These raspberry sweet rolls are soft, packed full of gooey raspberries, and topped with a three ingredient pink raspberry cream cheese glaze. The dough is an easy, no knead dough that is so quick to make! This recipe makes ultra soft, fluffy, and gooey rolls. A little bit of lemon zest in the dough and filling helps give a hint of lemon flavor, complementing the bright raspberry flavor. They’re the perfect raspberry rolls for breakfast, brunch, or any occasion!
Jump to:
🍓 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Soft & fluffy: The gooey filling steams the dough in the oven keeping it ultra soft and fluffy.
- Easy no knead dough: The dough is so quick and easy to make, you just have to mix it all together by hand and let it rise. No kneading or mixers required.
- Gooey raspberry filling: The filling is so easy and bakes down into a gooey sauce in the oven.
- Raspberry cream cheese glaze: The three ingredient easy glaze is pink, gooey, and so luscious.
You would love these strawberry cinnamon rolls - they're ultra gooey and packed with berry goodness too!
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- Raspberries: I used frozen raspberries in this recipe - they're more affordable and easier to find all year round! The cold raspberries also help chill the dough making it easier to cut into rolls.
- All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
- Cream cheese: This forms the base of the raspberry cream cheese glaze. Use a full fat brick style cream cheese for the best flavor and texture!
- Lemons: You'll need both lemon zest and juice for this recipe. I added lots of lemon zest into the dough and filling for more flavorful raspberry cinnamon rolls. If you don't like lemon flavor you can omit the zest but do not omit the juice. The lemon juice adds tang and a depth of flavor.
- Active dry yeast: I like using active dry yeast as opposed to instant yeast for my cinnamon rolls. If you only have instant yeast, you can still use it the same way you just don't need to dissolve it beforehand. Add it directly into the dough.
If you want to make cinnamon rolls using other berries, you need to try these blueberry cinnamon rolls - they have a blueberry and cinnamon filling!
👩🍳 How to make raspberry sweet rolls
No knead dough step by step
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Whisk to dissolve the yeast and let sit for 5-10 minutes until a foam forms on top. If a foam doesn’t form, then the yeast is expired and you should try a different pack.
Step 2: Add sugar, salt, and grated lemon zest into a very large bowl. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and moist. Add sifted flour and mix to combine. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture.
Step 3: Add butter, eggs, warm milk, and vanilla extract into the well. Start by whisking the wet ingredients in the middle together, then slowly incorporate the flour. Use a spoon to gradually mix in the flour, then use your hands to mix it all together into a cohesive dough, sticky dough. It won’t be smooth - that’s ok!
Step 4: Form the dough into a rough ball and place it back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and place it in a warm place to rise (see notes) until doubled in size - about 30-40 minutes. While it rises, butter an 8” by 12” baking pan (or any similar sized baking pan) with a piece of cold butter.
Step 5: Once risen, punch down the dough and give it a few flattens and folds with your hands to make it smooth. Sprinkle some flour onto a clean and dry surface.
Step 6: Transfer the dough onto the surface and stretch out the sides and corners to form a rectangular looking shape. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 18” by 24”.
Filling and rolling step by step
Step 1: Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and lemon zest for the filling in a medium bowl. Rub the mixture with your fingers until fragrant.
Spread the very soft butter evenly and gently over the rolled dough. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top. Break up the raspberries into pieces with your hands and sprinkle on top of the sugar. Sprinkle the lemon juice on top as evenly as you can.
Step 2: Starting at the long side, roll the dough and toppings into a tight long roll. Mark it into 12 pieces. I do this by dividing it in half, dividing each half into half, and then each piece into three pieces. Use a long serrated bread knife and a sawing motion to cut each roll without squishing it.
Step 3: Place the cut rolls pretty side up in the baking pan. Let them rise while you preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
Step 4: As soon as the oven preheats, you can pop the rolls in to bake. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown on top and spring back to the touch. While they bake, you can get started on the glaze.
Raspberry glaze step by step
Step 1: Strain defrosted raspberries through a sieve into a separate bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the strained raspberry juice and lemon juice, and beat until you get a creamy, runny glaze.
Step 2: Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes inside the baking pan. Pour the glaze over the rolls and spread it out to the edges and let it seep through the crevices. Best served warm.
✔️ Expert sweet roll tips
- Use a scale to measure the flour: A scale will give you the most accurate results. If you don't have a scale, fluff up the flour with a spoon and gently scoop it into the measuring cup without packing. Scrape the excess with the flat edge of a knife without packing into the cup. This will ensure that your dough isn't too dry or too wet. This particular dough is on the stickier side which prevents hard and dry rolls.
- Don't reduce the sugar: If you want ultra gooey rolls, you need the sugar to help create a gooey sauce! Don't worry they're not overly sweet - the acidity in the lemon juice and raspberries balances it out.
- Use a serrated knife and a sawing motion: This is the best way to cut cold rolls filled with berries like these raspberry rolls. They won't get squished this way.
- Serve them warm: Sweet rolls have lots of butter making them hard when they're cold. They get ultra soft and gooey when warmed up or served right out of the oven.
🥄 Cinnamon roll storage
Cinnamon rolls are best served warm out of the oven. That's when the dough is the softest and fluffiest. Store frosted cinnamon rolls in the fridge wrapped tightly or in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently before serving from the fridge.
You want the rolls to be warm and soft again, but you don't want to dry them out. The good thing about this recipe having both an ultra gooey raspberry filling and cream cheese glaze, it's really hard to dry these rolls out when reheating!
Freeze baked and frosted raspberry cinnamon rolls in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 months. Defrost and reheat before serving.
⭐ How to make overnight sweet rolls
Prepare the raspberry sweet rolls the night before and stop before letting the assembled rolls rise in their baking pan (second rise). Wrap the baking tray tightly to cover and immediately place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. I wouldn't refrigerate them for any longer because they will over-proof and might escape from the baking pan.
🍩 Why this is the best dough for cinnamon rolls
It's the best dough because it's so easy to make and creates the fluffiest, softest raspberry sweet rolls! It's a no knead dough so all you have to do is mix it up by hand and let it rise. So easy! The sugar, eggs, butter, and milk keep the rolls extra soft.
When you mix the dough together, you're going to get a lumpy sticky dough. It's supposed to be like that! As it rises, it's going to come together. Give it a few folds right before rolling it out and watch it turn into a smooth, supple dough.
I've used this dough recipe in my strawberry cinnamon rolls, blueberry cinnamon rolls, and even my cinnamon roll muffins.
📖 Recipe FAQs
It might not be rising because the yeast died. Make sure to check the yeast if it's still active by blooming it before making the dough. If it foams up, then it's active! And it's important not to let the dough reach over over 130°F or 55°C while rising, because that's the temperature at which yeast dies.
My favorite way to let dough rise is in my oven. I heat it to the lowest temperature it could go for a few minutes, then turn it off. Open the oven door and place the dough inside to rise. Don't let the oven temperature over 130°F or 55°C because the yeast cells will start to die off.
I prefer to use frozen raspberries for these rolls because it makes it so much less messier to make! The frozen raspberries cool down and firm up the dough when it's rolled, making it even easier to cut into even slices. Also, frozen raspberries tend to be more affordable and more accessible all year round.
🍞 More related recipes
Did you make this recipe? I would love for you to rate this recipe and hear what you think in the comments below! Share your creation on Instagram and tag @flouringkitchen. Follow me on Pinterest to save and for more recipe ideas.
📖 Recipe
Raspberry Rolls Easy and Gooey
Equipment
- nine inch by twelve inch baking pan
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup water warm
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 7g or 1 packet
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from around 1 lemon
- 5 cups all purpose flour sifted, 600g
- ¾ cup butter softened and almost melted
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup milk warm
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Raspberry filling
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest from around 2 lemons
- ½ cup butter softened almost melted
- 3 cups raspberries frozen, not defrosted
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice from about 1 lemon
Raspberry Glaze
- ¼ cup raspberries defrosted if frozen
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Dough
- In a medium bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Whisk to dissolve the yeast and let sit for 5-10 minutes until a foam forms on top. If a foam doesn’t form, then the yeast is expired and you should try a different pack.½ cup water, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Add sugar, salt, and grated lemon zest into a very large bowl. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and moist. Add sifted flour and mix to combine. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture.⅓ cup granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 5 cups all purpose flour
- Add butter, eggs, warm milk, and vanilla extract into the well. Start by whisking the wet ingredients in the middle together, then slowly incorporate the flour. Use a spoon to gradually mix in the flour, then use your hands to mix it all together into a cohesive dough, sticky dough. It won’t be smooth - that’s ok!¾ cup butter, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup milk, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Form the dough into a rough ball and place it back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and place it in a warm place to rise (see notes) until doubled in size - about 30-40 minutes. While it rises, butter an 8” by 12” baking pan (or any similar sized baking pan) with a piece of cold butter.
- Once risen, punch down the dough and give it a few flattens and folds with your hands to make it nice and smooth. Sprinkle some flour onto a clean and dry surface.
- Transfer the dough onto the surface and stretch out the sides and corners to form a rectangular looking shape. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 18” by 24”.
Filling & Rolling
- Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and lemon zest for the filling in a medium bowl. Rub the mixture with your fingers until fragrant.½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- Spread the very soft butter evenly and gently over the rolled dough. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top. Break up the raspberries into pieces with your hands and sprinkle on top of the sugar. Sprinkle the lemon juice on top as evenly as you can.½ cup butter, 3 cups raspberries, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Starting at the long side, roll the dough and toppings into a tight long roll. Mark it into 12 pieces. I do this by dividing it in half, dividing each half into half, and then each piece into three pieces. Use a long serrated bread knife and a sawing motion to cut each roll without squishing it.
- Place the cut rolls pretty side up in the baking pan. Let them rest at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
- As soon as the oven preheats, bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown on top and spring back to the touch. While they bake, you can get started on the glaze.
Raspberry Glaze
- Strain defrosted raspberries through a sieve into a separate bowl. Set aside.¼ cup raspberries
- In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the strained raspberry juice and lemon juice, and beat until you get a creamy, runny glaze.4 oz cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes inside the baking pan. Pour the glaze over the rolls and spread it out to the edges and let it seep through the crevices. Best served warm.
Notes
- Use a scale to measure the flour for the most accurate results
- Don't reduce the sugar or raspberries for ultra gooey rolls
- Use a serrated knife and a sawing motion to cut perfect rolls
- Serve the raspberry rolls warm
Comments
No Comments