Cream Cheese Roll
Submitted by Bunster
Cream cheese roll: a tender sour-cream yeast dough rolled around cream cheese filling, snipped into a braided pattern, and baked golden. A brunch-ready pastry for any occasion.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
30 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsThis braided cream cheese roll looks like it came from a bakery window, but the technique is genuinely manageable at home. A soft sour cream yeast dough gets rolled out, spread with cream cheese filling, rolled into a long log, and then snipped diagonally with kitchen shears at two-inch intervals. Those snips fan open as the rolls rise and bake, giving you that gorgeous faux-braid effect without actually having to braid anything.
The dough is where this recipe earns its keep. Warm sour cream and margarine (or butter) go into the mix alongside sugar, salt, yeast, eggs, and flour for a softer, richer pastry than a standard yeast bread. That richness makes the crumb tender-flaky, almost danish-like. A quick 30-minute first rise cuts down the total time, and the second rise after shaping (about an hour) gives you perfectly puffed, golden pastries.
Pro Tips
- Keep the kitchen warm for proofing. Cold drafts slow yeast doughs dramatically.
- Use kitchen shears (not a knife) for the diagonal cuts. Shears make cleaner snips without dragging the dough.
- Cut ⅔ of the way through, not all the way, or the roll falls apart instead of opening into braids.
- Brush the tops with an egg wash before baking for bakery-window shine.
Variations
- Swap the cream cheese filling for fruit preserves, poppy seed paste, or almond paste.
- Drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze while still warm for a classic danish finish.
- Sprinkle with sliced almonds or pearl sugar before baking for texture on top.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat sour cream and margarine on low heat until margarine starts to melt.
Stir in sugar and salt. In large bowl, sprinkle yeast in warm water, stirring until yeast dissolves.
Add sour cream mixture, eggs and 4 cups flour.
Stir, adding additional flour until dough is not sticky.
Knead for 3 to 4 minutes on lightly floured surface until dough is smooth.
This is a very soft dough.
Place in greased bowl, turning once.
Let rise 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 8 equal parts.
Roll each on floured surface into 8×6 inch rectangle.
Spread ⅛ of cream cheese filling on each.
Roll up beginning with long side.
Pinch edges and fold ends under slightly.
Place rolls seam side down on bakng sheet coated with non-stick spray.
With kitchen shears, cut each roll diagonally at 2 inch intervals, ⅔ of the way through roll to resemble braid.
Cover; let rise in warm place until double the size, approximately one hour.
Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
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