If you love the flavor of jelly donuts but want to skip the frying and fuss, these baked raspberry buns are exactly what you need! They’re fluffy, soft, and sweet with a dollop of raspberry jam baked right in the center — kind of like a hybrid between a dinner roll, a thumbprint cookie, and a Danish pastry. The result? A perfectly baked treat that tastes just like your favorite jelly-filled donut, minus the grease and hassle.
What Makes These Raspberry Buns Special?
The dough is inspired by classic breakfast pastries, but without the complex folding or laminating. Instead, it’s a simple, lightly sweetened yeast dough that’s easy to prepare and yields soft, tender buns every time. The jam filling is baked right into an indent on top of each bun — think of it like a thumbprint cookie, but bigger and fluffier! Finally, the buns are finished off with a simple raspberry icing made from powdered sugar, jam, and a splash of water, plus a delicate dusting of powdered sugar for extra charm.
How to Make These Sweet Raspberry Buns
Ingredients:
- Warm water, egg, vanilla, melted butter
- Flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt
- Vegetable oil for brushing
- Raspberry jam (store-bought or homemade)
- Powdered sugar, raspberry jam, and water for icing
Step-by-step:
- Mix your wet ingredients (water, egg, vanilla, butter) until combined.
- Stir in the dry ingredients and form a sticky dough.
- Knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed.
- Let the dough rise, covered, in a warm spot until doubled in size — about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 8 (or 10–12 smaller) balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Let them rise again, covered, until puffy — around 30 to 45 minutes.
- Press an indent into the center of each bun using a small jar or your thumb.
- Fill each indent with a teaspoon of raspberry jam.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) until golden and jam is bubbly, about 15–20 minutes.
- Cool slightly, then drizzle with raspberry icing and dust with powdered sugar.
Tips for Working with Yeast Dough
- Fresh yeast matters! Use yeast within 6 months of opening for best rise and flavor.
- Mind the temperature: Liquids should be warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
- Double rise: Letting the dough rest twice helps make the buns extra fluffy and soft.
Customize Your Fillings!
Feel free to swap raspberry jam with your favorite preserves — strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, or apricot work beautifully. Want to try something different? Apple pie filling, lemon curd, or even Nutella are delicious options as long as the filling is thick and can bake well.
Storage
These buns are best enjoyed fresh on the day you bake them but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Warm slightly before serving to bring back that fresh-baked softness!
Try These Other Favorites!
- Baked Crème Brûlée Donuts
- Raspberry Chocolate Cake
- Cinnamon Monkey Bread
- Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
Yield: 8 large buns
Total Time: About 3 hours (including rising and baking)
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
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast**
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup raspberry jam
For the Raspberry Icing:
- 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons raspberry jam
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water
- Extra powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together warm water, egg, vanilla, and melted butter.
- Add 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Mix until sticky.
- Gradually add more flour (up to 2 cups) and mix until dough forms a rough ball.
- Knead on a floured surface or in the bowl until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed. Dough should be slightly tacky but spring back when pressed.
- Shape into a ball, place in bowl, brush with oil, cover, and let rise 45–60 minutes until doubled.
- Punch down dough and divide into 8 (or 10–12 smaller) portions. Roll each into smooth balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart.
- Cover and let rise again 30–45 minutes until puffy and doubled.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Press an indent into the center of each bun about halfway down using a small jar or your thumb, careful not to pierce through.
- Fill each indent with about 1 teaspoon raspberry jam.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and jam is bubbly. Cool slightly.
- For icing: whisk powdered sugar, raspberry jam, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Thin with more water if needed.
- Drizzle icing over buns and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Water temperature should be warm, about 110°F (feel like warm tap water).
- To use active dry yeast, dissolve it in warm water with 1 tbsp sugar first and wait for it to foam before mixing dough.