Blueberry Cheesecake Buns
Published Aug 24, 2026
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Learn how to make bakery-worthy blueberry cheesecake buns at home! If you can make cinnamon rolls, you can make these (they may even be easier!). Recipe includes a how-to video!
Blueberry Cream Cheese Buns
These blueberry cheesecake buns were so much fun to make! I saw similar pastries floating around on the internet and thought they were such an interesting (and incredibly tasty) way to work with sweet dough.
My version has rich cream cheese and jammy blueberry fillings AND a sprinkle of streusel for good measure (of course). I can’t wait for you to try them!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easier than you think! If you can handle a batch of cinnamon rolls, you can make this recipe. In fact, I think this one may even be easier (no rolling and sealing up a log or cutting exact slices). Sure, there are more components to make here (if you choose), but the technique is not at all complicated.
- Bakery-worthy results. From the sugared, golden brown finish to the sweet pops of streusel, these buns are the absolutely envy of anything you’d buy at a gourmet bakery. You will impress anyone you serve them to!
- Customizable filling. I use a cooked blueberry sauce today, but you could use raw berries, chocolate chips, or another kind of fruit. I list a few of my favorite options in the FAQ section near the bottom of this post ⬇️
Ingredients
Quite a few ingredients here, but we are making several components, after all. I’ll review the few that are most important before we start.
- Blueberries. This recipe would be especially good with wild blueberries! See my tip below about cooking vs. using raw berries, and scroll down to the FAQ section for more filling ideas!
- Cream cheese. Stick with full-fat, brick-style cream cheese and make sure it is softened (but not melty) so it’s easy to work with.
- Yeast. You will need one packet of active dry yeast for this recipe. Make sure your yeast is fresh (check the expiration date!) before you get started, or you will run into issues.
- Bread flour. Just like when making king cake or my Amish cinnamon rolls, we’re using bread flour here today. It has a higher protein content and yields an appropriately chewier texture.
- Egg + egg yolk. You probably wouldn’t believe how many different versions of this dough I tested using different egg quantities. 2 whole eggs yielded buns that were too fluffy and cakey (this doesn’t sound so bad, but in reality they were subpar), while just using 2 egg yolks made the buns too doughy and thick. I tried other variations as well, but ultimately one egg plus one egg yolk gave the perfect balance of chew and softness without being too heavy. You’ll also need another egg yolk for the filling–save those leftover egg whites for candied pecans, coconut macaroons, sea foam, brownie bark, or cookie brittle!
- Coarse sugar. This is optional, but I like to add a sprinkle of coarse sugar (the same kind I use in my banana bread cookies) over the buns before baking. It add a subtle crunchiness and a true bakery-style touch. You could use regular granulated sugar here if it’s all you have, but I linked to the bakery sugar I like in the recipe card. It’s inexpensive and mine lasts me forever.
As always, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Sam’s Tip
While I ultimately opted to cook the berries, these blueberry cheesecake buns are still very tasty with uncooked berries. Cooking them gives a bolder, juicer flavor and texture, but it isn’t totally necessary if you have great, flavorful berries and don’t feel like taking that extra step.
How to Make Blueberry Cheesecake Buns (Step-by-Step)
Dough
- Proof the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the sugar over the warmed milk. Stir, then let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. IF YOUR YEAST DOES NOT FOAM, you will have to start over! Your yeast is likely dead, or the liquid was too hot or too cold.
- Make the dough. Add the remaining sugar, eggs, and just 3 cups of the flour. Sprinkle the salt over the flour, then stir til everything is combined. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until each tablespoon is fully incorporated until adding the next. Adding the butter this way (as opposed to all at once) helps with gluten development and keeps the buns tender for longer.
- Knead. Switch your mixer attachment to the dough hook and add additional flour until the dough starts to cling to itself and pull away from the bowl (if you touch it, it should feel tacky, but the dough shouldn’t come off on your fingertips). Knead for 8-12 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- First rise. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in size; this can take anywhere from 1-2 hours.
- Form the buns. After rising, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball; I like to create surface tension by pulling the sides down and wrapping them underneath, much like I do when making dinner rolls.
- Flatten & second rise. Place buns on parchment lined baking sheets and flatten with your hands. Cover again for the second rise; you want them to be puffed and about 50% larger this time.
Fillings & Toppings
- Cook the topping. Cook half of the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice over medium low heat until the berries release their juices and the sauce thickens.
- Let cool. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the remaining blueberries. Let this cool while you prepare the remaining components (pop it in the fridge to speed things up, if needed!).
- Make the crumb topping. Stir together the sugars, flour, and salt, then drizzle the melted butter overtop. Claw everything together with a fork until you have a clumpy, evenly moistened mixture.
- Make the filling. Stir together the softened cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Assembly
- Indent & egg wash. Create a shallow well in the center of each bun using the floured bottom of a glass (or just use your fingers). Brush with egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar (if desired–not necessary!).
- Fill & bake. Fill each bun with the cheesecake filling and then the blueberry filling (about 1 ½ tablespoons of each filling per bun). Sprinkle the streusel overtop, then bake for about 10 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 185F. Let cool, then enjoy!
Sam’s Tip
If you’d like to skip the crumb topping, feel free. I sometimes will skip it if I’m feeling a little lazy, but my family definitely prefers these blueberry cheesecake buns with the streusel!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different fruit besides blueberries?
Yes! The filling options are pretty much endless here. You could use fresh peaches, sliced or macerated strawberries, the filling from my apple turnovers or cherry turnovers, or even chocolate chips.
Use your imagination, because you can really get creative with these (and of course let me know what you try in the comment section!).
Can I make this recipe without a stand mixer?
Yes, though you will likely need to add more flour to the dough to make it manageable, which can lead to a more dry texture as mentioned below.
Why are my buns dry?
Adding too much flour to the dough and over-baking are the most likely causes. I highly recommend using a stand mixer (if you have one) to avoid adding too much flour, which can more easily happen if you mix the dough by hand. As for over-baking, keep a close eye on the buns and use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness.
Related Recipes
Let me know if you’d like to see another flavor variation!
Enjoy!
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Blueberry Cheesecake Buns
Learn how to make bakery-worthy blueberry cheesecake buns at home! If you can make cinnamon rolls, you can make these (they may even be easier!). Recipe includes a how-to video!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (236 ml) whole milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, (one 0.25 oz packet)
- ⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 4 cups (500 g) bread flour, plus additional as needed, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- 6 Tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter
- Cooking oil for greasing bowl
Blueberry topping
- ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups (300 g) fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
Crumb topping
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 3 Tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until no longer warm to the touch
Filling
- 8 oz (226 g) brick-style cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping/Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional, see note)
Instructions
- Proof the yeast: Warm milk to 110F-115F (44-46C) and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl). Add yeast and a pinch (about a teaspoon) of granulated sugar and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, until yeast is foamy.2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 cup (236 ml) whole milk
- Add the remaining sugar, egg and egg yolk, and 3 cups (375g) of flour, then sprinkle the salt over the flour. Use the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon to stir to combine.⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- Add the butter: Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer (or stirring with a wooden spoon) add butter, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until completely combined. Don’t add the next tablespoon of butter until the previous one has been completely incorporated.6 Tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter
- Add additional flour: Swap out the paddle attachment for the dough hook (if using, otherwise stir with a wooden spoon) and add remaining flour, plus any additional as needed, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and clings to itself. Dough should be tacky to the touch, but not so sticky that it sticks to your fingers.
- Knead: Knead on low speed for about 8-12 minutes (or by hand on a clean, lightly floured surface, for 10-15 minutes) until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking oil and transfer dough to bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.Cooking oil for greasing bowl
- Prepare baking sheets by lining two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Divide the dough: Once dough has finished rising, punch down to deflate and turn out onto a clean surface. Divide into 12 even pieces and roll each piece into a ball. spacing each about 2” (5cm) apart. Use your hand to gently but firmly flatten each ball. Cover and allow rise until puffed and increased in size by about 50%, about 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat: While dough is rising, preheat oven to 400F (205C) and prepare the blueberry topping, cream cheese filling, and streusel.
Make the blueberry topping
- Cook the blueberries: In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Add 1 cup (150 g) blueberries and lemon juice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until berries soften and release their juices and sauce has thickened.⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 cups (300 g) fresh or frozen blueberries, 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
- Remove from heat, add remaining 1 cup (150 g) blueberries, and stir well. Set aside to cool at least mostly before using over the cream cheese layer (you can pour it into a new container and refrigerate to expedite the process!).
Make the crumb topping
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, and salt. Drizzle in melted butter and use a fork to claw the ingredients together until clumpy and all flour is absorbed.½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon table salt, 3 Tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
Make the cream cheese filling
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined and lump-free. Set aside.8 oz (226 g) brick-style cream cheese, ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar, 1 egg yolk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Assemble
- Indent the dough: Once dough has puffed, lightly flour the bottom of a glass and use this to firmly press down into the center of each bun, making an indent/nest for the filling (I keep a small dish of flour by me and dip the bottom of the glass in flour between indenting buns… you could also just use your unfloured fingers to make the center “nests”!) .
- Brush with egg wash: Make an egg wash by combining egg and water and whisking until well combined. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush each bun all over with egg wash. Sprinkle the edges of the pastries with coarse sugar, if desired.1 egg, 1 teaspoon water, Coarse sugar
- Fill: Evenly divide the cheesecake filling into the nests of each bun (about 1 ½ Tablespoons per pastry). Use the back of a spoon to gently press the cream cheese filling, making a sort of “nest” for the blueberry filling.
- Top with blueberries: Evenly divide the blueberry mixture into the cream cheese filling (about 1 ½ Tablespoons per pastry), gently pressing into the cream cheese mixture.
- Add streusel: Generously sprinkle streusel evenly over each entire pastry.
- Bake: Transfer to center rack of 400F (205C) preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until edges have turned a light golden brown and the dough has reached 185-190F (85-88C) if temped with an instant thermometer.
- Allow to cool on baking sheet before enjoying.
Notes
Stand mixer
A stand mixer is best and recommended for best results and softest blueberry buns. Making by hand is fine, but usually requires adding a bit more flour than you would have to add with a stand mixer, which can make the rolls buns less tender.Coarse sugar
I like this coarse bakery sugar, but any coarse sugar (or just plain granulated sugar) would also work just fine.Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Nutrition
Serving: 1bun | Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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