HOT TAKE: I used to love cinnamon rolls growing up, but these days… they’re just too sweet for me. They feel like dessert pretending to be breakfast. And while I respect the cinnamon roll’s place in history, my taste buds wanted something brighter, tangier, and a little more complex. That’s how these Raspberry Lemon Sweet Rolls were born—a sour-sweet twist that still gives you that soft, pillowy roll texture you crave, but with a burst of berry brightness and a zing of lemon to keep things lively.

This recipe is my own creation, developed with two main goals in mind:

Use less butter and fewer eggs without sacrificing that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Highlight fresh, vibrant flavors instead of overwhelming sweetness.

The result? A delicate, fluffy dough swirled with juicy raspberries, topped with tangy lemon cream cheese frosting. It’s the kind of roll you could serve at brunch with coffee, at a bridal shower with mimosas, or—let’s be honest—straight from the pan in your pajamas.

Why Raspberry + Lemon?

Lemon and raspberry are one of those flavor combinations that just work. The tartness of raspberries cuts through the richness of the dough, while the lemon brings a fresh, sunny brightness that makes you want to take another bite (and another). The frosting is intentionally lighter than a heavy glaze—cream cheese for tang, lemon juice and zest for zing, and just enough powdered sugar to pull it all together.

Plus, I discovered a little practical magic while developing this recipe: frozen raspberries make these so much easier to roll than traditional cinnamon rolls. Instead of a sticky sugar-and-butter mess, the frozen berries hold their shape and spread evenly. By the time they bake, the berries melt into little pockets of sweet-tart jam.

Overnight Sweet Roll Strategy

Let’s be real—sweet rolls are a labor of love. There’s yeast, rising, rolling, filling, shaping, and a second rise before you even get to the baking part. That’s why I almost always make mine the night before.

Here’s the plan:

Day 1 evening: Make the dough, let it rise, fill, roll, slice, and arrange in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2 morning: Pull them from the fridge, let them come to room temperature and puff up (about 45–60 minutes), then bake.

You’ll have warm, bakery-style sweet rolls without having to get up at 5 a.m. And yes, you can make the frosting the night before, too—just pull it out of the fridge when you take the rolls out so it softens. If it’s still too firm when the rolls are ready, a quick spin with a hand mixer will whip it right into shape.

Ingredients

For the Dough

1 cup whole milk
2¼ teaspoons rapid rising yeast (1 packet)
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
4 to 4½ cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling

⅓ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
10 ounces frozen raspberries (about 1¼ cups)

For the Icing

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Make the Dough (First Rise)

Warm your milk to about 110°F (use short 15–30 second bursts in the microwave so you don’t overheat it). Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook or paddle attachment—or a large mixing bowl if working by hand.

Add about 2 tablespoons of your sugar to the milk, then sprinkle in the yeast. Stir and let sit for about 10 minutes, or until bubbly.

Cut your softened butter into four pieces and add it to the bowl along with the remaining sugar, salt, and vanilla. It’s fine if the butter doesn’t fully mix yet—it will work in once you add flour.

Beat in the egg and 1–2 cups of flour. Mix to combine, then add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time until you reach 4 cups. The dough should be soft, slightly sticky, and easy to handle. If it’s still too sticky, add up to ½ cup more flour.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled—about 1 hour.

2. Form the Rolls (Second Rise)

Punch down the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12″ × 18″ rectangle.

Make the filling by mixing the sugar, cornstarch, and frozen raspberries in a medium bowl. Break up any larger berries for more even distribution.

Spread the filling over the dough, then roll tightly from the long edge into an 18″ log. Slice into 12 pieces and arrange swirl-side-up in a greased 9 × 13 pan.

Let rise again until doubled (about 1 hour at room temp, or overnight in the fridge if using the make-ahead method).

3. Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 28–32 minutes, or until golden on top and cooked through in the center.

4. Make the Frosting

If your cream cheese is cold, microwave it for about 15 seconds. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla, and mix again. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until creamy.

5. Frost and Serve

Spread the frosting over the warm rolls so it melts slightly into the swirls. Serve immediately for maximum gooey goodness.

Final Thoughts

These Raspberry Lemon Sweet Rolls are everything I wanted cinnamon rolls to be: soft, fluffy, sweet without being cloying, and bursting with flavor. The lemon frosting keeps things fresh, the raspberries add a tangy surprise, and the overnight option makes them totally doable for a weekend treat.

Once you’ve tried them, you might just find yourself becoming a sour-sweet roll person, too.

Raspberry Lemon Sweet Rolls

Stir & Chill

These fruity sweet rolls balance sour and sweet to make a delightful breakfast or brunch

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 2

Total Time 3 10

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Servings 1 dozen

Equipment

1 stand mixer or large bowl and wooden spoon for the dough
1 hand mixer for the frosting