Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

Raspberry swirl sweet rolls are hands down one of the most beautiful breakfast treats you can make at home. I'm talking about soft, buttery dough wrapped around juicy raspberry filling and topped with cream cheese icing that makes everyone at the table stop talking mid-bite.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls
• What You'll Need For Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls
• How To Make Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls
• Storage And Reheating Tips For Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls
• Tips For Perfect Raspberry Sweet Rolls
• Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• Conclusion
• Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

Last Sunday morning, Alex asked if we could make something special for breakfast, and I remembered this recipe I'd been wanting to try. Sarah heard "sweet rolls" and basically camped out in the kitchen while I worked on the dough. The best part? These look fancy but they're actually pretty simple to make.

These rolls use frozen raspberries which means you don't have to wait for berry season or pay a fortune at the grocery store. The raspberries create this gorgeous pink swirl that makes the rolls look like they came from a bakery in Soho. Donald took one look at them cooling on the counter and said they belonged in a magazine.

If you're looking for another crowd-pleasing breakfast treat, you'll want to check out my homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting that uses a similar technique.

Why You'll Love These Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

Here's what makes these raspberry sweet rolls so special:

• Simple ingredients - You probably have most of what you need already, except maybe the frozen raspberries
• Gorgeous presentation - That pink raspberry swirl makes them look way fancier than they actually are
• Make-ahead friendly - You can prep these the night before and bake them fresh in the morning
• Perfect sweetness - The tart raspberries balance out the sweet dough beautifully
• Cream cheese icing - Because everything tastes better with cream cheese frosting on top
• Family approved - Alex and Sarah both gave these two thumbs up

What You'll Need For Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

Here's everything you need to make these beautiful rolls.

For The Dough

• 1 cup whole milk, warmed to about 100°F
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 and ½ tablespoons active dry yeast (2 standard packets)
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 and ½ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons oil for greasing the bowl

For The Raspberry Filling

• One 10-oz package frozen raspberries (don't thaw them!)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

For The Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole milk or heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

How To Make Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

Let me walk you through making these gorgeous raspberry swirl sweet rolls step by step.

Preparing The Dough

Start by whisking together the warm milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and yeast in your stand mixer bowl. Cover it and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it gets foamy on top.

This foamy step is important because it tells you the yeast is alive and ready to work. I learned this the hard way when I once used expired yeast and my dough never rose.

Once the mixture is foamy, beat in the remaining sugar and softened butter on medium speed. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix until everything is combined. Don't worry if the butter stays in chunks at first.

Mixing And Kneading

Switch to low speed and add the flour one cup at a time. Make sure each cup is fully mixed in before adding the next one.

After all the flour is added, beat the dough for about 3 minutes until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should feel soft but not sticky.

Now comes the kneading part. Keep the dough in your mixer with the dough hook attached and beat for 5 full minutes. If you're doing this by hand, knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes.

First Rise

Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn it to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 2 hours until it doubles in size.

I always set a timer on my phone for this because I tend to forget about it. Sarah once walked into the kitchen after 3 hours and found my dough trying to escape from under the towel.

Rolling And Filling The Sweet Rolls

Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set it aside. Punch down your risen dough to release the air.

Roll the dough into a 12x18-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Make sure it's evenly thick all over.

Here's where it gets fun. Mix the frozen raspberries with sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Spread this mixture evenly over your dough rectangle.

Shaping And Second Rise

Roll up the dough tightly from the long side to form an 18-inch log. Use a really sharp knife to cut the log into 12 even rolls.

Arrange the raspberry sweet rolls in your prepared pan. Cover them tightly and let them rise for another 90 minutes until they're puffy.

The raspberries will release some juice at the bottom of the pan during this rise. That's completely normal and actually makes the rolls extra moist.

Baking

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 28-32 minutes until they're lightly browned on top.

About halfway through baking, tent some aluminum foil over the pan to keep the tops from getting too dark. This is a trick my mom taught me when I was learning to bake as a teenager.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes while you make the icing.

Making The Cream Cheese Icing

Beat the softened cream cheese in a bowl until it's smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla.

Beat on low for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Spread this gorgeous icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately.

Storage And Reheating Tips For Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

Store leftover raspberry swirl sweet rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To reheat, pop a roll in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds. The cream cheese icing will get all melty and delicious again.

You can also freeze unfrosted rolls for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and warm them up before adding fresh icing.

Tips For Perfect Raspberry Sweet Rolls

Here are some things I've learned from making these raspberry swirl sweet rolls multiple times in my Manhattan kitchen.

Don't skip the windowpane test - Tear off a small piece of dough and stretch it thin. If light passes through without tearing, your dough is ready.

Use really cold raspberries - Keeping them frozen prevents them from making the dough soggy. I made the mistake of using thawed berries once and the dough got mushy.

Sharp knife is key - Use your sharpest knife or even dental floss to cut the rolls. This keeps them from squishing.

Room temperature ingredients matter - Make sure your eggs, butter, and cream cheese are at room temperature. Cold ingredients don't mix as well.

Don't over-flour - Add flour sparingly during kneading. Too much makes the rolls dense and dry.

Make them overnight - Prepare the rolls up to the second rise, cover them, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Want to try different flavors? Use the same technique with blueberries or strawberries. Alex once asked me to try it with chocolate chips and the result was amazing.

Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls FAQs

Can I Make Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls Overnight?

Yes! Prepare the rolls through the shaping step, arrange them in the pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, remove them from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then bake as directed. This is my favorite way to make them because you get fresh rolls without all the morning work.

Can I Use Fresh Raspberries Instead Of Frozen Raspberries?

I don't recommend using fresh raspberries for these raspberry sweet rolls. Fresh berries have too much moisture and will make your dough soggy.

Frozen raspberries stay firm during rolling and release their juice slowly while baking. This creates that beautiful swirl without turning your dough into mush. Trust me on this one.

Why Are My Raspberry Sweet Rolls Leaking Juice While Baking?

Some juice leaking is completely normal and actually makes the rolls more flavorful. The raspberries naturally release juice as they bake.

To minimize leaking, make sure you roll the dough tightly and seal the seam well. Also, don't overfill with raspberries. Stick to the measurements in the recipe.

How Do I Store And Reheat Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls?

Store the rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. For several rolls, warm them in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes covered with foil. The cream cheese icing will soften beautifully when warmed.

Recipes You May Like

If you enjoyed these raspberry swirl sweet rolls, you'll want to try these other breakfast favorites:

• Irresistibly Soft Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls To Savor - These have a gorgeous caramel apple filling that's perfect for fall mornings
• Heavenly Sticky Toffee Cinnamon Rolls To Indulge Your Senses - If you love sticky-sweet rolls, these are calling your name
• Gooey Overnight French Toast Casserole - Another make-ahead breakfast that feeds a crowd

Conclusion

These raspberry swirl sweet rolls have become a weekend favorite in our Manhattan apartment. The combination of tender dough, tart raspberry filling, and sweet cream cheese icing is just perfect.

I love that you can make them ahead and bake fresh in the morning. It makes special breakfasts so much easier.

The pink raspberry swirl makes them look gorgeous on the table. Every time I make these, someone asks for the recipe.

Give these a try next weekend. I think you're going to love how they turn out!

Make sure to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again when you're ready to bake. Let me know how yours turn out!

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