Defrost strawberries and sprinkle one tablespoon of vanilla pudding powder on top. Using the back of a spoon or a fork, smash strawberries and set aside while you prepare the dough.

Once dough is finished, add cream cheese to the strawberry mixture. Add sugar (adjusted to taste).

Set aside to thicken while dough rises.

Combine remainder of the vanilla pudding powder with confectioners’ sugar, then add two tablespoons to cream cheese-strawberry mixture with egg yolk, if using. (Reserve the remainder of the pudding mix.)

Add warm water and milk to the bowl of a mixer. Add sugar and yeast and mix to combine.

Once bubbles begin to appear on the surface, add egg, margarine or oil, three cups of flour, pudding mix, and salt.

Begin to mix on medium/low speed until everything is combined. Add remaining flour one-fourth cup at a time until the dough becomes a cohesive ball. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to rest for two to three minutes.

Once resting period is up, resume mixing on medium speed for two to three minutes until dough becomes smooth and elastic.

Remove from the mixer, liberally dust your work surface with flour and knead the dough for a minute or so just to incorporate any loose flour and soften any lumps. Grease bowl and add dough. Cover and rise until double in size (this can take as fast as 30 minutes or up to two hours, depending on the heat in your kitchen).

Mix together Strawberry Crumbs ingredients to form crumbs.

In a separate bowl, mix together Vanilla Crumbs ingredients to form crumbs.

Mix equal parts strawberry and vanilla crumbs together and set aside.

Roll out dough to one-quarter inch thickness.

Spread on filling. Sprinkle with crumbled graham crust. Sprinkle over some of the reserved pudding powder.

Dip cut side of buns into pudding powder (this acts as a thickening agent to prevent the filling from leaking out). Place buns in a 9 x 13-inch pan or two nine-inch round or square pans. Cover and let rise while oven preheats.

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sprinkle strawberry and vanilla crumbs over the buns. Bake for 20–25 minutes until lightly golden. Cool.

For the optional glaze: Combine ingredients. Drizzle over cooled buns. Sprinkle over freeze-dried strawberries.

Roll up and slice every one to two inches (as desired).