Raspberry Rolls

These easy raspberry swirl sweet rolls are a twist on the classic cinnamon rolls! No yeast, no fancy mixers, and no kneading needed! Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert, they are Vegan, Gluten-free, and dairy-free.

Raspberry Sweet Rolls

With no yeast available, I’ve been using my magic 2 ingredient dough to make a plethora of recipes. We’ve had the classic cinnamon rolls and the blueberry cinnamon rolls. Now? It’s time to give them a raspberry twist.

I LOVE using raspberries in desserts because it gives that subtle tartness that really brings out the sweetness of the dessert.

There is a misconception that ‘fresh is best’ when it comes to using fruit, but I don’t agree with that at all.

The thing is, raspberries and most other berries are generally EXTREMELY expensive when bought fresh. Even during the seasonal times (Summer), they can still be up to $5 for a 100-gram container (4 ounces).

Luckily, frozen fruit is affordable and the price remains consistent year-round. 

With many of us spending more time at home and with pantries, fridges and cupboards stocked with basic pantry staple ingredients, having a bag or two of frozen berries is a MUST. 

So, how do these raspberry sweet rolls taste? 

These raspberry sweet rolls are the perfect balance of sweet and tart in one. 

The dough is not overly sweet, doughy and fluffy in texture, without it being dry.

The filling is sweet, tart, and has the gorgeous glaze over the top. 

You’ll be happy to know that they are actually relatively healthy too- No refined sugar, no butter, and no dairy needed. It’s perfect for those following a vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free diet, and easily made refined sugar-free. 

Raspberry sweet rolls, raspberry cinnamon rolls, or raspberry scrolls- Whatever you call them, these are a game-changing breakfast or healthy dessert you need NOW! 

How to make Raspberry Rolls

The Ingredients

• Self-rising flour– You can use store-bought or easily make your own. You can also use gluten-free self-rising flour, provided it as xanthan gum in the ingredient list. I’ve only tried it with this brand successfully. 
• Greek yogurt OR coconut yogurt– Either Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt can be used. I opted to use coconut yogurt, as it ensures it is vegan and dairy-free. 
• Frozen raspberries– Obviously needed for a raspberry heavy recipe! You can use fresh raspberries if you’d like. I opted for frozen because they are affordable and available year-round. 
• Granulated sweetener of choice- To toss through the raspberries, to make the filling. It also gives the sweet rolls the sweetness! You can use ANY granulated sweetener- white sugar, coconut sugar, sugar substitutes, etc. I don’t recommend brown sugar unless you like the distinct molasses flavor. 
• Cooking spray– To spray on the dough to make sure the raspberry mixture sticks. You can omit it, but you’ll find the raspberries can often bleed out. 
• Powdered sugar– To make the glaze! You can use either traditional powdered sugar or a sugar-free powdered sugar, like this confectioners’ sugar. 

The Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a deep baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine your self-rising flour with yogurt and mix well. 
3. Using your hands, form a ball with the dough.
4. Lightly flour a kitchen surface. Add a tablespoon of flour onto the ball of dough and transfer the ball of dough onto the floured surface.
5. Gently press the ball of dough into a rectangular shape. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough, until it is around 12 inches in length (30 centimeters) by 6 inches (15 centimeters). 
6. In a small mixing bowl, combine your granulated sweetener with your raspberries, and mix well.
7. Lightly spray your dough with cooking spray. Add the raspberry/sugar mixture evenly over the top. 
8. From one end of the dough to the other, roll it up slowly. Using a sharp knife, slice 12-16 small pieces of dough.
9. Place the pieces of dough in the baking dish. If desired, use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the raspberry rolls with either milk, butter, oil, or water.
10. Bake the raspberry rolls for 17-19 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
11. Remove from the oven and let cool in the tray. 
12. While the raspberry rolls are cooling, prepare the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar with either milk, yogurt, or water. Drizzle over the tops of the raspberry rolls.

Can I use fresh raspberries? 

Yes, of course. If you’d prefer fresh raspberries or if they are affordable where you are located, please do. You don’t need to change anything about the recipe when using fresh VS frozen. 

Is this recipe vegan and/or gluten-free?

Yes, as this recipe uses dairy-free yogurt and gluten-free self-rising flour, it is both vegan and gluten-free.

If you’d like this recipe to be refined sugar free, you may use a sugar substitute for both the filling and the glaze. 

Can I substitute the flour?

Unfortunately, you can only use self-rising flour for this. If you only have all-purpose flour or plain flour, you can easily make your own flour following the instructions here. 

Can I substitute the yogurt? 

The only substitutions to the Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt in this recipe are one of the following-

• Sour Cream– Sour cream can be used to replace the yogurt, as it has a thick consistency, perfect when combined with the flour. Either full-fat, non-fat or lactose-free sour cream work.
• Quark– Non-fat or full-fat quark works well too, as it has a similar flavor and texture of yogurt. 

Tips for the BEST raspberry rolls

• Be sure to use self-rising flour. Do not substitute this for something else, it will not yield the same result.
• Avoid using brown sugar. Any sugar works (white, sugar-free, etc) when mixed with the raspberries, but brown sugar has a distinct flavor.
• Brush the tops of the rolls. This isn’t mandatory, but it gives the golden shine on them.
• Do not overbake. The raspberry rolls will continue to cook as they cool down. Overbaking them will make the exteriors hard, and you want it to be firm, but still delicate. 
• Re-flour the surface is necessary. Sometimes your dough might be a little sticky, so regularly re-flour the surface. 

Storing and Freezing Raspberry Sweet Rolls

• To store: Store leftover raspberry scrolls in the refrigerator, in a sealable container. They will keep fresh for up to 5 days.
• To freeze: Place leftover rolls in a freezer-friendly container and store in the freezer. They will keep well frozen for up to 6 months.
• To thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, before reheating.
• To reheat: Either reheat in the microwave (20-30 seconds) or in an oven for 5-6 minutes, until warm. 

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