These raspberry sweet rolls are soft, pillowy, full of gooey raspberry filling, and finished with a simple three-ingredient pink raspberry cream cheese glaze. The dough is no-knead and quick to prepare, producing ultra-soft, fluffy rolls with a bright hint of lemon from zest in both the dough and the filling. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any special occasion.
🍓 Why you’ll LOVE this recipe
- Soft & fluffy: A gooey raspberry filling steams the dough while baking, keeping the rolls tender and soft.
- Easy no-knead dough: Mix the ingredients by hand, let the dough rise, and you’re ready—no mixers or kneading required.
- Gooey raspberry filling: Simple ingredients bake down into a luscious, jammy filling.
- Raspberry cream cheese glaze: A three-ingredient glaze that’s creamy, pink, and perfectly tangy.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for tips to ensure success.
Full quantities and steps are in the recipe card below.
- Raspberries: Frozen raspberries are recommended—they’re economical, available year-round, and help keep the dough cool so the rolls slice more cleanly.
- All-purpose flour: Weigh flour when possible for accuracy. If measuring by cup, aerate the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level with a knife—don’t pack it down.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for the best glaze texture and flavor.
- Lemons: Zest goes into both dough and filling for brightness; lemon juice adds tang and balance, so don’t omit it.
- Active dry yeast: This recipe uses active dry yeast. If you only have instant yeast, you can add it directly to the flour without blooming first.
👩🍳 How to make raspberry sweet rolls
No-knead dough, step by step
Step 1: Bloom the yeast. Combine warm water, a little sugar, and the active dry yeast in a small bowl. Whisk and let rest 5–10 minutes until foamy. If no foam forms, the yeast may be inactive.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, and the lemon zest. Rub together until fragrant. Add sifted flour and mix, then make a well in the center.
Step 3: Into the well add softened butter, eggs, warm milk, the dissolved yeast, and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients, then gradually fold in the flour with a spoon. Finish by mixing with your hands into a sticky, cohesive dough—it’s fine if it’s not smooth.
Step 4: Shape the dough into a rough ball, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 30–40 minutes. While it rises, butter an 8″ x 12″ (or similar) baking pan.
Step 5: After rising, punch down the dough and fold it a few times to smooth it. Lightly flour a clean surface.
Step 6: Transfer the dough to the surface, stretch and roll into a large rectangle about 18″ x 24″.
Filling and rolling
Step 1: Mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, and lemon zest for the filling, rubbing until fragrant. Spread very soft butter over the rolled dough, sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly, then break frozen raspberries into pieces and scatter over the top. Drizzle with lemon juice.
Step 2: Roll the dough tightly from the long edge into a log. Mark and cut into 12 equal pieces—divide the log in halves and quarters, then each quarter into three. Use a long serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion to avoid squashing the rolls.
Step 3: Place the rolls, cut side up, into the prepared baking pan. Allow to rest while you preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
Step 4: Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. While they bake, prepare the glaze.
Raspberry glaze
Step 1: Defrost a small amount of raspberries and press them through a fine sieve to extract juice. In a bowl, beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth, then add the strained raspberry juice and lemon juice until you have a creamy, pourable glaze.
Step 2: Let the rolls cool about 10 minutes in the pan, then pour the glaze over them, spreading to the edges and letting it seep into the crevices. Best served warm.
✔️ Expert sweet roll tips
- Measure flour accurately: Using a scale yields the best results. If using cups, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level—avoid packing.
- Don’t cut the sugar: The sugars help create a syrupy, gooey filling—essential for these rolls.
- Use a serrated knife: A gentle sawing motion prevents the rolls from getting squashed when cutting.
- Serve warm: Sweet rolls are softest and most flavorful when warm; reheating brings back softness and gooeyness.
🥄 Storage
Sweet rolls are best fresh and warm. Store frosted rolls in the refrigerator in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for up to 4 days—reheat gently before serving. Baked and frosted rolls can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months; thaw and reheat before serving. The raspberry filling and cream cheese glaze help keep them moist during reheating.
⭐ Make ahead (overnight)
You can assemble the rolls the night before and stop after cutting and placing them in the pan (before the second rise). Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 12 hours. Avoid refrigerating longer to prevent over-proofing and overflow.
🍩 Why this dough works so well
This no-knead dough is forgiving and simple yet produces very tender, fluffy rolls. The combination of sugar, eggs, butter, and milk keeps the crumb soft. Expect a sticky, lumpy dough at first—that’s normal. After rising and a few folds, it becomes smooth and easy to roll out.
📖 Recipe FAQs
If the yeast didn’t foam when bloomed, it may be inactive. Also avoid exposing dough to temperatures above 130°F (55°C) during proofing, which can kill yeast.
A warm oven works well: heat it to the lowest setting for a few minutes, then turn it off and place the covered dough inside. Keep the temperature below 130°F (55°C).
Frozen raspberries are preferred here. They’re less messy, chill the dough for easier cutting, and are convenient year-round.
🍞 More related recipes
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Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
-
Lemon Raspberry Bars
-
Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
-
Lemon Raspberry Loaf Cake
If you try this recipe, please rate it and share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to see your creations—tag your photos so others can be inspired!
📖 Recipe
Raspberry Rolls — Easy and Gooey
Soft, gooey raspberry rolls made with no-knead dough and a simple raspberry cream cheese glaze. A touch of lemon brightens the flavor.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 5 cups all-purpose flour (sifted, ~600 g)
- 3/4 cup butter, softened and almost melted
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Raspberry filling
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 cups raspberries, frozen (do not defrost)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
Raspberry glaze
- 1/4 cup raspberries, defrosted
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
Dough
- Bloom yeast: whisk warm water, 1 tsp sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, rub sugar, salt, and lemon zest together. Add sifted flour and make a well.
- Add butter, eggs, warm milk, yeast mixture, and vanilla to the well. Whisk, then gradually incorporate flour. Mix into a sticky dough by hand.
- Form a rough ball, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 30–40 minutes. Butter an 8″ x 12″ baking pan while it rises.
- Punch down, fold a few times to smooth, flour your surface, and roll into an 18″ x 24″ rectangle.
Filling & rolling
- Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and lemon zest. Spread softened butter over the dough, sprinkle the sugar mixture, add broken-up frozen raspberries, and evenly drizzle lemon juice.
- Roll from the long side into a tight log. Cut into 12 pieces using a serrated knife and a sawing motion.
- Place rolls cut-side up in the pan. Let rest while preheating the oven to 355°F (180°C).
- Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and springy. While baking, prepare the glaze.
Raspberry glaze
- Press defrosted raspberries through a sieve to extract juice. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth, then add the raspberry and lemon juices until pourable.
- Cool rolls 10 minutes, then pour glaze over and let it settle into the crevices. Serve warm.
Notes & tips
- Best proofing method: place the covered dough in a warmed, then turned-off oven. Keep temperature under 130°F (55°C).
- Storage: refrigerate frosted rolls up to 4 days, freeze up to 2 months. Reheat gently.
- Make-ahead: assemble and refrigerate (before second rise) up to 12 hours overnight.