Name: Raspberry Sweet Rolls
Prep time: 120 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 1 cup warm milk (110℉/45℃); 1/2 cup white sugar; 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast; 4 1/2 cups bread flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs (room temperature); 1/3 cup melted butter; 1/2 cup butter; 1/2 cup dark brown sugar; 3 cups frozen raspberries; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 3 ounces softened cream cheese; 1/4 cup softened butter; 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon milk; 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

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Raspberry Sweet Rolls are soft, fluffy rolls stuffed with raspberries, and drizzled with lemon cream cheese frosting. These will delight everyone!

Step by step photos and instructions below!

raspberry sweet roll on a plate with bowl of raspberries

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Rolled up dough with delicious fillings are kind of a thing in my house.

I had been thinking of how to change up my regular cinnamon rolls, and thought adding fruit would be awesome. I was right. These Raspberry Sweet Rolls were born.

These rolls are DIVINE. Just the right amount of raspberries, enhanced by lemon zest, and topped with that yummy cream cheese frosting.

They are a fantastic alternative to the traditional cinnamon roll, and are just so pretty. You could use any kind of berry – blueberries, blackberries or strawberries would all work well.

I hope you love them!

Loving these rolls? You’ll also love Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls or the OG Cinnamon Rolls Recipe.

Why you’ll love this recipe

You can make these with a bread machine OR stand mixer – I have written instructions for both!
They are perfect for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day or any other day that requires fresh.
My step by step instructions with pictures shows you exactly how to make them!

Kitchen Hack: Use unflavored dental floss to cut your raspberry sweet rolls cleanly! See the notes for how!

I have included step by step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the recipe card located at the bottom of the post.

Kylee’s Notes & FAQs

Room temperature eggs, butter and cream cheese do best in this recipe.

If you don’t have a 9×13 baking dish, just use two pie plates.

Storing Raspberry Sweet Rolls

Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. May also be refrigerated.

Freezing sweet rolls is not recommended (the filling makes them soggy upon thawing)

Substitutions/Additions

You can use fresh raspberries OR frozen raspberries. Fresh ones will “bleed” a little more You will need to cool the rolls completely before attempting to separate them.
Can I use a bread machine for this sweet roll recipe?
Yes, you can. Add the dough ingredients to the bread machine, and use the dough cycle. When complete, continue at the point of rolling it out and adding the raspberry filling. I recommend removing the dough from the machine and letting it rest a few minutes before rolling.

Cutting the rolls

Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the rolls for a clean edge (don’t press down and squish!

Use dental floss to cut your raspberry sweet rolls cleanly. Place a piece of (plain, unflavored) dental floss under the rolled dough, 1 inch from the end. Bring the floss up around the dough and cross it over the top, cutting through the dough and filling. Repeat at 1-inch intervals.

showing how to cut cinnamon rolls with dental floss

Key Recipe Ingredients

Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.

How to make Raspberry Sweet Rolls:

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Jump

Make the Dough

Combine milk and sugar in a bowl, and heat gently until the temp is reached. It’s supposed to be lukewarm, not hot. We are looking for 110-114 degrees F.

Sprinkle yeast over the surface, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Tiny bubbles should begin to appear on the surface or around the edges of the container. The mixture should start to smell yeasty.

Add the yeast mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached.

Add the flour, salt, eggs and butter and knead for 8-10 minutes. It should form a ball, and be relatively smooth.

Let sit in a warm place, until doubled in size (about an hour).

Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes – this is an important step, don’t skip!

Make the filling

Combine the raspberries, sugar, and lemon zest.

Spread the filling on the dough

Roll dough into a 16×21-inch rectangle. You may find it easier to use parchment paper on your counter top. That will also help with rolling, if you need it!

Brush the dough with butter and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, then the raspberry mixture. Leave a little space around the edges so the filling doesn’t fall out.

Roll up and cut rolls

Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. I use plain, unflavored dental floss to do this. Check out the notes section above for step by step and pictures.

Place a piece of dental floss under the rolled dough, 1 inch from the end. Bring the floss up around the dough and cross it over the top, cutting through the dough and filling. Repeat at 1-inch intervals.

rolling and cutting raspberry sweet rolls

Place rolls in a lightly greased 9×13 pan. Cover and let rise until doubled (almost) in size, about 30 minutes.

Bake

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Make the frosting

While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, zest, salt and milk (and lemon juice, if using). Room temperature butter and cream cheese will make this job a lot easier, and the frosting less lumpy!

Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Devour.

More delicious recipes:

Bacon Sausage Breakfast Sliders. A batch of these breakfast sliders is JUST the thing for the weekend. Breakfast YOUR way with bacon, sausage, egg, and cheese in a soft bun, brushed with garlic-butter… yes, please!
Easy Blueberry Waffles from Scratch. These waffles are light and fluffy and golden brown – and take just a few minutes to whip up. You can have 4 Belgian sized waffles in about 15 minutes! DIG IN!!
Vanilla Maple Baked French Toast. Delightfully flavored French toast, topped with a sweet/nutty/crunchy topping, be warned – you will get addicted!!
All Breakfast Recipes

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Update: This recipe was originally published in May of 2016. It was republished with updated photos in March of 2021.

About Kylee Ayotte

I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee

4.50 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

19 Comments

Allison says:

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Wonder how this recipe would work with tart cherries instead of raspberries

Claudia Lamascolo says:

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Hi there, I just stopped by to tell you how much I love these rolls and can’t wait to try it. I am a huge huge fan of Red Raspberries. I actually eat them daily. I grow them as well .. This recipe had my mouth watering cant wait to try it!

poojanadkarni says:

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This looks so amazing..

Pavani says:

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Wow, what a gorgeous looking sweet rolls Kylee. I’m sure they must have tasted as good as they look.

Wendy Klik says:

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OH MY YUM!!!!!