Raspberry Rose Cheesecake Buns (Printable Version)

Soft sweet buns filled with rose cream cheese and fresh raspberry compote for a floral dessert experience.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 ½ 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 - 5 oz 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:

01 - Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add lukewarm milk, softened butter, and egg. Mix until shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand or stand mixer for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm location for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
02 - Place raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes until thickened and jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using.
03 - Beat cream cheese, icing sugar, rose water, and egg yolk together until smooth and creamy. Set aside at room temperature for easy spreading.
04 - Punch down risen dough to release air. Divide into 12 equal portions. Flatten each piece into a small disc approximately 3 inches in diameter. Arrange discs on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each for rising.
05 - Create a deep indentation in the center of each dough disc using your thumb or the back of a spoon. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of cheesecake filling into each well, then top with 1 teaspoon of cooled raspberry compote.
06 - Cover buns loosely with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel. Let rise at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes until noticeably puffy and expanded.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush dough edges lightly with milk using a pastry brush. Sprinkle demerara sugar over the tops for crunch, if desired.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until tops are golden brown and filling is set. Transfer to wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped pistachios or rose petals while slightly warm, if using.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of tangy raspberry and floral rose creates something sophisticated yet deeply comforting
  • These buns strike that perfect balance between impressive looking and surprisingly straightforward to make
02 -
  • Rose water varies wildly in strength between brands, so always start with less and taste your filling before adding more
  • The compote must be completely cold before filling or your dough will start to proof prematurely in all the wrong places
03 -
  • If your dough feels too sticky to handle, lightly flour your hands instead of adding more flour to the dough itself
  • The indentation in each bun should be deeper than you think to accommodate both fillings without overflowing

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