Sourdough Blackberry Lavender Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
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These Blackberry Lavender Rolls are the ultimate brunch sweet roll dough recipe: fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls with blackberry compote and lavender cream cheese frosting.
There’s something about warm, fluffy cinnamon rolls that instantly makes a morning feel special, and these blackberry lavender rolls take that cozy classic and turn it into a spring and summer showstopper. The rich sourdough brioche dough bakes up tender and golden brown, the thick blackberry compote brings real berry goodness in every swirl, and the cream cheese frosting kissed with lavender adds a soft floral finish that tastes bakery worthy. Make these for Easter brunch, Mother’s Day breakfast, bridal showers, baby showers, or a weekend treat when you want something extra.
I asked my husband to rate these rolls as he was eating one, he gave them an 8/10 at first. A while later after we weren't even talking about the rolls anymore, he says "those rolls deserve more than an 8, I give them a 10/10. Haha, he needed time to process them but he was a big fan. I was worried he wouldn't enjoy the subtle floral notes, but he loved them.
These rolls were inspired by my Blackberry Lavender Scones, and I used the dough from my original sourdough cinnamon rolls because it’s my favorite sweet roll dough. It’s rich, reliable, and gives you that bakery style fluffy cinnamon roll texture without needing instant yeast or active dry yeast.
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Why You’ll Love These Rolls
Sourdough perk: long fermentation adds deeper flavor and can be easier to digest for some people than quick yeasted dough
Tender rolls with a brioche dough feel thanks to eggs and butter
Berry goodness in every bite from a thick blackberry compote that stays put
Light lavender flavor from lavender infused milk, not extract
Cream cheese frosting that’s tangy, fluffy, and perfect on warm rolls
Make ahead friendly for the next day: shape, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, bake fresh
Ingredients
- Lavender Infused Milk
- Milk
- Dried culinary lavender
- Sweet Roll Dough
- All purpose flour
- Butter, softened
- Lavender infused milk
- Active sourdough starter
- Eggs
- Salt
- Sugar
- Blackberry Compote Filling
- Blackberries
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Pinch of salt
- Lemon juice (optional)
- Filling Layer
- Softened butter
- Brown sugar
- Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese, softened
- Butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Reserved lavender infused milk
- Heavy cream (optional)
- Vanilla (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Lavender Infused Milk
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 cup milk to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons dried lavender, remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 to 15 minutes.
- Strain and cool to room temperature.
- Use ¾ cup for the dough and reserve ¼ cup for the frosting.
Make the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix sourdough starter, lavender milk, eggs, sugar, salt, and flour until combined.
- Knead with the dough hook attachment on low speed until a sticky dough forms, then increase to medium speed and knead until smoother.
- Gradually add softened butter and continue kneading until fully incorporated.
- If the dough is sticking hard to the sides of the bowl after kneading, add up to ¼ cup flour and keep mixing until smooth.
- Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, or until doubled.
Blackberry Compote
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook blackberries and sugar until the berries release their juices.
- In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with water.
- Stir slurry into the berries and cook until thick and spreadable.
- Stir in lemon juice if using, then cool completely.
Assemble
- Roll dough out on a lightly floured work surface into a rectangle.
- Spread softened butter over the top of the dough, leaving a 1 inch border on one long side.
- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the surface of the dough if using.
- Spread cooled blackberry compote evenly over the top of the dough.
- Roll tightly from the long end into a log and pinch the seam to seal.
- Cut into even rolls with dental floss or a sharp knife.
- Place rolls into a prepared 9x13 baking dish.
Second Rise
- Cover with plastic wrap and let the second rise happen in a warm place for 2-3 hours, until puffy.
- Next day option: refrigerate overnight after shaping. The following day, let rolls rise at room temperature until puffy.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and set.
Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and mix.
- Add reserved lavender milk a tablespoon at a time until spreadable.
- Add vanilla if using. Add a splash of heavy cream only if you want it thinner.
- Spread frosting over warm rolls.
Pro Tips for the Best Rolls
Bake until the center rolls look set and the tops are golden brown.
Thick compote is the best way to keep a juicy blackberry filling from leaking.
Cool the compote completely before spreading.
Roll tight from the long end for neat swirls.
Dental floss keeps slices clean without squishing the dough.
Substitutions
Almond milk works for the lavender milk mixture.
Blueberries work for blueberry cinnamon rolls, but may need more thickener.
Skip lavender and use regular milk for a classic blackberry version.
For blackberry lemon sweet rolls, use the lemon juice and add zest to the frosting.
Variations
Blackberry Lemon Sweet Rolls: Add lemon zest to the dough (or frosting) and don’t skip the tablespoon of lemon juice in the compote. Finish with a tiny pinch of salt in the frosting to make the berry pop.
Triple Berry: Do a mix of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries for the compote. You’ll want to thicken it well since mixed berries get extra juicy.
Blackberry Vanilla: Skip lavender entirely, and add extra vanilla in the frosting. Tastes like a classic bakery cinnamon bun but with berry goodness.
Equipment
- 9x13 cake pan or baking dish
- Stand mixer
- Dough hook attachment
- Small saucepan
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife or dental floss
Storage
Store in an airtight container. Room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate 3 to 4 days. Warm before serving for the best texture. Freeze unfrosted rolls up to 2 months, then thaw, warm, and frost.
FAQ
Yes. After you slice and place the rolls in the baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let them sit at room temperature until puffy, then bake. If your kitchen is cold, this can take a while, so plan for extra time.
Totally normal for a rich sweet roll dough. Keep kneading until it turns smooth and starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If it’s still a wet mess after proper kneading, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Too much flour is the fastest way to lose that tender roll texture.
You can, but compote is the best way to get a thick, spreadable filling that doesn’t leak as much. If you use blackberry jam, choose a very thick jam and keep the layer thin so it doesn’t squeeze out during rolling.
It shouldn’t. The key is steeping the lavender gently and then straining it. If your milk mixture smells extremely strong, shorten the steep time next batch or use less lavender. Lavender should taste lightly floral, not like you licked a candle.
Frozen works. Cook them a bit longer in the small saucepan and expect more liquid. You may need more cornstarch to get that thick blackberry sauce texture. Let the compote cool completely before spreading.
Usually one of three things happened: the compote was too warm, it was too thin, or the roll wasn’t tight enough. Make sure the compote is fully cooled and thick like blackberry jam, roll from the long end tightly, and leave that 1 inch border so the seam seals.
Look for golden brown tops and rolls that feel set, not squishy in the center. If you gently press the center roll and it feels like raw dough underneath, give it a few more minutes. Ovens vary, and baking time can change depending on your pan.
Yes. The best way is to freeze unfrosted rolls. Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter, warm gently, then frost fresh. Frosting can be frozen too, but it’s happiest made fresh.
Absolutely. Use regular milk in the dough and make a classic cream cheese frosting with vanilla. You’ll basically have blackberry cinnamon rolls, and nobody will be sad about it.
Yes. Sprinkle a light cinnamon sugar layer over the butter before adding the blackberry compote. It adds warmth without overpowering the berry.
Related
Looking for other yummy recipes? Try these:
Sourdough Blackberry Lavender Rolls with Cream Cheese frosting
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 Dough hook attachment
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Sharp knife or dental floss
- 1 9x13 cake pan or baking dish
Ingredients
Lavender Infused Milk
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 tablespoon Dried culinary lavender
Sweet Roll Dough
- 4 ¼ cups All purpose flour (plus up to ¼ cup more if needed)
- 1 cup Active sourdough starter
- ¾ cup Lavender infused milk cooled to room temperature
- 3 Eggs
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- ½ tablespoon Salt
- ½ cup Butter, softened
Blackberry Compote Filling
- 2 ½ cups Fresh blackberries (halve larger berries)
- ⅓ cup White sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice (optional)
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon Water (for slurry)
- ¼ cup Butter, softened (for spreading on dough)
- Brown sugar (light sprinkle) Optional
Blackberry Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz Cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoon Butter, softened
- 2-2 ½ cups Powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoon Reserved lavender infused milk (use as needed)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Optional
- 1-2 tablespoon Heavy cream (only if you want it thinner) Optional
Instructions
1- Make the lavender infused milk
- Add milk to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.Stir in lavender, remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 to 15 minutes.Strain and cool to room temperature.Measure ¾ cup for the dough and reserve ¼ cup for the frosting.
2- Make the dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), mix starter, lavender milk, eggs, sugar, salt, and flour until combined.Knead with a dough hook on medium speed until smoother.Gradually add softened butter and keep kneading until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth.If needed, add up to ¼ cup flour and keep mixing until smooth.Cover and let rise at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, or until doubled.
3- Make the blackberry compote
- Add blackberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice to a small saucepan.Cook over medium heat until the berries are juicy and breaking down, 5 to 8 minutes.In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with water to make a slurry.Stir slurry into the berries and cook until thick.Cool completely.
4- Assemble
- Grease a 9x13 baking dishRoll dough into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface.Spread softened butter evenly over the doughOptional: sprinkle a light layer of brown sugar.Spread cooled blackberry compote evenly over the butter.
5- Roll, cut, and second rise
- Roll the dough tightly into a log starting from the long end. Cut into 12 rolls using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife.Place rolls in the prepared pan.Cover and rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours, until puffy.Overnight option: refrigerate after shaping. Next day, let rise at room temperature until puffy before baking.
6- Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and set in the center.Cool 10 to 15 minutes before frosting.
7- Make frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.Add reserved lavender milk a little at a time until spreadable. I like it pretty thin so it seeps into all the cracks so I used the full ¼ cup.Add vanilla if using. Add heavy cream only if you want it thinner.Spread over warm rolls.
Notes
- The blackberry filling should have a thick spreadable consistency, otherwise it makes the rolling and cutting of the rolls unmanageable.
