Don’t stop here—try these other easy ube halaya dessert ideas.
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Inspired by my ube recipes and love for Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls, I created these delicious Ube Rolls.
I'm super proud of this recipe—it consistently delivers perfect cinnamon rolls every time! It's the same tried-and-true recipe I used for my pumpkin cinnamon rolls because it's foolproof in my book.
This is just one of the reasons I always keep a stash of ube halaya in my freezer. It means I can whip up these ube rolls anytime!
Ube has become a star ingredient in my kitchen, inspiring creations like ube pancakes, ube cheesecake, ube ice cream, ube muffins, and ube crinkles. These recipes highlight its unique flavor and vibrant color, and these ube rolls are no exception.
These rolls are a fun twist on a classic favorite. Ube adds a unique flavor and stunning color. They're perfect for breakfast, dessert, or whenever you need a sweet treat. You won't be able to resist them!
Jump to:
What is Ube?
Ube (pronounced "ooh-beh"), also known as purple yam, is a vibrant root vegetable popular in Filipino desserts. It has a unique, sweet, and slightly nutty flavor, perfect for adding a fun twist to your favorite treats. From cakes to ice cream, ube's eye-catching color and delicious taste make it a must-try ingredient!
What Does Ube Taste Like?
Ube has a subtly sweet and slightly nutty flavor, reminiscent of vanilla and pistachio.
Its creamy texture and delicate taste make it a versatile ingredient in desserts. Ube adds a unique twist to everything from ice cream to cakes, making it a favorite for both its taste and vibrant purple color.
🥘Ingredients
Let's kick things off with what makes these rolls extra special – the Ube Dough. Gather these kitchen staples for a comforting baking experience:
Ube Dough
- Lukewarm milk (120 degrees Fahrenheit) - Utilize high-quality, fresh milk warmed to the ideal temperature for yeast activation. Warm milk activates the yeast, facilitating dough fermentation and ensuring proper rise and texture of the ube rolls.
- Instant dry yeast - This provides rapid fermentation, allowing for shorter proofing times and ensuring consistent results in the ube rolls. Opt for premium-quality instant dry yeast for quick and reliable leavening.
- Eggs at room temperature - Eggs act as binders and enrich the dough, providing structure, moisture, and richness to the ube rolls.
- Salted butter softened - Select high-quality salted butter for rich flavor and smooth texture. Softened butter adds moisture, richness, and a buttery flavor to the dough, resulting in tender and flavorful ube rolls.
- Granulated sugar - Opt for fine granulated sugar for easy mixing into the dough.
- Ube extract- Ube extract enhances the ube flavor and intensifies the purple hue of the rolls, providing a distinctive taste and appearance. Each brands are different. Add more depending on your color preference.
- Salt - Enhances the overall flavor profile of the ube rolls, bringing out the sweetness and providing essential seasoning.
- All-purpose flour - This forms the base of the dough, providing structure and gluten development for soft and fluffy ube rolls.
Fillings
- Ube halaya or store-bough ube jam - Ube halaya or jam adds sweetness and enhances the ube flavor profile of the rolls, providing a delightful filling that complements the dough.
- Brown sugar - Brown sugar adds depth and caramel notes to the filling, enhancing its overall taste and providing a delightful contrast to the ube flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream - Used only for pouring over the risen rolls. It's the secret to moist and extra fluffy ube rolls!
Cream Cheese Icing like Cinnabon's
- Confectioners' sugar - Opt for high-quality confectioners' sugar for smooth texture and consistent sweetness.
- Butter, softened - Adds richness and creaminess to the icing, enhancing its flavor and ensuring a smooth consistency.
- Cream cheese, softened - Adds tanginess and richness to the icing, providing a delicious contrast to the sweetness of the sugar.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances the overall flavor profile of the icing, adding depth and complexity to the taste.
- Salt - Salt helps balance the sweetness of the icing and brings out the flavors of the other ingredients, providing a more nuanced taste.
🔪How Do You Make Ube Rolls?
Activate the Yeast
Mix warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar. It is very important that your milk is not too hot or it will kill the yeast. Set it aside for 5 minutes and wait until it bubbles then add the ube extract.
Ube extract varies so feel free to add more at this point before you add this yeast mixture with the dry ingredients. (Image 1)
Mix the Dough
Getting started is a breeze. Simply mix yeast mixture eggs, softened butter, granulated sugar, ube extract, salt, and all-purpose flour in a bowl.(Image 2) Knead until the dough is soft and elastic (Image 3), set the bowl in a warm place and let it rise until it's doubled in size. Punch out the air and knead again. (Image 4)
Rolling and Filling
Roll out your dough into a approximately 20 X 10 rectangle (Image 5 and 6) and spread that luscious ube halaya (Image 7) and sprinkle brown sugar on top (Image 8). Roll it up into a log (Image 9 and 10), cut into slices using a dental floss (Image 11 and 12), and nestle them into a baking pan.
Second Rise and Baking
After a quick 30-minute rise, your rolls are ready to hit the oven. Depending on when you are making this, it may take you more than 30 mins. It's winter while I made this and I waited for 1 hour for it to rise.
As you preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, here's a tip I picked up from another blog that works wonders for cinnamon rolls and, trust me, it's a game-changer for this recipe too. Drizzle ½ cup of warm (not hot or not cold) heavy cream over the rolls – no need to fret; it won't make the bread soggy. Instead, the bread will absorb it, leaving you with perfectly moist and delicious rolls.
Icing
But wait, we're not done yet! The icing on these rolls is like the cherry on top of an already fabulous dessert. Here's what you'll need:
How to Make Cinnabon-Style Icing?
Whisk together confectioners' sugar, softened butter, softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt for the icing. Again, the butter and cream cheese should be softened, not melted. Spread it over your cooled rolls, adding that extra layer of creamy goodness. Trust me; this icing takes the Fluffy and Moist Ube Rolls to a whole new level.
Variation
- Ube-Cinnamon Rolls: Combine ube with cinnamon in the filling to create a unique fusion of earthy sweetness and warm spice—perfect for a comforting twist on the classic cinnamon roll.
- Ube-Coconut Rolls: Add sweetened shredded coconut to the filling for a tropical twist, enhancing the ube flavor with a rich, nutty texture.
- Ube Pandan Rolls: Mix pandan extract with the ube filling to create a fragrant, green swirl that complements the ube's earthy flavor with a hint of vanilla-like aroma.
- Ube Choco Rolls: Add a layer of melted chocolate or cocoa powder to the filling for a rich, decadent fusion of ube and chocolate that’s irresistible for dessert lovers.
What to Serve with Ube Rolls
- Hot Chocolate or Coffee: The rich and creamy texture of a hot beverage perfectly complements the sweet rolls.
- Fresh Fruits: Serve your ube rolls with fresh tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, or papaya for a light and refreshing balance to the sweetness.
- Whipped Cream or Ice Cream: A dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns these rolls into a decadent dessert, perfect for special occasions.
- Halo-Halo: Enjoy your ube rolls with a side of halo-halo or banana con yelo, a Filipino shaved ice dessert, for a complete ube-themed treat!
💭Tips for Busy Moms
Now, I get it. We're all busy, and time is a precious commodity. Here are a couple of tips to make these rolls work seamlessly into your bustling schedule:
- Preparing Ahead: Planning is your best friend. Make the dough the night before, pop it in the fridge, and wake up to a head start on your baking adventure. It's like having a kitchen assistant working while you catch some z's.
- Freeze for Futur: Life gets hectic, and sometimes you need a quick fix. Freeze some extra rolls, and you've got a homemade treat ready to go whenever the craving strikes. Just toss them in the oven for a warm, delightful surprise.
Storage Instructions for Ube Rolls
To keep your ube rolls fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month—just thaw and reheat in the microwave or oven for a fresh-from-the-oven taste!
Recipe FAQs
They'll stay perfect for 1-2 days on the counter, nestled in an airtight container. For even longer enjoyment, store them in the fridge for 4-5 days. And if you're looking for ultimate freshness, pop them in the freezer
Double-check your yeast - Sometimes the yeast needs a little extra TLC to activate and work its magic.
Ube, also known as purple yam, is primarily Filipino in origin, widely used in Filipino desserts. While Japan has its own purple sweet potatoes (murasaki imo), ube is distinct and more associated with the Philippines.
Ube rolls have a mildly sweet, earthy flavor from the ube, with a soft and fluffy texture similar to other sweet bread rolls. The vibrant purple color adds a visually appealing touch to their delicious taste.
More Filipino Recipes
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📋 Recipe
Ube Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9x13 baking dish
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk 120 degrees Fahrenheit
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon ube extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups All-purpose flour
Filling
Cream Cheese Icing like Cinnabon’s
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Activate yeast
- Mix warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar. It is very important that your milk is not too hot or it will kill the yeast. Set it aside for 5 minutes and wait until it bubbles
- Add the ube extract into the mixture. If the color is quite pale, add 1 more teaspoon of ube extract. Sometimes, the color varies depending on the brand used.
Mix Dough
- Mix yeast mixture, eggs, softened butter, granulated sugar, salt, and all-purpose flour in a bowl.
- Knead until the dough is soft and elastic. About 10 minutes. It will be more if you are using your hands.
- Set the bowl in a warm place and let it rise until it’s doubled in size.
Roll and Fill
- Roll out your dough into a approximately 20 X 10 rectangle
- Spread that ube halaya on top of the dough
- Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the ube halaya.
- Roll it up into a log.
- Cut into slices using a dental floss, and nestle them into a baking pan.
Rise and Bake
- Give it 30 minutes to 1 hour time to rise.
- Pour warm (not hot) heavy cream on top of the rolls.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Bake it for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 180-190 degrees.
Prepare the icing
- Using a hand mixer, thoroughly blend the softened cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well combined.
- Add your vanilla extract and powdered sugar to the mixture. Beat until fully combined, then spread the frosting evenly over warm rolls.
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Notes
- Make sure that the milk is not too hot when you are activating the yeast.
- If while kneading the dough and it appears very sticky. You can add few more flour. Added flour should not be more than ¼ cup.
- Use dental floss when cutting the dough instead of using a knife. This will make sure the dough is not squished while slicing.
- Make sure that the heavy cream is warm and not hot before pouring on top of the rolls.
Nathalie says
Hi. I tried to go over the recipe several times but there is no heavy cream written on it, could you please look at your recipe and update it. Thank you ☺️
Rose Sioson says
Hi there Nathalie! Thanks for letting me know! I wrote it in the instruction but I missed adding it n the ingredients list. I appreciate you! Hope it turned out perfect for you! 🙂
Julie says
Thank you for sharing our heavy cream trick! Your cinnamon rolls are gorgeous and that color!! 😍
Rose Sioson says
Thank you!!! That trick is genius!