Blueberry Cheesecake Buns
These Blueberry Cheesecake Sweet Buns are soft brioche buns topped with a creamy cheesecake filling, wild blueberries and a buttery streusel. They’re similar to Danishes, but not quite, since the dough is different. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
💜Makes 8 large sweet buns - This recipe gives you 8 generously sized buns, perfect for sharing or enjoying over a few days.
💜Soft and fluffy brioche dough - The brioche dough is rich, soft and buttery. Super delish!
💜Creamy cheesecake filling - Each bun is topped with a smooth and creamy cream cheese filling that pairs perfectly with the soft dough.
💜Juicy blueberry topping - The wild blueberries add a fresh, slightly tangy flavor that balances the sweetness of the buns.
💜Buttery streusel topping - The streusel adds a light crunch.
💜Similar to Danishes, but different - If you love Danishes, you’ll love these. They have a similar vibe but with a softer, more bread-like texture.
💜Customizable toppings - You can easily switch things up. Try raspberries, strawberries or even chocolate chips instead of blueberries.
💜Great for breakfast or dessert - They work perfectly as a sweet breakfast, afternoon treat or even a simple dessert.
💜Looks bakery-style - These buns look like something you’d get from a bakery, but you can easily make them at home.
Important tips and tricks
→ Do not skip the second proof - The second rise is what gives these buns their soft and fluffy texture. Skipping it will result in dense buns, so make sure to let them rise properly after shaping.
→ Reheat before serving - These buns are best enjoyed slightly warm. Since they’re stored in the fridge, reheating them helps soften the dough again and makes the filling extra creamy.
→ Do not overbake - Keep an eye on the buns while baking. Overbaking can dry them out and make them less soft. They should be lightly golden on top but still soft inside.
→ Store in an airtight container in the fridge - Because of the cream cheese filling, these buns should be stored in the fridge. Keep them in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
→ You can freeze the dough for later - If you don’t want to bake the whole batch at once, you can freeze the dough after the first rise. Shape it into rounds, wrap tightly and freeze. When ready to use, let them thaw in the fridge overnight, bring to room temperature, let them rise again, then fill and bake.
→ Use oiled hands or gloves to handle the dough - This dough is slightly sticky, which can make shaping a bit tricky. Lightly oil your hands or wear gloves to make the process much easier.
→ Don’t add too much extra flour - It can be tempting to add more flour if the dough feels sticky, but try not to. Adding too much flour can make the buns dry instead of soft and fluffy.
How to Knead Dough?
Kneading by hand
Kneading by hand takes a bit of time, but it’s very doable. Start by adding all your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk them together. Then add the wet ingredients and mix using a dough whisk, wooden spoon or spatula until a rough, shaggy dough forms. It won’t look smooth yet and that’s completely normal.
Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface. Begin kneading by pushing the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, then folding it back over itself. Turn it slightly and repeat: push, fold, turn. At first, the dough will feel sticky and messy, but keep going. After about 8-10 minutes, it will become soft, smooth and elastic. Try not to add too much extra flour, as this can make the buns dense. The dough is ready when it stretches easily without tearing and springs back gently when poked.
Kneading with a stand mixer
Using a stand mixer makes the process easier and quicker. Start by adding all your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk them together. Then add the wet ingredients and start mixing on low speed so the ingredients can come together without making a mess. Once a rough dough forms, increase the speed slightly and let it knead for about 6-8 minutes.
The dough should start pulling away from the sides of the bowl and come together into a smooth, elastic ball. It’s ready when it feels soft, slightly tacky but not too sticky and stretches easily without tearing.
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Ingredients you will need for this recipe
For the Dough
Bread flour: You can also use all-purpose flour if that’s what you have.
Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps feed the yeast, which supports a good rise.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the dough.
Instant dry yeast: Helps the dough rise and become light and fluffy. You can also use active dry yeast, just activate it in warm milk first.
Unsalted butter (melted and cooled): Adds richness and softness to the dough. Make sure it’s cooled so it doesn’t affect the yeast.
Warm milk: Activates the yeast and creates a soft dough. It should be warm, not hot.
Egg + egg yolk: Adds richness, structure and a soft texture. The extra yolk makes the dough more tender.
Vanilla bean paste: Vanilla extract works just as well.
For the Cream Filling
Cream cheese: Creates a smooth, creamy cheesecake-style filling.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the filling and balances the tanginess of the cream cheese.
Egg: Helps set the filling while baking so it stays stable. One small or medium sized egg works.
Vanilla bean paste: Adds a rich vanilla flavor.
Lemon extract: Adds a light, fresh note that balances the richness. Substitution: You can use lemon zest instead.
For the Topping
Blueberries (wild or regular): Add freshness and a slightly tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the creamy filling.
For the Streusel
Butter (melted): Helps create that crumbly streusel texture and adds richness.
All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the streusel and gives it structure.
Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the streusel crisp up slightly while baking.
Extras
Egg (for egg wash): Brushed on top before baking to give the buns a beautiful golden, glossy finish.
Step by step instructions with photos
1. First prepare the dough.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, instant dry yeast and salt.
3. Then add the milk, butter, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract.
4. Using a stand mixer, knead on low speed for about 6-8 minutes until you get a smooth dough.
5. Once ready, place it in an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
6. Once doubled, punch the dough down and divide it into 8 equal balls, each weighing about 120g.
7. Place the balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover and let them rest for another 30 minutes.
8. While the dough is resting, prepare the streusel.
9. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, vanilla sugar and sugar.
10. Then add the melted butter and mix until it turns into a crumbly mixture.
11. Place this in the fridge for 30 minutes or until ready to use. Do not skip this step, chilling is important.
12. Next, prepare the cheesecake filling.
13. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla bean paste and sugar until smooth.
14. Then add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
15. Once the 30 minutes are up, preheat your oven to 180°C.
16. Using the bottom of a cup, make a well in each bun. You can lightly wet the cup to prevent sticking.
17. Brush each bun with egg wash.
18. Using a medium cookie scoop, add the cheesecake filling into each bun.
19. Then generously sprinkle the sides with streusel.
20. Finally, top with a generous amount of wild blueberries or regular blueberries.
21. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
22. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then serve. They taste best warm.
23. Enjoy :)
Blueberry Cheesecake Buns
These Blueberry Cheesecake Sweet Buns are soft brioche buns topped with a creamy cheesecake filling, wild blueberries and a buttery streusel. They’re similar to Danishes, but not quite, since the dough is different. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
- 525g bread flour (4 cups + 3 tablespoons)
- 80g granulated sugar (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 7g salt (1 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon)
- 7g instant dry yeast (1 packet)
- 50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled (3 tablespoons + 1/2 tablespoon)
- 230g-250g warm milk (start with 230 and add more if needed) (about 1 cup / add more if needed)
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 350g cream cheese (1 cup + 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 135g granulated sugar (2/3 cup)
- 1 medium egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
- Wild Blueberries or regular cultivated blueberries
- 35g melted butter (2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon)
- 70g all purpose flour (1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons)
- 35g sugar (3 tablespoons)
- 8g vanilla sugar (1 packet)
- An egg, for egg wash
Instructions
- First prepare the dough.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, instant dry yeast and salt.
- Then add the milk, butter, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- Using a stand mixer, knead on low speed for about 6-8 minutes until you get a smooth dough.
- Once ready, place it in an oiled bowl, cover and let it rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Once doubled, punch the dough down and divide it into 8 equal balls, each weighing about 120g.
- Place the balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover and let them rest for another 30 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, prepare the streusel.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, vanilla sugar and sugar.
- Then add the melted butter and mix until it turns into a crumbly mixture.
- Place this in the fridge for 30 minutes or until ready to use. Do not skip this step, chilling is important.
- Next, prepare the cheesecake filling.
- In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla bean paste and sugar until smooth.
- Then add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
- Once the 30 minutes are up, preheat your oven to 180°C.
- Using the bottom of a cup, make a well in each bun. You can lightly wet the cup to prevent sticking.
- Brush each bun with egg wash.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, add the cheesecake filling into each bun.
- Then generously sprinkle the sides with streusel.
- Finally, top with a generous amount of wild blueberries or regular blueberries.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
- Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then serve. They taste best warm.
- Enjoy 🫐
These Blueberry Cheesecake Sweet Buns are soft brioche buns topped with a creamy cheesecake filling, wild blueberries and a buttery streusel. They’re similar to Danishes, but not quite, since the dough is different. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.