Name: Raisin Cinnamon Rolls (Rosinenschnecken)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 235 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup raisins; 1½ cups hot water or hot apple juice; 1¼ cups milk ((warmed in the microwave on the stove to a lukewarm temperature)); 4½ cups all purpose flour; 2¼ tsp active dry yeast ((one packet)); 1/3 cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp table salt or fine sea salt; 2 large eggs; 6 Tbsp unsalted butter ((softened to room temperature)); ½ cup dark brown sugar; 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon; 4 Tbsp unsalted butter ((softened to room temperature)); 1 cup powdered sugar ((sifted)); 1 to 2 Tbsp milk

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These delicious raisin cinnamon rolls (called Rosinenschnecken in German) are packed full of flavor. Softened butter in the cinnamon and brown sugar filling creates a caramelized swirl in each bun. And soaked raisins kneaded into the dough provide a burst of fruity flavor in each bite!
For more German cinnamon roll recipes, try chocolate cinnamon rolls, hazelnut cinnamon rolls, and croissant cinnamon rolls.

A Raisin Cinnamon Roll on a black plate on a red linen.

These delicious raisin cinnamon rolls are called Rosinenschnecken in German, which translates to “raisin snails”, since the spiral design looks like a snail shell.

The dough is super soft and fluffy. A filling of cinnamon, brown sugar, and softened butter adds the perfect amount of caramelized sweetness and spice. And the raisins add a fruity pop of flavor in each bite, since they're kneaded into the dough rather than just spread out in the filling.

Making cinnamon roll dough from scratch does take more time and effort than popping open a can of premade cinnamon rolls. But I promise, the flavor and texture of homemade raisin cinnamon rolls can’t be beat!

But if you don’t feel like making homemade yeast dough, you could use store bought puff pastry dough and make homemade cruffins or puff pastry chocolate twists. Or if you feel up to a challenge, make a braided cranberry cinnamon roll wreath!

One Raisin Cinnamon Roll on a grey plate with a fork next to a tray of cinnamon rolls.

My Dad is the master of cinnamon rolls. He began practicing and perfecting his recipe when he was in 8th grade! His secret to the best cinnamon rolls is to soak the raisins before adding them to the dough. This helps the cinnamon rolls stay moist, and the raisins will burst in your mouth with their fruity juicy goodness.

Growing up in Germany, my sister and I ate so many baked goods and pastries. (Purely for educational purposes, of course…)
And while it may seem odd for a kid to love raisins, I absolutely loved the little bursts of fruity sweetness in raisin cinnamon rolls.

Why This Recipe Works

There are several different types of yeast, and I prefer using active dry yeast in my cinnamon rolls. By taking 10 minutes to activate the yeast before adding it to the dough, you can ensure your yeast is healthy and alive.
I’ve used instant yeast before, and unfortunately you don’t get to check if that type of yeast is active enough to make your bread rise until after.
So using active dry yeast saves a potential headache and disaster of having to throw out a whole batch of dough!
My Dad always soaks the raisins before mixing them into dough. This plumps them up, so you get juicy pops of flavor, rather than shriveled, dry raisins in your bread. And while my Dad usually opts to soak his raisins in port wine for at least a day or two, I find that soaking them in warm water or apple juice for about 30 minutes does the trick.
The raisins are mixed into the dough itself, rather than just added with the cinnamon filling. This distributes the raisins more evenly, so you get maximal fruity flavor in every bite!
The cinnamon filling has softened butter rather than melted butter, which helps it stay inside the bun, rather than leak out everywhere as it bakes.

Raw flour, milk, eggs, and other ingredients on a wood surface.

Ingredients and Notes

Dough

Raisins - I usually use regular (dark purple) raisins, but you could also use golden raisins or other dried fruit like cranberries or chopped dates.
Hot water - Soaking the raisins in hot water or hot apple juice rehydrates them so they don't draw moisture from the dough.
Milk - Hydrates the dough and makes the cinnamon rolls softer than using water.
All purpose flour - Provides the base structure for the dough and keeps the texture lighter compared to bread flour or wheat flour.
Active dry yeast - Leavens the dough to make it rise.
Granulated sugar - Sweetens the dough just a bit, and helps activate the yeast so the dough rises better.
Salt - I recommend using non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt rather than kosher salt in baked goods.
Eggs - Provides structure for the dough and adds a rich flavor.
Unsalted butter - Allow your butter to soften to room temperature so it can easily be incorporated into the dough.

Filling

Dark brown sugar - You can also use light brown sugar, but I like the higher molasses content in dark brown sugar, which adds more caramel flavor. Granulated sugar won't create the same gooey filling.
Ground cinnamon - Adds a spiced flavor that is essential in cinnamon rolls.
Unsalted butter - Mix the filling with softened butter, which is easier to spread onto the dough than cold or melted butter.

Glaze

Powdered sugar - Sift your powdered sugar for a silky smooth texture. Granulated sugar or brown sugar would make the glaze too grainy.
Milk - You can also use water or even orange juice to thin the glaze so it can be drizzled on your baked buns.

How to Make Rosinenschnecken

Below are the general steps to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. In a bowl, combine the warm milk, active dry yeast and granulated sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes, until it becomes frothy.

A sticky dough with raisins in a glass mixing bowl.

3. Add the flour, and mix with a large spoon. Add the drained soaked raisins to the dough. Continue mixing until it forms a sticky dough.

5. Place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl, and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rest and rise in a warm place for 2 hours, until it doubles in size.

A cinnamon sugar filling spread onto rolled-out dough.

7. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a 1 cm-thick rectangle (about 30 cm by 45 cm). Spread out the filling in an even layer on the dough.

White glaze in a brown bowl with a spoon.

9. To make the glaze, whisk powdered sugar and milk in a bowl until it is thick and glossy.

Wet ingredients to make dough in a glass mixing bowl.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the milk and yeast mixture, salt, eggs, and softened butter.

A kneaded ball of Raisin Cinnamon Roll dough in a metal mixing bowl.

4. Knead the dough by hand for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springs back to its original shape when you indent it with your finger. Shape the dough into a ball.

A butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar mixture in a bowl.

6. Prepare the filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter in a bowl until it forms a thick paste. Set aside.

Raisin Cinnamon Roll dough rolled into a log and sliced into buns.

8. Roll the dough into a log, starting at a long edge. Slice the dough log into 12 even pieces. Spread out the rolls in a greased baking dish. Bake for 40 to 45 min at 350°F.

Twelve glazed cinnamon rolls in a blue baking dish.

10. Drizzle the glaze onto the cinnamon rolls, and enjoy!!

Recipe Tips

Have all your ingredients at room temperature. This will help the yeast remain active, giving a good rise to your cinnamon roll dough. Cold ingredients could lower the temperature of the dough, slowing down the yeast’s activity.
Make sure your milk is warm (around 105°F to 115°F). Milk that’s too cold will slow or halt the yeast’s activity. And milk that’s too hot could kill the yeast.
If you don’t soak your raisins, they could draw moisture out of the dough. Even soaking them for just 15 minutes will make a world of difference! But if you forget to soak your raisins, your Rosinenschnecken will still taste delicious. 🙂
Knead your dough for at least 8 minutes, until it’s smooth and elastic. I swear, time seems to stand still when I’m kneading dough, but it’s a great arm workout! And proper kneading creates elastic dough, which will make soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls.
Dough prefers to rise at a mildly warm temperature, around 75ºF to 80ºF. In the winter (when I usually bake these rolls) I let my dough rise in the oven (turned off) with the oven light on. This provides a draft-free, warm environment.
The dough will look pretty sticky at first, but as soon as you start kneading it, it will become more elastic and stretchy. Keep adding a sprinkle of about one teaspoon of flour as you knead the dough until it no longer sticks to the counter.
If you forget to soften your butter, cut it into tablespoons and spread it out on a large plate. Microwave it on 10 second intervals until it's softened.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

I usually soak my raisins in hot water or apple juice. But you could also soak them in orange juice, port wine, rum, or tea.
Leave out the raisins and add chopped nuts to make Nußschnecken.
Substitute the raisins for other dried fruit like candied citron or cranberries for a festive holiday flair.
You can use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast. Just add the instant yeast into the dry ingredients. But make sure your instant yeast isn’t expired!

Storing

Store leftover raisin cinnamon rolls wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I usually microwave leftover cinnamon rolls for about 20 seconds to warm and soften them. Freshly baked Schnecken are always the best, but leftovers still taste great!

Twelve glazed Raisin Cinnamon Rolls on parchment paper on a cooling rack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake these ahead of time?

You can prepare the cinnamon rolls ahead of time, the night prior. After slicing the filled and rolled dough and arranging the buns in a baking dish, store them in the fridge overnight, covered in plastic wrap. Allow them to warm up at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before baking them.

Can I bake cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet instead of in a baking dish?

Yes, you can bake cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet, but they might come out of the oven a little flatter and harder on the edges. If you want softer edges on the buns, I recommend to place them close together so they're almost touching on the baking sheet.

Can I use a stand mixer to knead the dough?

Absolutely! You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough. You may only need to knead it with the stand mixer for 5 to 6 minutes.

Close-up view of the side of a Raisin Cinnamon Roll on a black plate.

More German Yeasted Bread & Cake

Raisin Cinnamon Rolls (Rosinenschnecken)

Carissa Erzen

These soft & fluffy raisin cinnamon rolls are packed full of flavor from the cinnamon and brown sugar filling and soaked raisins!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 45

Cook Time 40

Rising Time 2 30

Total Time 3 55

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine German

Servings buns

Calories 406 kcal