Instructions
1-Make the Blueberry Filling: Make the Blueberry Filling: Add blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-9 minutes (the mixture should be simmering – if it’s not, turn up the heat). The blueberries will have released lots of juices. Stir together corn starch and water in a small bowl, until corn starch is fully dissolved. Pour this into the simmering blueberries, then cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes to thicken. The sauce should hold for a second when you drag a wooden spoon through the pot, and a trail should hold when you drag your *clean* finger through the sauce on the back of the spoon. Pour mixture into a pie dish or something similar and stir in the vanilla. Taste and add a splash more lemon or sugar if desired. Pop in the fridge to cool completely. Make-Ahead Tip: This can be done up to 3 days ahead. Store in a jar in the fridge.
2-Make the Dough & First Rise: Make the Dough & First Rise: In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the melted butter, warm milk, beaten eggs, sugar, yeast, and salt. Whisk together (either with the whisk attachment or with a hand whisk, no need to dirty the whisk attachment if you don’t want to). Then, add the paddle attachment and add the flour. Mix on low speed (setting 2-3) just until the flour disappears into the dough. It will be shaggy and wet. Let this rest for 5 minutes before proceeding. Scrape the dough off the paddle attachment and add the dough hook. Knead the dough on setting 1-2 (no higher!) for 5-7 minutes. The dough will begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl towards the 5 minute mark and will look smoother and elastic, however it will still seem a bit slack. Gently pour the dough onto a clean countertop and spray the stand mixer bowl with nonstick spray (no need to wipe it out!), then place the dough back in to rise. Let the dough rise for 1 hour. It should have doubled in size, and an indent should hold when you poke your fingertip into it. Tip: This time will be longer when it’s cold out, and about 1 hour in the summer – when I did this, it was 72-73℉ in my home. Go by the look of the dough doubling & the indent holding shape rather than the time.
3-Make the Cinnamon Filling: Make the Cinnamon Filling: Beat together all filling ingredients in a medium bowl on medium high speed until well combined. (You can use the same bowl as you used in the step above – no need to clean it!) You’ll have a thick creamy mixture.
4-Assemble the Rolls: Assemble the Rolls: After the dough has risen for about 1 hour, generously flour your counter. Make sure you have room to roll the dough to 14 inches by 22 or 24 inches. Gently dump the risen dough onto your floured counter and roll to 14×22 (or up to 15×24). Dot the cinnamon filling all over, and use an offset spatula to gently spread it as evenly as you can, getting close to the edges. Evenly dot 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (300 grams) of blueberry filling evenly over the cinnamon filling.
5-Assemble Cinnamon Rolls: Assemble Cinnamon Rolls: Slice strips from the long side of the dough that are about 1 and 3/4 inches thick. Roll each one up into a roll, then place in the prepared pan. Use the slightly smaller pieces from each far end of the rectangle to roll into one cinnamon roll (roll one up like normal, then roll the other strip around it). Try to place any smaller rolls in the center as the center ones always take a tad longer to bake, and this will help even things out. Place the pieces in the prepared dish and cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Let rise for about 30 to 40 minutes (the warmer the room, the faster they’ll rise). To check if they’ve risen enough, poke the side of a roll with your finger. If the indent stays and doesn’t spring back, they’re ready. Preheat your oven to 325℉ – NOT 350 – while the rolls rise. I place my rolls next to the oven on the counter.
6-Bake: Bake: Once the cinnamon rolls have risen, pour the room temperature heavy cream over and between them. Bake for 42 to 46 minutes. The rolls will be golden brown and appear set in the centers, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of one of the middle rolls should read 205 to 210 ℉. Check the point of the thermometer for raw dough clinging to it as well – add a few more minutes if needed. Prepare frosting while the rolls bake.
7-Make the Frosting: Make the Frosting: Puree the blueberry filling called for (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp). Beat together cream cheese & butter, then mix in the powdered sugar. Mix in the pureed blueberries, then the vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as desired. If the blueberry flavor isn’t strong enough, you can puree more sauce to add. Don’t be afraid of a runny frosting – it will sink into the nooks & crannies of the warm rolls and make everything incredibly delicious!
8-Serve + Store: Serve + Store: Immediately frost the warm rolls, then top each with a generous spoonful of extra blueberry topping. Enjoy immediately! Store leftovers, in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, reheating gently as desired. These are best fresh from the oven, naturally, but do re-heat nicely over the next day or two!