Let’s forget about cinnamon rolls for a minute and say hello to these raspberry sweet rolls. The pillowy soft rolls are filled with tangy raspberries and cream cheese, then finished off with a sweet vanilla glaze. They’re perfect for breakfast, dinner or your afternoon coffee break.
The inspiration for this recipe came from a raspberry cream cheese sweet bread recipe that I made from a Taste of Home cookbook. I made it years ago when only my sister and I were at home, and (don’t tell anybody) we ate a whole loaf by ourselves in just one day! I don’t think we’ve suffered from the extra calories, but now these rolls are posing a real threat. So just be warned, when you make these rolls you might not be able to resist eating them all at once!
Why you’ll love this raspberry sweet rolls recipe
- the rolls are pillowy-soft and fluffy
- the raspberries add a tangy flavor
- the sweet vanilla glaze balances out the tanginess of the raspberries
Ingredients for raspberry sweet rolls
- whole milk
- active dry yeast
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- butter
- salt
- all-purpose flour
- cream cheese
- almond extract (optional)
- raspberries
- cornstarch
- powdered sugar
How to make raspberry sweet rolls
The recipe for the rolls is pretty much the same as the one for my Overnight Cinnamon Rolls. Instead of sprinkling the dough with cinnamon and sugar though, spread it with cream cheese, followed by raspberries. The cream cheese infuses into the dough while baking, so the rolls don’t have that distinct cream cheese layer, but it makes the rolls extra fluffy.
To make the rolls, follow the same procedure as for other yeast bread recipes. Start by proofing the yeast with warm milk and a portion of the sugar. After the yeast starts forming bubbles, add the remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, butter, salt and two cups of flour. Mix until well combined, then add remaining flour until you get a soft dough. It’s very important not to add too much flour; the dough should still be tacky and slightly sticky, or else your rolls can end up dry.
Next, make sure not to skimp on kneading time. I usually knead yeast doughs for at least 8 minutes. This helps the gluten to develop and give your rolls structure, while also ensuring they’ll be soft.
Cover the bowl of dough with a towel and let rest in a warm place until doubled in volume. In winter this will take longer than in summer, due to colder temperatures. I like to place the bowl of dough in the oven, with the oven light on. It’s normal for the dough to take up to 1½ hours to rise because it has a high fat content.
While the dough is rising you can make the fillings. Mix the cream cheese with some butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extract. For the raspberries, I highly recommend using frozen raspberries. If you let them thaw, they’ll be super messy. So remove them from the freezer and mix with sugar and cornstarch just before sprinkling them on the dough.
How to shape the rolls
Roll the dough out and spread it with the cream cheese, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges bare. Then sprinkle it with the raspberry mixture. Roll up the the dough as tightly as possible. Use dental floss or a piece of string to make clean-cut rolls.
Place the rolls in a greased baking dish, cover, and let rise another 60 minutes or until puffy. Due to the frozen raspberries, the rolls will be cold and won’t rise quickly, so again, I prefer to place them in the oven with the oven light on, to speed up the process.
These rolls need to be baked for at least 40 minutes, because they are cold from the raspberries. Not to mention, the rolls themselves are quite tall. If they’re browning too quickly, tent them with aluminum foil. Just keep in mind that you might need to increase the baking time if using the foil. Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool for 15-20 minutes before glazing.
The vanilla glaze
The glaze is super simple. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and just enough milk to make the glaze easily spreadable. And don’t forget a pinch of salt; it helps cut the sweetness of the glaze. Spread it on the warm rolls. As the glaze cools, it will set and harden.
How to make overnight sweet rolls
Since these raspberry sweet rolls are very similar to my overnight cinnamon rolls, you can make them into an overnight recipe. After cutting the rolls and placing them in the baking dish, cover tightly and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Remove them from the fridge and let them come to room temperature; this usually takes at least an hour. Then bake as the recipe directs, adding about 10 extra minutes to the baking time.
I have never made these particular rolls overnight, but I can only imagine how perfect they’d be for breakfast and brunch with a cup of coffee!
More recipes you’ll love
Happy baking, friends!
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- ¾ cup warm milk
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 6 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3½ - 4 cup all-purpose flour
- For the cream cheese filling:
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
- For the raspberry filling:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 12 ounces frozen raspberries
- For the vanilla glaze:
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix the warm milk, yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar; let it stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, butter, salt and 2 cups flour. Mix until smooth. Add remaining flour until a soft dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled, 60-90 minutes. (In winter I like to place the covered dough in the oven with the oven light on to give it a warmer environment.)
- In the meantime, whip the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the sugar and extracts, then beat 1-2 minutes, until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- In a separate bowl, prepare the raspberry filling. Mix the sugar and cornstarch well. Just before rolling out the dough, add the frozen raspberries to the sugar/cornstarch mixture and toss to combine. (The longer your raspberries are out of the freezer, the bigger of a mess you'll have when making the rolls.)
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside.
- Punch down the dough, then roll it into a 12x18 inch rectangle. Spread with the cream cheese mixture, then sprinkle the raspberries on top. Starting with a long side, roll up the the dough as tightly as possible. Use dental floss or a piece of thread to cut into 1½-inch slices. Place in the prepared baking dish.
- Cover and let the rolls rise for 60 minutes, or until puffy. The frozen raspberries will slow down the rising process so again, I like to place the rolls in the warmest environment possible.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the rolls for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. If the tops are browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil. Keep in mind that if you do this, you will most likely need to increase the baking time.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool for 15-20 minutes
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk and salt, using just enough milk to make a spreadable glaze. Spread on warm rolls.
- Serve rolls warm or at room temperature.
Notes
How to store the rolls: In the winter, our pantry is cool enough to store the rolls for at least 4 days. But if you don't have a cold pantry, I recommend storing the rolls in the fridge. Let them come to room temperature or warm them up in the oven before serving. If you want to freeze them, I recommend leaving them unglazed. You can add the glaze later, once you're read to serve them.