Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
My raspberry cinnamon rolls are light, fluffy, and bursting with juicy raspberry filling. No yeast OR fancy kitchen gadgets are needed!
When raspberry season rolls around, I can’t resist sneaking them into all my favorite bakes. But honestly, you don’t even need fresh berries for these rolls- I tested them with frozen raspberries too, and they work beautifully.
I also wanted these to be the easiest sweet rolls ever, so I based the recipe on my foolproof 2-ingredient Greek yogurt dough (the same one that went viral on my site!). After several rounds of testing, I found the perfect balance of pillowy soft dough, tangy-sweet raspberry filling, and a hint of cinnamon. The result? Rolls that bake up lightly crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and ready in just 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
Why make my raspberry sweet rolls
- No yeast needed. There’s no active dry yeast, no rising, and minimal prep time.
- Use fresh or frozen raspberries. Use whichever is more convenient. The flavor will be equally decadent.
- Easy to modify. Effortlessly make these cinnamon rolls vegan or gluten-free, or add a variety of creative mix-ins.
- They’re so easy to make. Like my blueberry cinnamon rolls, there’s nothing complicated about this recipe.
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Self-rising flour. All-purpose flour with salt and baking powder already added. It’s easy to make your own (try my homemade self rising flour), and you can use gluten-free self-rising flour if needed.
- Vanilla Greek yogurt. I recommend using a sweetened Greek yogurt; the raspberries and sugar don’t add enough sweetness. If you can’t find Greek yogurt, any thick vanilla yogurt will work.
- Raspberries. Use fresh or frozen berries. If you use frozen berries, let them thaw overnight or microwave them until room temperature.
- Sugar. To coat the raspberries. I used white sugar, but you can use brown sugar or coconut sugar.
- Cinnamon. Optional. I like the addition of cinnamon with raspberries, but not everyone does.
- Cooking spray. To spray on the dough to ensure the raspberries stick. You can omit it, but the raspberries will bleed out.
- Glaze. I keep things simple with powdered sugar and water.
Tested recipe variations
Here are some fun ways I’ve tweaked this recipe to change things up:
- Make a raspberry glaze. When you’re thawing your raspberries, don’t discard the juices! Instead, use it in place of the liquid in your glaze mixture.
- Or make a cream cheese frosting. Whisk together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon juice (or raspberry juice).
- Add mix-ins. I sometimes use chopped nuts, white chocolate chips, lemon zest, or other berries.
How to make raspberry cinnamon rolls
Step 1- Mix. In a large bowl, combine the flour with yogurt and mix until fully incorporated.
Step 2- Knead. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball.
Step 3- Shape the dough into a rectangle. Spray the dough with cooking spray. Cover the dough with the raspberry filling.
Step 4- Assemble. Roll the dough and slice into 6-8 pieces. Transfer the rolls to the baking dish and spray the tops with cooking spray.
Step 5- Bake for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the rolls from the oven and spread the glaze on top.
My top tested tips
- Slice the rolls with a serrated knife (or floss!). In culinary school, we often used unflavored dental floss for perfectly clean cuts- just slide it under the roll, cross the ends over the top, and pull tight.
- Brush the tops before baking. A light coating of melted butter, cooking spray, or even an egg wash (if not keeping vegan) gives the rolls a gorgeous finish. During testing, I found this step also helped keep the tops from drying out.
- Avoid overbaking. These rolls continue to cook as they cool, so pull them from the oven when they’re just set and lightly golden.
- Keep your surface lightly floured. Yogurt-based doughs can vary slightly depending on the brand of yogurt used. I like to sprinkle flour on the counter and rolling pin as I work, adding enough to keep the dough easy to handle without making it dry.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover raspberry rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
To freeze: Transfer leftovers to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to six months.
Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls
Video
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup self-rising flour see notes
- 1 cup Vanilla Greek yogurt See notes
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 serving cooking spray
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking dish with parchment paper or tin foil and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yogurt, then mix until fully incorporated. If the dough is too thick, add more yogurt to thin it out. If the dough is too thin, add a little extra flour. Using your hands, form a ball of dough.
- Lightly flour a kitchen surface. Sprinkle a tablespoon of extra flour on top of the ball of dough, and transfer it to the floured surface. Form the dough into a rectangular shape. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to around 12 inches by 6 inches.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the frozen raspberries with sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Spray the dough with cooking spray. Cover with the raspberry and sugar mixture. From one end of the dough, roll it slowly until it is completely rolled up. Slice into 6-8 pieces.
- Transfer the sliced dough onto the lined dish. If desired, brush the tops with either butter, milk, oil, or water for a golden brown exterior. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until golden on the outside.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the dish. While it is cooling, prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of water, milk, or yogurt. For a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar. For a thinner glaze, add more liquid. Drizzle over the tops of the rolls.
Notes
- Flavored yogurt: You need to use vanilla Greek yogurt or any thick vanilla yogurt.
- Dairy-free/vegan: Use sweetened coconut yogurt or sweetened soy yogurt.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free self-rising flour.
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days. You can freeze rolls for up to 6 months.
Very good recipe. Raspberries are such amazing fruits! My favourite!
These look so good! I will definitely try these.
Have you thought of how to make this with orange and cranberries? I have tons of frozen cranberries and looking for good healthy recipes to use them in! Ideas?
Yes! Definitely add some orange and cranberry with it, but add a little sweetness, to counter the tartness 🙂
I used frozen blueberries and cashew yogurt and they turned out so great. My husband finished off two in one sitting. He usually adds butter and warms up his sweet rolls and he said they were so good he didn’t need any butter🙂. Thank you so much for sharing.
You are so welcome, Dolly- So glad to hear Cashew yogurt worked! Would you mind telling me the brand, I’d love to try it myself 🙂
All your no-yeast recipes look so good! I can’t find nondairy Greek yogurt anywhere. Any idea what else I can use that’s nondairy? Or is there a brand you’ve found online?
Thank you for all your efforts in recipe development!