The flavor of a jelly donut, but baked. These sweet raspberry buns are incredibly fluffy and tender—like a lazy, baked version of a jelly-filled donut. The jam sits in a slight indent on top (similar to a thumbprint cookie) and everything is finished with a simple raspberry icing and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Tell me about these baked raspberry buns
These raspberry buns sit somewhere between dinner rolls, yeast donuts, and thumbprint cookies. The dough is soft and enriched, inspired by laminated breakfast pastry dough but much simpler because there’s no folding or laminating. The result is a pillowy roll with a jam-filled center that delivers all the sweet jammy flavor of a jelly donut without frying.
I use a lightly sweetened yeast dough, store-bought or homemade raspberry jam for convenience, and a quick icing made from powdered sugar and jam. You can certainly swap in homemade raspberry preserves or another flavor if you prefer—strawberry, blueberry, apricot, even lemon curd or Nutella work well if the filling is thick enough to bake.
How to make sweet raspberry buns
The process is straightforward and forgiving:
- Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk warm water, an egg, vanilla, and melted cooled butter together.
- Add dry ingredients: Stir in flour (start with 2 cups), sugar, yeast, and salt to form a very sticky mixture, then add more flour until a rough dough forms.
- Knead: Knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should be slightly tacky but spring back when pressed.
- First rise: Shape into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled—about 45–60 minutes.
- Divide and shape: Punch down the dough, divide into 8 (or 10–12 smaller) portions and roll into smooth balls. Place on a parchment-lined sheet about 3 inches apart.
- Second rise: Cover and let the shaped buns rise another 30–45 minutes until puffed.
- Create indents and fill: Use the bottom of a small jar or a similar round tool (or your thumb) to press a shallow well in the center of each bun. Fill each well with jam—about 1 teaspoon for smaller indents or up to 1 tablespoon for larger ones—leaving a small border so the filling doesn’t spill over.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the buns for roughly 15–20 minutes, until the edges are golden and the jam is bubbling.
- Icing: Whisk together powdered sugar, a bit of raspberry jam, and 1–2 tablespoons of water until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over slightly cooled buns and finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar if desired.
Ingredients
For the raspberry buns:
- 1 cup (240 mL) warm water*
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3 to 4 cups (360–480 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (see notes for active dry yeast)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup raspberry jam (more if you prefer bigger centers)
For the raspberry icing:
- 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 2 teaspoons raspberry jam
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water, as needed
Instructions
Make the dough and buns:
- In a large bowl, whisk the warm water, egg, vanilla, and melted butter until combined.
- Add 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Stir until very sticky.
- Add another cup of flour and mix until the dough starts to come together. Add more flour a little at a time until it forms a workable ball.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. The dough should spring back when poked.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, brush the top with a bit of oil, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 45–60 minutes.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Cover and let rise another 30–45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Using the bottom of a small jar or your thumb, press a shallow indent in the center of each bun, then fill each indent with jam.
- Bake 15–20 minutes, until golden at the edges and the jam is bubbly. Let cool slightly before icing.
Make the icing:
- Whisk powdered sugar, raspberry jam, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Thin with more water if needed or thicken with more powdered sugar.
- Drizzle the icing over the warm buns and dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips for working with yeast dough
Working with yeast is simple when you follow a few basics:
- Freshness: Use active yeast within its expiration and use opened yeast within a few months; old yeast can fail to rise and may taste off.
- Temperature: Room-temperature eggs and cool melted butter are best. Liquids should be warm (about the temperature of a warm tap) — not hot — to avoid killing the yeast.
- Rising times: Expect two rises: one after kneading and another after shaping. Allow the dough to double in a warm, draft-free place for best texture.
Different filling options
These buns are very versatile. Use any thick jam or preserve—strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, or apricot all work. Try apple pie filling for a fall version, lemon curd for a bright contrast, or chocolate-hazelnut spread for a richer treat. Just make sure the filling can hold up to baking without becoming runny.
Storage
These buns are best enjoyed the day they’re baked. Store any leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days. Rewarm briefly in a low oven or microwave for the freshest texture.
Other recipe ideas
Try other baked treats: Baked crème brûlée donuts, raspberry chocolate cake, baked carrot donuts, cinnamon monkey bread, or cinnamon roll cheesecake are delicious next projects if you enjoyed these buns.
If you make these raspberry buns, leave a comment or review and share a photo—I love seeing what you bake. Enjoy!
Enjoy!