Raspberry Rose Cheesecake Buns (Printable Version)

Soft, pillowy buns with creamy rose cheesecake filling and tangy raspberry compote—a floral, fruity delight.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ¼ cup caster sugar
03 - 2 ¼ tsp instant dry yeast
04 - ¼ tsp salt
05 - 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 large egg

→ Cheesecake Filling

08 - 7 oz cream cheese, room temperature
09 - ¼ cup icing sugar
10 - 1 tsp rose water
11 - 1 egg yolk

→ Raspberry Compote

12 - 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries
13 - 3 tbsp caster sugar
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice

→ Topping

15 - 1 tbsp milk for brushing
16 - 1 tbsp demerara sugar
17 - 2 tbsp chopped pistachios or dried edible rose petals

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add lukewarm milk, softened butter, and egg. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand or stand mixer for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour until doubled in volume.
02 - Combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using.
03 - Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, rose water, and egg yolk in a bowl until completely smooth and creamy. Set aside until ready to assemble buns.
04 - Punch down risen dough to release air. Divide into 12 equal portions. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a disc approximately 4 inches in diameter. Arrange discs on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each.
05 - Press a deep indentation into the center of each dough disc using your thumb or back of a spoon. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of cheesecake filling into each well, then top with 1 teaspoon of cooled raspberry compote.
06 - Cover baking tray loosely with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel. Let buns proof for 30-40 minutes until noticeably puffy and expanded.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush exposed dough edges with milk using a pastry brush. Sprinkle demerara sugar over tops for crunch, if desired.
08 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until buns are golden brown and filling is set. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring. Garnish with chopped pistachios or rose petals while slightly warm, if using.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The rose water adds this subtle sophisticated fragrance that makes everyone ask what the secret ingredient is
  • These look like they came from a fancy European bakery but the dough is surprisingly forgiving
  • The combination of warm pillowy dough with cool creamy filling and bright raspberry is absolute magic
02 -
  • Warm milk should feel like bath temperature any hotter and it will kill your yeast
  • The cheesecake filling will puff up dramatically in the oven then settle as it cools which is completely normal
  • These are best served within a few hours but you can reheat them briefly to recapture that fresh-baked magic
03 -
  • If your dough is too sticky to handle resist adding more flour and just oil your hands instead
  • The indentation in each bun should be deeper than you think because the filling will puff up and fill the space

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