Ube Sweet Roll Recipe with a Coconut Glaze
This ube sweet roll recipe swirls buttery dough with sweet ube halaya and cinnamon, then finishes with a creamy coconut milk glaze worth waking up for.
Ube sweet roll is a soft, pillowy yeasted bun made with a buttery ube-flavored dough that’s rolled around a cinnamon and ube halaya filling. Each roll bakes until golden at the edges and gets finished with a coconut milk glaze for a lightly sweet, tropical twist.
If you love the color and flavor of ube, this ube sweet roll recipe turns that purple yam into a soft, cinnamon-swirled bun. It’s really an ube cinnamon roll recipe at heart, just with a coconut glaze instead of cream cheese frosting. Plan for two rises, so give yourself a few hours between mixing the dough and pulling golden rolls out of the oven.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Ube Sweet Roll Recipe
- The dough gets its color and flavor from real ube extract, not just food coloring.
- A simple ube halaya, brown sugar, and cinnamon filling keeps the swirl soft and gooey.
- You can knead the dough by hand or let a stand mixer do the work.
- The coconut milk glaze adds a light, tropical finish without being overly sweet.
- It’s a fun way to bring a Filipino favorite flavor into a classic sweet roll.
Ube Sweet Rolls with Coconut Glaze
Equipment
- Liquid measuring cup
- Kitchen thermometer
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with dough hook
- Rolling Pin
- 9×9-inch baking pan
- Whisk
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Dough
- ¾ cup buttermilk Heat to 100–110°F (38–43°C).
- 1 packet (¼ oz) active dry yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter Room temperature.
- 1 egg Room temperature.
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ube extract Provides ube flavor and purple color.
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour Add an additional ¼ to ½ cup, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed for sticky dough.
Ube Filling
- ½ cup ube halaya Sweet purple yam jam.
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Coconut Glaze
- 2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Heat the buttermilk for about 40 seconds in the microwave, until it reaches 100–110°F (38–43°C). Stir in the active dry yeast and granulated sugar.
- Add the room-temperature butter to a large bowl. Pour in the buttermilk mixture and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer until the butter has broken down.
- Add the egg, salt, and ube extract, mixing until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or knead with a stand mixer for 10 minutes. If the dough remains sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it no longer sticks to your hands.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and roll it into a 12×12-inch square. Spread the ube halaya evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll the dough into a log and cut it into 9 equal pieces. Arrange the rolls in a well-greased 9×9-inch pan.
- Cover and let the rolls rise for another 1 to 2 hours. Near the end of the final rise, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.
- While the rolls bake, whisk together the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until smooth. Cool the baked rolls for 5 to 10 minutes, then drizzle with glaze and serve warm.
Notes
What Ingredients Do You Need for Ube Sweet Rolls?
| Ingredient Group | Ingredient | Exact Amount | Purpose or Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dough | Buttermilk | 3/4 cup | Heated to activate the yeast and tenderize the dough |
| Dough | Active dry yeast | 1 packet, 1/4 oz | Leavens the dough |
| Dough | Granulated sugar | 1/2 cup | Sweetens the dough and feeds the yeast |
| Dough | Unsalted butter, room temperature | 6 tbsp | Adds richness |
| Dough | Egg, room temperature | 1 | Binds the dough |
| Dough | Salt | 1/4 tsp | Balances sweetness |
| Dough | Ube extract | 1/2 tsp | Gives the dough its ube flavor and purple color |
| Dough | All purpose flour | 3 1/4 cups | Forms the dough structure |
| Ube Filling | Ube halaya | 1/2 cup | Sweet purple yam jam that forms the base of the filling |
| Ube Filling | Light brown sugar | 1/4 cup | Adds classic cinnamon-roll sweetness |
| Ube Filling | Ground cinnamon | 1 tbsp | Adds warm spice to the filling |
| Coconut Glaze | Coconut milk, full fat | 2 tbsp | Thins the glaze and adds coconut flavor |
| Coconut Glaze | Vanilla extract | 1/2 tsp | Rounds out the glaze flavor |
| Coconut Glaze | Powdered sugar | 3/4 cup | Sweetens and thickens the glaze |
Ube extract and ube halaya are what give these ube sweet rolls their signature color and flavor, so don’t skip either one. Ube is a variety of purple yam that’s naturally sweet, which is why it pairs so well with the brown sugar and cinnamon filling here.
Room-temperature butter and egg blend more evenly into the buttermilk mixture, which helps the dough come together smoothly. The full-fat coconut milk in the glaze adds body and a light coconut flavor that pairs naturally with the ube filling.
How to Make Ube Sweet Rolls Step by Step
Make the Dough
- Heat the buttermilk for 40 seconds in the microwave until the liquid reaches 100-110 degrees F (38-43 degrees C). A liquid measuring cup works well for this. Add the yeast and sugar and mix.
- Add the butter to a large bowl. Pour the sugar and buttermilk mixture into the bowl. Whisk with a hand mixer or stand mixer until the butter has broken down.
- Add the egg, salt, and ube extract. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the flour and combine until a dough forms.
Pro Tip: Use a kitchen thermometer to check the buttermilk temperature, since liquid that’s too hot can kill the yeast before it has a chance to work.
Knead and Rise
- Empty the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer for the same amount of time. If the dough still seems wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it doesn’t stick to your hands. It’s normal to add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more flour.
- Cover with a wet towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.
Fill, Roll, and Cut the Rolls
- Once the dough is done proofing, punch out the air. Roll it out into a 12×12 inch square. Smear the top of the dough with ube halaya. Top with brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll into a log and cut into 9 equal pieces. Cut the log into 3 equal pieces, then divide each piece into 3 equal pieces.
- Place the cinnamon rolls into a greased 9×9 pan. Let the dough rise for 1-2 more hours.
Pro Tip: A piece of unflavored dental floss slid under the log and crossed over the top gives you a cleaner cut than a knife, which can flatten the swirl.
Bake and Glaze
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- After the last proof (rise), bake for 20-25 minutes uncovered until the edges are light brown.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, combine all the ingredients for the glaze and mix. Set aside.
- Cool for 5-10 minutes before adding the glaze.
Pro Tip: Glazing the rolls while they’re still a little warm helps the coconut glaze soak into the swirls instead of just sitting on top.
Tips and Troubleshooting for Ube Sweet Rolls
Pro Tips for Success
- Room-temperature butter and egg mix into the buttermilk more evenly, so pull them out ahead of time.
- The key to soft rolls is a full 10-minute knead, whether by hand or in a stand mixer, since it builds the gluten structure the dough needs.
- Find a warm, draft-free spot for both rises, like an oven with just the light on, so the dough can double in the 1-2 hour window.
- Grease the 9×9 pan well so the rolls release cleanly once they’re baked and glazed.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Problem: The dough feels too sticky to knead. Solution: Add flour a tablespoon at a time until it stops sticking to your hands. It’s normal to need an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup total.
Problem: The butter won’t fully break down when whisked into the buttermilk mixture. Solution: Make sure the butter is fully at room temperature before you start, since cold butter blends unevenly.
Problem: The dough doesn’t seem to be doubling during either rise. Solution: Move it to a warmer spot, since the 1-2 hour rise time assumes a warm environment for the yeast to work.
How to Store and Reheat Ube Sweet Rolls
| Storage Method | Duration | Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 2 days | Keep in an airtight container away from direct heat or sunlight |
| Refrigerator | Up to 5 days | Wrap tightly to slow moisture loss, since refrigeration can speed up staling |
Warm leftover rolls in the microwave for a few seconds at a time, checking often, so the dough stays soft instead of turning tough. A short stint in a low oven works too if you want the edges to crisp back up slightly. Either way, add extra glaze after reheating if the rolls look dry, since the coconut glaze can soak in and lighten over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ube taste like in these sweet rolls?
Ube has a mild, slightly sweet flavor often compared to vanilla with a nutty edge, so it flavors the dough without overpowering the cinnamon and brown sugar filling.
How long does the dough need to rise?
This ube sweet roll recipe needs two rises: 1-2 hours after kneading until the dough doubles in size, and another 1-2 hours after the rolls are cut and placed in the pan.
Why is my dough too sticky, and how much extra flour can I add?
Add flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough stops sticking to your hands. It’s normal for this dough to need an extra 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of flour beyond the original amount.
Can I knead this dough in a stand mixer instead of by hand?
Yes, you can knead the dough in a stand mixer for the same 10 minutes called for in the hand-kneading method.
Give This Ube Sweet Roll Recipe a Try
Honestly, once you’ve made one batch of these ube sweet rolls, you’ll probably keep the ube extract and halaya stocked just for this recipe. If you give them a try, come back and leave a rating or comment so other home cooks know how they turned out for you.
This recipe also makes a nice Pinterest save if you want to bake it later. And if you’re in the mood for more homemade baking, you might like this chocolate chip pumpkin bread or these maple glazed pumpkin muffins.
Or if you want something savory to go with your sweet rolls, try this taco pasta bake for dinner the same day.
Soft ube sweet rolls swirled with cinnamon and ube halaya, finished with a coconut milk glaze. Save this ube sweet roll recipe now so it’s ready the next time you want a purple-hued twist on a weekend breakfast.
