes until it reaches the desired smooth and elastic consistency.
5. First Rise: Divide the kneaded dough in half. Lightly grease two medium-sized bowls, then place one half of the dough in each bowl, turning the dough over once to coat it lightly with oil. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has doubled in size, which usually takes about one hour. This first rise is crucial for developing flavor and creating a light, airy texture.

Zesty Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze: The Perfect Finish

This luscious, tangy glaze is the crowning glory of our strawberry twists, adding a bright counterpoint to the sweet filling.

1. Cream Butter & Cheese: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter until the mixture is light, fluffy, and completely smooth. Ensure there are no lumps for a silky glaze.
2. Add Liquids & Zest: Beat in the fresh lemon juice, milk, fine sea salt, and aromatic lemon zest. Continue beating until all ingredients are well combined and the mixture is fragrant with lemon.
3. Adjust Consistency: Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until the desired smooth, pourable, yet thick consistency is reached. You may need to add a little more milk or powdered sugar to achieve your preferred glaze thickness. Set aside until ready to drizzle.

Use a microplane to make quick work of zesting those lemons efficiently!

Assembly and Baking for Golden Perfection

Now comes the fun part – shaping and baking your beautiful strawberry twists!

1. Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup. Set them aside.
2. Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured surface, take one half of the risen dough. Using a rolling pin, roll it out evenly into a rectangle measuring approximately 12 inches by 8 inches. Aim for an even thickness across the entire rectangle.
3. Spread Filling: Carefully spread half of the thoroughly chilled strawberry filling evenly over one half of the rolled-out dough rectangle. Make sure to leave a small border around the edges for sealing.
4. Fold & Seal: Gently pull the other half of the dough over the filling, aligning the edges to create a sealed rectangle. Press the ends and edges firmly together to seal the filling completely inside. This prevents the filling from leaking out during baking.
5. Cut & Twist: Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough rectangle into twelve even strips. Take each strip, hold both ends, and gently twist it several times to create an elegant spiral. Place the twisted strips onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving adequate space between each twist to allow for further rising and even baking.
6. Repeat Process: Repeat steps 2 through 5 with the remaining half of the dough and the rest of the strawberry filling, utilizing the second baking sheet to ensure no crowding.
7. Second Rise: Cover the formed twists lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let them rise again for another 30 minutes, or until they have nearly doubled in size once more. This second rise contributes to their final light and airy texture.
8. Preheat Oven: While the twists are completing their second rise, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
9. Bake to Golden: Bake the twists for 8 to 12 minutes, or until they are beautifully golden brown on top and lightly browned on the bottom. The exact baking time may vary depending on your oven, so keep a close eye on them.
10. Glaze & Serve: Once baked, remove the twists from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool slightly more. Drizzle generously with the prepared lemon cream cheese glaze while they are still warm, but not hot enough to melt the glaze entirely. Serve warm and enjoy the sensational combination of flavors!

Remember, it’s essential to let the strawberry filling cool completely in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Using hot or even warm filling will cause the butter in the dough to melt, making it incredibly difficult to roll, fold, and create the perfect twists without a messy outcome.

Creative Variations to Elevate Your Twists

While the classic Strawberry Twists with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze are heavenly on their own, don’t hesitate to get creative in the kitchen! Here are some exciting variations to customize your pastries and explore new flavor profiles:

• Mixed Berry Medley: For a delightful twist on the filling, swap half of the fresh strawberries for other seasonal berries like sweet raspberries, plump blueberries, or tangy blackberries. This creates a more complex and visually appealing berry filling.
• Cherry Bliss: Replace the strawberries entirely with an equally delicious cherry filling. If fresh cherries aren’t in season, you can easily opt for a high-quality cherry pie filling for a convenient and flavorful alternative.
• Chocolate Indulgence: Before spreading the strawberry filling, add a thin, even layer of melted chocolate or a rich, creamy hazelnut spread like Nutella over the rolled-out dough. The combination of strawberry and chocolate is always a winner!
• Subtle Lemon Dough: Infuse a delicate citrus note directly into the dough by adding a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest. This subtle addition will beautifully complement the strawberry filling and amplify the bright lemon flavor found in the cream cheese glaze, creating a cohesive flavor experience.
• Cream Cheese Layer: For an extra layer of richness and a touch more tang, spread a thin, even layer of softened cream cheese over the dough before adding the strawberry filling. This creates a delightful ‘cream cheese pocket’ within the twist.
• Alternative Glaze Options: Instead of the lemon cream cheese glaze, consider drizzling your cooled twists with melted dark or white chocolate, a decadent caramel sauce, or even a simple vanilla bean glaze for a different kind of sweet finish.

Expert Tips for Flawless Strawberry Twists

To ensure your homemade strawberry twists turn out perfectly soft, flavorful, and beautiful every single time, here are some invaluable tips from Trish, designed to guide you through the process:

• Achieve a Thick Filling: It’s crucial to make sure your strawberry filling is nice and thick before you remove it from the burner. A robust, jam-like consistency is less likely to leak out of the twists during the baking process, ensuring your pastries maintain their structural integrity and visual appeal. Cook it down until it coats the back of a spoon.
• Perfect Glaze Consistency: The consistency of your glaze is key. A glaze that’s too thin will simply run off the sides of the twists, leaving them bare and less appealing. Conversely, a glaze that’s too thick can be difficult to spread. You can easily adjust the consistency by adding a bit more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or a touch more milk (a teaspoon at a time) to thin it out to your desired pouring or drizzling consistency.
• Cool Before Glazing: Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to glazing! Always wait for the twists to cool down a bit before you drizzle the glaze. Applying glaze to hot pastries will cause it to melt, become runny, and lose its beautiful, creamy texture, seeping into the twists rather than sitting prettily on top.
• Quality Zesting Tool: For the best results and the most aromatic zest, invest in a high-quality microplane or lemon zester. These tools allow you to extract only the flavorful outer layer of the lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white pith, making the zesting process quick, easy, and efficient.
• Room Temperature Ingredients for Dough: For the best rise and texture, ensure your eggs and milk for the dough are at room temperature. Cold ingredients can shock the yeast and hinder its activation, resulting in a less airy dough.
• Don’t Over-Flour: While flouring your work surface and adding flour to the dough, be careful not to add too much. Over-flouring can lead to a dry, tough dough. Add just enough to prevent sticking, and let the dough hook (or your hands) do the work of developing elasticity.

Explore More Strawberry Delights

If you’re a true strawberry aficionado, you’ll love these other fantastic recipes that celebrate the juicy sweetness of fresh strawberries:

1. Strawberry Shortcake Roulade
2. Strawberry Poke Cake
3. Mini Strawberry Pies
4. Strawberry Sorbet
5. Strawberry Tiramisu

Originally published April 23, 2016.