Pineapple Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls
Sweet, tender yeast rolls swirled with a luscious pineapple cream cheese filling, topped with a tangy cream cheese drizzle. This tropical twist on the classic cinnamon roll is sure to be a hit at your next brunch!
This is a sponsored post, written by me, on behalf of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. All opinions expressed herein are straight from my heart.
Boy oh boy do I have a delicious treat for you guys today!
When Philadelphia Cream Cheese asked me to help them come up with a special Easter brunch recipe, I had pineapple on the brain. I don’t know- it’s just, when I think of Easter, I think of this pineapple-cream-cheese-lime-Jell-O™-mold-thing that was always served every year on Easter Sunday when I was a kid. We’d have that, and ham, and buttery Parker House rolls from the freezer section. All of those fruity, yeasty and creamy tastes were just so comforting and special and delicious.
So, today’s recipe is all about recreating those incredible springtime Easter flavors in brunch form.
I can’t say enough good things about these sweet rolls. The dough recipe is exactly like a Cinnabon. Truly. I have never come across another cinnamon roll recipe that nails the flavor and texture more dead-on. I’m talking gooey, yeasty, and rich. It’s pretty simple to throw together with just a few pantry staples, but you’ll want to plan ahead because there is a good bit of down time while you let the dough rise.
Using fresh pineapple in the filling gives these rolls the most incredibly sweet, tropical flavor! I know those big ol’ prickly things can be a little intimidating, but I promise you, cutting a whole pineapple is not a big deal at all if you know what you’re doing. I created a little video in my last post to show you just how fast and simple it can be. You’re looking at less than 4 minutes!
Your guest will swoon when they taste these! Serve a warm pan of these pineapple cream cheese sweet rolls at your next brunch- they are truly unforgettable!
Tools used to Create this Dish:
Thank you to Philadelphia Cream Cheese for allowing me to partner with them to create delicious recipes for the Easter season! This recipe was developed, tested, and photographed by Baking a Moment, and is not an original Philadelphia Cream Cheese recipe.
This post contains affiliate sales links.
Pineapple Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3/4 cup (187.5 ml) warm water
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 ounce (7.09 g) instant dry yeast, (1 packet)
- 1/3 cup (72.67 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour
For the Filling
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, brick, softened
- 4 tablespoons (59.15 g) unsalted butter, (half a stick), softened
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (247.5 g) roughly chopped pineapple, (about 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled & cored)
For the Icing
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, (1/2 brick), softened
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- Place the warm water and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle the yeast over the surface. Set aside for 5 minutes and allow the yeast to get foamy.
- Combine the oil, buttermilk, egg, and salt in a liquid measuring cup and stir together with a fork.
- Add to the yeast and water mixture, stirring to combine.
- Stir in the flour and mix on medium-low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 5 minutes.)
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place, for 1-2 hours.
Make the Filling:
- Place the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until fluffy.
- Stir in the chopped pineapple.
Assemble the Rolls:
- Lightly mist a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Sprinkle the work surface with flour and pat the dough into a rectangle shape.
- Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1/8-inch.
- Spread the filling evenly over the surface.
- Working from one long edge, carefully roll the dough into a log.
- Cut the log into 12 equal portions, and place each roll, cut side down, into the prepared dish.
- Allow the rolls to rise, in a warm place, for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden.
- Cool for 30 minutes, then drizzle with icing.
Make the Icing:
- Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth.
- Add the milk and vanilla.
Thanks for this delicious recipe…Hugs from Chile.
You are quite welcome Muriel! I’m so happy you like the recipe- hugs to you too!
Who doesn’t like sweet and beautiful rolls, right? 😀 That cream sounds so delicious!
Thanks Milk and Bun! They were really delicious and so fluffy. I’m so glad you stopped by- thanks so much for the sweet comment!
I know you say the dough makes this recipe but is there a way I can cheat? Unfortunate ly I just saw this and won’t have much time to prepare it but I really want it lol
Well, I suppose you could try it with refrigerated bread dough? I have never really done it though so I can’t guarantee the results. Good luck and I hope you enjoy!
These look amazing! Is it possible to assemble the night before and bake in the morning? I want to make them for a breakfast at work but I won’t have time to make it all in the morning before I have to go to work. Thanks in advance!
Hi Rene! That’s such a great question and I’m so glad you asked. What you are going to want to do is to make and assemble the night before, like you said. Let them proof for around a half hour before you put them in the fridge. Then, the next morning, take them out and let them come to room temperature. They should puff up even a little bit more. Then, just bake them off just like it says in the directions! I think it will work out just great! I hope you enjoy them as much as my son and I did!
Wow, I want to eat one of these rolls now! I used your pineapple cutting method last night and it was a huge success! Thanks again.
Oh yay! I’m so glad it worked well for you! Thanks so much Lindsey 🙂
These look absolutely amazing!! Pinned! Also I want that mint colored baking dish!!
Haha thanks Julianne! You can borrow it any time 😉
Now I know why you were teaching us all to carve a pineapple, heh heh! But how gorgeous are these pineapple sweet rolls? And you know, there are some things (fewer and fewer the longer I blog, ha ha) that I will buy generic, but cream cheese isn’t one of them. It has to be Philadelphia. Even if I’m paying 50%-100% more… I just like it better. You can’t have astonishingly great food if you start with mediocre ingredients!
I couldn’t agree with you more Meggan! If I’m going to splurge on a sinful dessert, it better darn well be the best it can be. Thanks so much for the great feedback sweetie!
I just love the tropical spin you put on these! Cinnamon rolls always hold a special place in my heart – they were a special treat growing up – but never as fun a flavor as this! 🙂
Yay, I’m so glad you like them Ashley! Homemade sweet rolls are such a special treat, I have lots of fond childhood memories like that too 😉
Your Easter dinner as a kid sounds a whole lot like mine, Allie! I LOVE pineapple and love that you threw it into a sweet roll! Pinned!
I’m not too surprised Justine! From the sounds of it we both had very similar upbringing 😉 I’m so happy that you liked these- thank you so much for pinning!
This looks amazing!!
Thanks so much Laura!
I literally went weak at the knees when I saw this (though to be honest, most of your stuff does that to me). It’s soon pretty and sooo scrumptious. When are you opening your patisserie again? And when is your cooking show airing? 😉
Haha thanks Nagi! So happy you liked these– you’re too sweet! xoxo
You know someone knows how to bake when they can make fluffy rolls that arent dense or skinny. So WAY TO GO! <3
Skinny?? No thank you! If I’m going to eat a sweet roll skinny had better not have anything to do with it, lol! Thank you so much Kelsey!
These looks so mouthwatering. I could eat half the pan. Or the whole pan…
Haha thank you Annie! They went pretty quick around here 😉
Well, you had me from your first photo, Allie, but then you definitely had me when you mentioned Cinnabon!
Oh my goodness ..it’s so delicious. Unfortunately we don’t have Cinnamon over here in the UK, so the only work-around is to make my own. Pinning these for later!
This sounds do good! I love the addition of pineapple to these sweet rolls. I’ve been craving tropical fruits lately, and pineapple seems to be having a moment– between the resurgence of pineapple gum syrup, tiki drinks, etc. This might be just the recipe I need!
I adore the idea of pineapple in a bun. Such a great item to put out for brunch. Love the photo set up Allie. Just beautiful.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Thank you so much Melanie! You too sweetie!
Allie, these rolls are a thing of glory. I’ve never thought to mix pineapple and cream cheese before, but now I want to mix it in everything! Straight up so good!
So. GOOD! I love the combo. Thanks Michelle! 🙂
These sound totally fruity and delicious and that frosting looks silky and soooooo delish 🙂
The frosting is TDF!!! Thank you Medha! Enjoy your day sweetie 🙂
Such delicious looking rolls! Love how you added fresh pineapple in there! Yumm.
The pineapple was sooooo good Ami! Just tasted like Easter to me 😉 Thanks!
These look insanely amazing! I love the combo of cream cheese and pineapple in them. And they look so light and fluffy! Swoon.
They are! Light, fluffy, and gooey. Culinary Couture know’s what’s up when it comes to sweet rolls 😉 Thanks Steph!