Raspberry sweet rolls (raspberry swirl rolls)

Raspberry sweet rolls are a delicious soft bun filled with raspberries, and drizzled in icing. our cheats way of making these raspberry sweet rolls means they will be ready in an hour.

Raspberry swirl rolls are a delicious twist on our ever popular cinnamon rolls. They’re a lovely soft bun, filled with raspberries with a sweet icing drizzled on top.

Cinnamon rolls are one of our favourite recipes. The’re one we really enjoy making as well as eating! These are just like a cinnamon roll but rather than adding cinnamon sugar we’ve added raspberries and sugar. The combination of tartness from the raspberries with the sweet icing works really well in these raspberry swirl rolls (or sweet rolls) and makes a deliciously flavoursome bun. The raspberries take on an almost jam like consistency in the roll which was a real hit in our house.

These raspberry swirl rolls are made using the same quick base recipe as our cinnamon rolls so you don’t need to leave them to prove for hours. Simply pop them in the oven on a low temperature before you bake them and viola! Make sure you use frozen raspberries so they don’t make the dough too wet when you scatter them on.

How can kids help make these raspberry sweet rolls?

These sweet rolls are really fun for kids to make. There are few steps they can get involved in making the dough from measuring and mixing all together as well as kneading it.

Your kids can also help to roll the dough out before adding the raspberries and sugar and rolling it up to make the swirl. If you mark out where you want to cut the dough and trust your older children with a knife, they can cut the swirl into portions before putting them into your baking tin.

How long do sweet rolls keep?

These raspberry sweet rolls will keep in an airtight container for a day or two.

If you want to keep them for longer you can also freeze them for up to three months. You can freeze them either before or after you’ve baked them. Just make sure you wrap them well before putting them in the freezer and leave them to thaw at room temperature overnight before you want to eat them. Once they’re thawed, either bake or reheat them in the oven before drizzling over the icing.

Can you make sweet rolls ahead of time?

Yes, you can make these rolls up the day before. Make them up to the point where you put them in the baking tray to prove. Wrap them well in cling film / glad wrap and pop them in the fridge overnight. When you come to bake them, just make sure they have doubled in size before you put them in the oven. If they haven’t risen well in the fridge, pop them in the oven for about 30 minutes at a low temperature until they have doubled in size, then bake them.

Other recipes

If you liked these raspberry sweet rolls and want to make some other raspberry based recipes check out some of our favourites below:

Raspberry and white chocolate muffins
Raspberry flapjacks
White chocolate and raspberry blondies
Raspberry sponge cake
Raspberry muffins
Raspberry crumble
White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake
Raspberry and white chocolate scones
Raspberry cupcakes
Raspberry and white chocolate loaf cake

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these raspberry sweet rolls

Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
9 inch baking tin
Wire rack

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Difficulty: A wee bit harder

Time: 40 minutes plus 20 minutes baking

Serves: 9

Ingredients

330g (2 and ¾ cups) plain / all-purpose flour
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 packet dried fast action yeast (1 packet = 2 and ¼ teaspoons)
120ml (½ cup) water
60ml (¼ cup) milk
30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
250 – 300g (2 cups) frozen raspberries
1 tsp cornflour
60g ¼ cup granulated sugar

For the glaze:
1 cup icing(powdered) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 hot water

how to make raspberry sweet rolls / swirl rolls

Line a 9 inch square baking tray with baking paper.

We often find the easiest way of doing this is to cut a strip the width of your tray and lay it in in one direction then do the same in the other direction. Leave a little overhanging the edge to make it easier to remove once it’s baked.

Measure out the dry dough ingredients

Start by adding the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, and yeast)  into a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer. When you add the salt, sugar and yeast, add them to separate sides of your bowl and make sure your kids use their finger to level the tea spoons so that they add just the right amount. Set it aside for now.

Add the wet ingredients

Measure the water and milk out and add them to a microwaveable bowl. Get your kids to measure the butter and cut it into a few small pieces then add it to the water/milk.

Pop the milk/water/butter into in the microwave for approx 45-60 seconds until the butter has melted. Test that the mixture is warm rather than hot – I just dipped my finger in. (If it’s too hot it’ll kill the yeast).

Get your kids to crack the egg into a small bowl then add it to your flour. We never add it straight in just in case any shell goes in. If it does, simply fish it out with a larger piece of shell or a teaspoon.

Pour the milk/butter mixture into the flour.

Knead the dough

Knead your mixture for 5-10 minutes, either by hand or using the dough hook on a stand mixer. We used our mixer as it’s a bit easier and less messy. It’s ready when it’s not sticky anymore.

If you’re using your hands get your kids to pull and push the dough for about 10 minutes until it stops being quite so sticky. It is quite a sticky dough so you might find it easier if you use a dough scraper.

Pop it in a lightly oiled bowl and leave to rest for about 10 minutes.

Make the raspberry sweet rolls / swirl rolls

Preheat your oven to 90C (200F) and turn off after 10 minutes or just before your put your rolls inside.

While your dough is resting, measure out filling. Mix the raspberries, sugar and cornflour in a small bowl.

Get your child to sprinkle some flour down on your work surface and then help you roll the dough out to a 15×9 inch rectangle.

Sprinkle the raspberry/sugar mixture evenly over the top.

Get your child to help roll the dough up tightly from long end. Try and make the rolls as tight as possible.

Cut into 9 even pieces. It might be easier to make sure your pieces are even if you mark where the cuts are supposed to go first.

Bake the raspberry swirl rolls

Put each piece in your baking tray, swirl side up, and lightly cover with tin foil.

Pop the raspberry swirl sweet rolls in the oven to rise. Make sure you remember to turn the oven off. Let it rise for 20 minutes or so.

After 20 minutes, keep the buns in the oven, remove the tin foil and turn the oven up to 190C / 180C Fan / 375F.

Bake the raspberry swirl rolls for 20-25 minutes. They’re ready when they have turned golden and are cooked right through to the bottom.

Make the glaze

Mix the icing sugar, vanilla extract and hot water together until the icing is smooth, runny and lump free.

Remove the raspberry sweet rolls from the tin, then drizzle the glaze over the rolls while they are still a bit warm. Leave the icing to set.

Serve and enjoy!

cookingwithmykids

Raspberry swirl sweet rolls

The combination of tartness from the raspberries with the sweet icing works really well and makes a deliciously flavoursome bun. And our cheats way of making them the these raspberry swirl rolls means they will be ready in an hour.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Proving time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 9

Course: Afternoon tea

Cuisine: American, British

Calories: 312

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 330 g (2 and ¾ cups) plain/All purpose flour 330g
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 packet dried fast action yeast (2 and ¼ tsp)
• ½ cup water 120ml
• ¼ cup milk 60ml
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter 30g
• 1 large egg
• For the filling
• 300 g frozen raspberries 10oz
• 60 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour

For the glaze:

• 1 cup icing powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 Tablespoons milk

Method

 

Line a 9 inch square baking tray with baking paper.

Make the dough

1. Measure out the flour, sugar, salt and yeast and mix together in a large bowl. Set aside for now.

Add the wet ingredients

1. Measure the water and milk into a microwaveable bowl. Measure the butter, cut into a few small pieces and add to the water/milk. Pop in the microwave for approx 45 seconds until the butter has melted. Test the mixture is warm rather than hot.
2. Crack the egg into a small bowl. Add to your flour.

   Add the milk/butter mixture to the flour.
3. Knead your mixture for 3-4 minutes, either by hand or using the dough hook on a stand mixer until it's not too sticky anymore (it's still quite a sticky dough)
4. Pop it in a lightly oiled bowl and leave to rest for about 5 minutes.

Make the raspberry swirl rolls

Preheat your oven to 90C (200F) and turn off after 10 minutes or just before your put your rolls inside.

1. While your dough is resting, measure out filling. Mix the raspberries, sugar and cornflour in a small bowl.
2. Roll the dough out to a 15x9 inch rectangle.
3. Scatter the raspberry/sugar mixture evenly over the top.
4. Roll the dough up tightly from long end, and then cut into 9 even pieces.
   
5. Put each piece in your baking tray and lightly cover with tin foil. Pop the raspberry swirl rolls in the oven to rise. Make sure you remember to turn the oven off. Let it rise for 20 minutes or so.
6. After 20 minutes, keep the buns in the oven, remove the tin foil and turn the oven up to 190C / 180C Fan / 375F.
7. Bake the raspberry swirl rolls for 20 minutes. They’re ready when they have turned golden.

Make the glaze

1. Mix the icing sugar, hot water and vanilla extract together until it is smooth, runny and lump free.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the rolls while they are still a bit warm.

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If you liked these raspberry swirl rolls, you’ll love our Belgian buns and our other easy bakes for kids.

This recipe was first published in January 2018 and updated in February 2024.