If there’s one treat that can beat cinnamon rolls, it’s these absolutely indulgent raspberry sweet rolls. In this recipe, buttery dough spirals around a juicy, sweet-tart raspberry filling made from frozen raspberries. You can make the sweet rolls within a few hours, or get started the night before using the overnight option. Top with vanilla or cream cheese icing for an unforgettable breakfast experience.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.
I originally published this recipe in 2012 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips, and I’ve also made a few small improvements to the recipe.
As the first sweet roll recipe I ever published on my website, these soft and fluffy raspberry sweet rolls have truly stood the test of time.
This was my very first(!) sweet roll recipe on my website back in 2012: raspberry sweet rolls. This recipe is practically vintage, and has hardly changed over the years!
I’ve developed many more sweet roll recipes since then like my lemon sweet rolls, apple cinnamon rolls, funfetti cinnamon rolls, and chocolate sweet rolls. I’ve learned a lot in the process, but today’s raspberry version has never lost its special place in my heart. It’s my most favorite dough, and I based my ultra popular overnight cinnamon rolls recipe off of it!
Should this recipe go in a museum?
What to Expect With This Recipe
- Texture: This is one of my richest homemade doughs, so youโre already promised a soft, springy, and fluffy texture. The more fat in the dough, the softer the baked bread. For example, this dough includes whole milk, butter, and egg. Recipes like my overnight cinnamon rolls, pizza pull-apart rolls, and honey butter rolls all start with a rich dough.
- Flavor: The combination of tart, juicy raspberries with tangy-sweet cream cheese icing is unbelievably mouthwatering. Just wait until you smell these baking!
- Time: This dough requires 2 rises. Once you understand the assembly process, which I detail below with step-by-step photos, the prep moves pretty quickly. Set aside at least 4โ5 hours from start to finish, or divide it between 2 days with the overnight option. Whichever method you choose, keep in mind most of that time is hands off as the dough rises. You can also freeze these, which is a helpful way to prep ahead for a special breakfast or brunch.
My #1 Tip for Sweet Roll Success: I recommend using a strong and dependable yeast. Platinum Yeast from Red Star is a premium instant yeast, which cuts down on rise time. Its careful formula contains natural dough strengtheners and makes working with yeast simple. And simple is always good, right?
One reader, Alicia, commented: “I have been baking for over 50 years and have made countless sweet rolls of all types. This dough was by far the best because it stayed soft for 3 daysโmost unusual. I will be making some of our favorites using this dough, or maybe Iโll try some of your other doughs. โ โ โ โ โ ”
Grab These Ingredients for the Dough & Filling:
- Whole Milk: Whole milk is ideal for the richest-tasting raspberry sweet rolls. Buttermilk works just as well without any changes to the recipe. Many readers have successfully substituted nondairy milks. In a pinch, you can use 2% or 1% milk, but do not use nonfat milk.
- Sugar: You need white granulated sugar for the dough, both for flavor (these are sweet rolls, after all) and to feed the yeast. You’ll use some again in the filling.
- Yeast: You can use active dry or instant yeast. Follow the directions exactly as written regardless of which you choose. If using active dry yeast, the rise times will be a little longer. I always use and recommend Platinum Yeast from Red Star.
- Butter: This is a rich dough, meaning it has fat to help guarantee softness. Use softened butter and, to help it blend easier, cut it into 4 pieces before adding.
- Vanilla: This is a new ingredient I use in today’s dough; the original recipe didn’t call for it. You don’t need much, just 1/2 teaspoon to add some unbeatable flavor. You also need vanilla in the icing. You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Eggs: Like butter, eggs promise a softer, richer dough.
- Salt: Dough is bland without salt.
- Flour: Flour provides the dough’s structure. You can use either all-purpose flour or bread flour. Youโll notice the rolls are a little chewier if you use bread flour.
- Frozen Raspberries: Frozen raspberries are a non-negotiable. You’ll lose your mind rolling up juicy, messy, sticky fresh raspberries.
- Cornstarch: To help thicken the raspberry filling.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Raspberry Sweet Rolls
Start by proofing your yeast in warm milk with a little bit of sugar. This step ensures that the yeast is active and not expired. Most yeast these days is already active, but itโs a quick 5โ10-minute step that prevents you from wasting your time (and ingredients) just in case the yeast has expired.
Next you’ll add in the remaining dough ingredients.
What if I Don’t Have a Stand Mixer? If you do not own a mixer, you can mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters.
After the dough comes together, it will be a little soft and stickyโthat’s normal. Knead the dough on a floured counter or keep it in the mixer for kneadingโwhichever method you use, it should be about 5 minutes of kneading. If you’re new to yeasted doughs, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial is helpful.
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and set it in a draft-free area to rise until doubled in sizeโit takes about 2 hours. After that, punch the risen dough down:
Roll it into a rectangle shape that’s about 12×18 inches in size. Then it’s time to fill it!
Baker’s Tip: If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. I often do this when I’m making pizza dough. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
Raspberry Sweet Roll Filling: Use Frozen Raspberries
You need FROZEN raspberries for the filling of these sweet rollsโdo not thaw. Fresh raspberries are much too juicy and delicate for the filling. If all you have is fresh, freeze them first. Trust me on this. Otherwise you will have a big sloppy mess on your handsโand counter, and potentially your clothesโwhen rolling/cutting the rolls. And raspberry stains are not easy to clean!
Toss the frozen raspberries with a little bit of cornstarch and sugar, and then sprinkle it all over the rolled-out dough. Easy! Unlike a raspberry cake filling, there’s no cooking involved here:
Now, roll it up as tightly as you can:
Use a very sharp knife to cut the roll into 12 rolls, each about 1.5 inches wide. Arrange in a greased baking pan, cover, then let the rolls rise until a little puffy, about 90 minutes.
The rolls won’t totally double in size in the second rise because the filling is frozen, which keeps the dough cold. It’s a slightly longer second rise time than we usually need for overnight cinnamon rolls, for the same reason. (Alternatively, you could let the rolls rise overnight. See Notes in the written recipe below for overnight instructions.)
Be prepared for the berries to release their juices as they thaw. You will see red raspberry juice all over the bottom of the panโthis is fine, and expected! In fact, it’s a good thing. It turns into an incredible raspberry glaze that caramelizes over the bottom of the rolls when they bake.
I sometimes line my 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper just because the raspberry juice can get a little messy, but this is optional. You can simply grease the pan instead.
The rolls need about half an hour in the oven to bake. About halfway through baking time, tent a piece of foil over the top of the pan, to prevent the tops from browning too much.
Cool your rolls, in the pan, on a wire rack for about 10โ15 minutes while you make the icing.
Are You a Yeast Beginner?
This Baking with Yeast Guide is a wonderful starting point. I answer many common yeast FAQs in easy-to-understand explanations, so you can learn the basics before beginning.
Cream Cheese Icing
The original recipe I published back in yesteryear (aka 2012) called for vanilla icing, but I really, really love these raspberry sweet rolls with cream cheese icing, so I’m changing it. It’s the same deliciously smooth and silky icing I slather on my classic cinnamon rolls, though lately I’ve been making it with vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract. See all those tiny vanilla bean specks? You can actually see the added flavor!
I don’t say this often, but I think it applies here… hubba hubba.
Only the Best Raspberry Recipes Here:
- Raspberry Danish Twist Bread
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coffee Cake
- Raspberry Dessert Sauce
- Jumbo Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake
Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls
- Prep Time: 4 hours (includes rises)
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 40 minutes (or overnight)
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
In this recipe, tender, buttery dough spirals around a juicy, sweet-tart raspberry filling made from frozen raspberries. You can make the raspberry sweet rolls within a few hours, or get started the night before using the overnight option in the Note below.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 100ยฐF (38ยฐC)
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (14g) Platinum Yeast from Red Starย (2 standard-size packets)*
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 and 1/2 cups (563g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons canola, vegetable, or olive oil for bowl (or use nonstick spray)
Filling
- one 10-oz. package (about 2.5 cups or 300g) frozen raspberries (do not thaw)
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Cream Cheeseย Icing
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (30ml) whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and the yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy on top. *If you do not own a mixer, you can do this in a large mixing bowl and in the next step, mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula is a better choice.*
- On medium speed, beat in the remaining sugar (which should be 1/2 cup/100g) and the softened butter until it is slightly broken up. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat on medium speed until combined. The butter won’t really be mixing into the mixture, so don’t be alarmed if it stays in pieces. Switch the mixer down to low speed and with it running, add 1 cup of flour at a time, making sure it’s fully incorporated before adding the next. After 4 cups have been added, add the last 1/2 cup and beat until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. Dough will be soft.
- Knead the dough:ย Keep the dough in the mixer (and switch to the dough hook if you used the paddle) and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. (If youโre new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your fingerโif it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a โwindowpane testโ to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until itโs thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter and it takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise?ย in myย Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- Grease the bottom and sides of a metal or glass 9×13-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, toss the frozen raspberries with the sugar and cornstarch. Spread the cold sugared raspberries evenly over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. With an extra sharp knife, cut into 12 even rolls, about 1.5 inches each. Arrange in the prepared baking pan.
- 2nd Rise: Cover the rolls tightly and allow to rise until puffy, about 90 minutes. (Or use the overnight option in the Notes below.) The berries will release their juice at the bottom of the panโthis is OK.
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC).
- Bake for about 28โ32 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top. About halfway through baking time, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the pan to prevent the tops from browning too quickly. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
- Make the icing: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cream/milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Spread the icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately.
- Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions โ Overnight: To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 7. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8โ12 hours. (16 hours max. 8โ12 hours is best, but 16 hours is OK if absolutely needed. Do not exceed 16 hours.) The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1โ2 hours before continuing with step 9.
- Make Ahead Instructions โ Freezing: You can freeze cinnamon rolls for up to 3 months, and I recommend a few different methods for freezing cinnamon rolls. The first method is to freeze them after shaping, before theyโve had their 2nd rise (step 7). Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let rise for 1.5โ2 hours at room temperature before baking. The second method is to par-bake the risen rolls for 10 minutes, let cool completely, then cover and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Finish baking for 15โ20 minutes. You can also freeze fully baked cinnamon rolls. See How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls for more details about all of these methods.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer | Rolling Pin | 9×13-Inch Glass Baking Pan or Metal Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk for the best, richest-tasting dough. You could also use buttermilk. Reduced-fat, low-fat, or nondairy milk works in a pinch. Do not use nonfat milk.
- Yeast:ย I always useย Platinum Yeast from Red Star, an instant yeast. You can use an active dry yeast instead, if needed. The rise times could be slightly longer. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guideย for answers to common yeast FAQs.
- Vanilla: I love using vanilla bean paste in this recipe because it combines both extract AND vanilla bean seeds, and tastes phenomenal in the dough AND icing. You can, of course, use pure vanilla extract instead.
- Raspberries: You need FROZEN raspberries for the fillingโdo not thaw. Fresh raspberries are much too juicy and delicate for the filling. If all you have is fresh, freeze them first.
- Alternate Icing Option: Instead of cream cheese icing, you can top the warm rolls with vanilla icing.
Reader Comments and Reviews
hi! can this be made with sourdough? would the instructions be different?
Hi Alex, we haven’t tested a sourdough version, but let us know if you do.
Do you usually use bread flour or all purpose flour when you make these? I know both can be used and wonder what you as the recipe creator usually use.
Hi Kate, We switch back and forth between both depending on what texture we are hoping to achieve. Bread flour creates chewier rolls, but all-purpose is great here for soft rolls. It’s up to you!
Hello can I use frozen strawberries instead of raspberries?
Hi Mary! Strawberries will need a different method. Here’s our strawberry roll recipe!
These look AMAZING! Can this dough be made in a bread machine? Thank you!
Hi Sarah, we havenโt tested it in a bread machine, but many readers have had success using bread machines to make our different cinnamon roll doughs. Let us know if you give it a try!
These were a fabulous success! If I had any suggestions it would be add a bit of lemon juice to the frosting or freeze dried raspberry powder. Thanks for such a good recipe
The recipe was very detailed. I honestly think it was my lack of experience that resulted in them being less than perfect. In this case, I really over cooked them. But my little boy said “I don’t like them…I love them…way better than cinnamon buns!”
could I use Blackberries ?
Hi Rosie, we havenโt tested it, but imagine blackberries should work well here. We do recommend giving the berries a quick freeze before using them in this recipeโit will make rolling and cutting the rolls much easier. Please do let us know how it goes!
Takes a long time but are so worth it! Was told they taste like theyโre from a bakery
Hi Sally! Have you ever tried freezing the rolls after step 7 and before the 2nd rise? This is typically what I do but wondering if thereโs a reason this might not work with these? Iโve tried the parbake method and donโt care for the texture. Thoughts?
Hi Debra, yes, we actually just tested this!! It does work, you just need to allow extra time for the rolls to rise after thawing before you bake; because the dough is cold, it takes about twice as long for the rolls to rise.
This recipe was easy to make, and the rolls turned out light and fluffy. Would it impact the baking time to double the raspberry filling? I felt the fruit filling wasnโt near enough, and I used a 12 oz. bag of frozen raspberries. In your lemon rolls (delicious!), the lemon flavor is enhanced with the addition of the lemon zest in the dough. Is there something that can be done to make the rolls more raspberry-y? Thank you!!
Hi SaraM, we haven’t tried doubling this filling before, and while this works just fine for traditional cinnamon rolls, we fear doubling the raspberries may add too much liquid to the dough when baking. What you could do it try increasing it in smaller increments, then adjusting more/less for future batches. For even more raspberry flavor, you could top the rolls with fresh raspberry icing. Let us know what you try!
This is it! Thanks for your recipe. I grow fresh raspberries in my garden and can’t wait to try them. For now, I made your sweet rolls and added cherry pie filling in a slight depression in the top of each roll. Yummy and very rich makes them perfect for a coffee and roll breakfast. Maybe I’ll share some…
I added chocolates chips to my filling. I can’t resist a chocolate raspberry combo!
The flavor of these was great. I added lemon zest to the dough and lemon juice to the icing to make them lemon raspberry. However, the cook time was severely underestimated. I cooked them for 35-40 minutes and the middle was nothing but uncooked dough. It wouldโve taken perhaps another half an hour or more to get the center cooked. I had to throw away the entire middle part.
This was just wonderful, great dough, fun to work with.This will become a regular treat.
Planning to make these for Valentine’s Day! I have a question though, would these be good if I still added the basic cinnamon brown sugar base for the filling along with the raspberries?
Hi Shania, you can definitely give it a try!
Can you use raspberry preserves for the filling instead?
Hi Rhonda, we find frozen berries work best here. We recommend sticking with the recipe for best results.
I have used raspberry preserves before. When you are rolling the dough, a lot of the raspberry filling comes out. I’m excited to try this recipe.
Hi! Can I use cherries instead of raspberries?
Hi Tauriel, frozen cherries would work wonderfully here in place of the raspberries. Let us know if you try it!
This recipe is so delicious! Easy to follow my first attempt at making sweet rolls.
Can you freeze half the dough if you want to make half recipe right now?
Hi Cash, we’re sure you could, but what we would do is bake all the rolls and freeze the extras for later – see recipe Notes.
The flavor is great and tart as expected with Raspberries. It is not as sweet as other rolls like this, even with the frosting on the top. The tartness definitely stands out which I absolutely love. However, I am not sure I am a fan of the seeds in the raspberries. There is so many seeds in it that it takes away from texture of the bread. I also found that they do not rise as good in the center as they do on the edges because of the frozen raspberries (as you mentioned in the instructions). My recommendation would be to make a jam/filling out of the raspberries that has the seeds removed and, once cooled, spread it over the dough. I will make this again and try the jam idea and see how it works. I don’t think all the seeds work unless you just happen to like raspberry seeds.
Wow that is a really great idea! Did you ever try this? How did it come out? Im thinking of doing the same thing!
Could I substitute a different frozen berry for the filling like frozen tart cherries or frozen blueberries?
Hi Deborah, we can’t see why not! You might also enjoy these Blueberry Sweet Rolls. We’d love to know what you try!
Yeast virgin here… wow that doesn’t sound right but hopefully you get it. Going to attempt tonight, my question, almost sacrilege… can I half the recipe?
You could try halving the recipe, or for best results, make a full batch and freeze the extras.
LOVE this recipe. It turned out so well. I want to make it again but I have 2 questions. Is there any gluten free alternative? And for the first rise would I be able to leave it to rise overnight or will that be too long?
Hi Steph, we haven’t tested GF flour here. Let us know if you test it out. See recipe Notes for overnight instructions.
Loved this recipe. Wasnโt as sweet as I thought it would be. The texture was really nice. Iโm gonna make it again. Thank you