Blackberry Sweet Rolls Recipe

Blackberry Sweet Rolls Recipe with Mānuka Honey

If you're looking for a comforting homemade baking recipe that's perfect for weekend brunch, afternoon tea or sharing with friends and family, these Blackberry Sweet Rolls are guaranteed to impress.

Made with soft, fluffy dough, a juicy blackberry filling and naturally sweetened with Steens® MGO 85+ Raw Mānuka Honey, this recipe is a delicious twist on the classic cinnamon roll. Swapping refined sugar for raw Mānuka honey adds a rich, natural sweetness that pairs beautifully with the tart blackberries.

Whether you're baking for a special occasion or simply treating yourself, these homemade blackberry rolls are worth every bite.

Why You'll Love These Blackberry Sweet Rolls

• Soft, fluffy homemade dough

• Naturally sweetened with Mānuka honey

• Bursting with juicy blackberries

• Perfect for brunch, morning tea or dessert

• Great for baking ahead

• A delicious seasonal baking recipe

Why Blackberries Work So Well

While many sweet roll recipes use blueberries, blackberries bring a slightly richer flavour with the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. As they bake, they soften into a jammy filling that complements the buttery dough and creates beautiful pockets of fruit throughout each roll.

Combined with raw Mānuka honey, the result is a naturally sweet, fruity filling that's packed with flavour without relying on refined sugar.

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 240g Milk
• 2 1/2 Tsp instant or active dry yeast
• 3 Tbsp Mānuka Honey (we used MG085+)
• 530g All-purpose flour
• 85g Softened unsalted butter
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 Tsp salt

For the Blackberry Filling

• 300g Fresh or frozen blackberries
• 3 Tbsp Mānuka Honey (we used MG085+)
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp Lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

For the Frosting

• 113g Softened cream cheese
• 30g Softened unsalted butter
• 240g Mānuka Honey (we used MG085+)
• 3 Tbsp blackberry filling
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

• Gently warm the milk until it reaches approximately 35–40°C. Pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer, then sprinkle over the yeast. If you're using active dry yeast, leave it for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy. If using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

• Add the flour, mānuka honey, salt and eggs. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on a low speed until a rough dough begins to form.
• Gradually add the softened butter, a few cubes at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding more. Continue kneading on medium speed for around 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
• If making the dough by hand, mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the butter gradually. Continue kneading for around 10 minutes until the dough becomes soft, smooth and elastic. If the dough feels sticky, resist adding too much extra flour—continued kneading will help it come together.
• Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel, beeswax wrap or reusable cover and leave it to rise somewhere warm until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours.
• For overnight rolls, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough for up to 16 hours before shaping.

Make the Blackberry Filling

• While the dough is rising, prepare the filling so it has plenty of time to cool.

• Add the blackberries, cornflour, Steens® MGO 85+ Raw Mānuka Honey, lemon juice and a pinch of salt to a saucepan over a low heat. Stir gently as the berries soften, using the back of a spoon to break them down.
• Increase the heat to medium and continue stirring until the mixture begins to bubble. Cook for another minute until it thickens into a rich, jam-like consistency.
• Transfer the filling to a bowl and allow it to cool completely before refrigerating until needed.

Shape the Rolls

• Lightly grease or line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with baking paper.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down before transferring it to a lightly floured work surface. If the dough has been refrigerated overnight, let it sit for around 10 minutes to soften slightly.

• Roll the dough into a rectangle measuring approximately 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 inches).
• Spread the cooled blackberry filling evenly over the dough, leaving about a 2.5 cm (1-inch) border around the edges. Reserve a few tablespoons of the filling for the frosting.

• Starting from the long edge, roll the dough into a tight log. Slice into 12 even rolls using a sharp serrated knife or unflavoured dental floss for clean cuts.
• Arrange the rolls in the prepared baking dish, leaving a little space between each one. Cover and leave to rise again in a warm place until noticeably puffy and almost doubled in size.

Bake

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Bake the rolls for 25–28 minutes, or until they're beautifully golden brown on top and cooked through. If they begin browning too quickly, loosely cover them with foil during the final few minutes of baking.

Prepare the Frosting

• While the rolls are baking, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until light and smooth.
• Add the mānuka honey, reserved blackberry filling, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Mix on a low speed until combined before increasing the speed and beating until the frosting is light, creamy and fluffy.
• Spread the frosting generously over the warm blackberry rolls so it melts slightly into every swirl.

Storage

• Store any leftover blackberry sweet rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
• For the best texture, warm individual rolls in the microwave for 15–20 seconds before serving to bring back their soft, fluffy centre.

Why We Bake with MGO 85+ Mānuka Honey

For this recipe, we used Steens® MGO 85+ Raw Mānuka Honey from our Table Collection. This collection has been created specifically for everyday cooking, baking and naturally sweetening your favourite recipes.

MGO 85+ has a smooth, mild flavour that works beautifully in baked goods, adding natural sweetness without overpowering the other ingredients. Whether you're making cakes, muffins, cookies, slices or sweet rolls, it's an easy way to replace refined sugar in your favourite recipes while adding the distinctive flavour of raw Mānuka honey.

Like every honey in our Table Collection, MGO 85+ is crafted using our patented Crushed Wholecomb Technology™, helping preserve naturally occurring bee bread, bee pollen and tiny pieces of honeycomb instead of filtering them out. It's a versatile pantry staple you'll reach for time and time again.

Tips for Perfect Blackberry Sweet Rolls

• Use ripe blackberries for the best flavour.

• If using frozen berries, there's no need to thaw them first.

• Don't overfill the rolls, as the fruit will soften while baking.

• Allow the dough enough time to rise for soft, fluffy rolls.

• Enjoy warm on the day they're baked or gently reheat before serving.

The Perfect Bake to Share

These Blackberry Sweet Rolls are everything you want from a homemade bake—soft, fluffy, fruity and naturally sweetened with raw Mānuka honey. They're perfect for slow weekend mornings, brunch with friends or enjoying alongside your favourite cup of coffee.

By swapping refined sugar for Steens® MGO 85+ Raw Mānuka Honey from our Table Collection, you can create delicious homemade baking with simple, wholesome ingredients and incredible flavour. Once you've made these rolls, they're sure to become a recipe you'll bake again and again.