Rasp Buns
Soft, sweet Rasp Buns made from my Mum’s recipe book, with a wee spoonful of raspberry jam baked into the centre. This easy British bun recipe comes together quickly with simple ingredients and no faff, making it perfect for a quick bake; a change from scones, or a cosy treat with a cuppa.
These Rasp Buns come from my Mum’s recipe book – one of those simple, reliable bun recipes that you will make again and again because it just works. They’re soft, lightly sweet buns with a crisp outer and a spoonful of jam baked into the middle. Perfect when you fancy a quick home bake without any fuss.
They’re very much in the same family as my Rock Buns, Paris Buns, and Coffee Buns – no proving, no complicated shaping, and no need to overthink it. If you’re looking for something a bit different from a scone, but still easy enough to make on a whim, these will do nicely. Pop them on a plate with a pot of tea, and they’re great for serving to guests – without feeling like you’ve had to spend hours in the kitchen.
Rasp Buns are also a brilliant bake to do with kids. The dough is forgiving, the shaping is simple, and adding the jam centres is always the favourite (somewhat sticky!) part. And it’s the kind of recipe that doesn’t matter if things aren’t perfect, which is exactly what you want when little hands are helping.
Traditionally, these buns are made with raspberry jam (hence the name), but they’re very versatile. Strawberry, blackcurrant, apricot… whatever you’ve already got open in the fridge will work just fine. Strictly speaking, it might not be a rasp bun anymore if you change the flavour, but no one’s going to complain once they’ve had a bite.
So, if you’re after an easy bun recipe that’s ideal for a quick snack with a cuppa, a simple bake for the weekend, or something a wee bit different to serve up when friends pop round, these Raspberry Jam Buns are always a good shout.
Top Tips for Rasp Buns:
• Self-Raising Flour works best: This recipe is designed for self-raising flour, which gives the buns their light, soft texture. If you don’t have any to hand, you can use plain flour with baking powder instead.
• Add the Milk gradually: You may not need all of the milk, depending on a few varying factors. Add it a little at a time and stop once you have a soft dough that comes together easily without being sticky. Different flours absorb liquid slightly differently.
• Don’t overwork the dough: Mix just until everything comes together. Overworking the dough can make the buns a bit tough rather than soft and tender. Treat them like scones – a soft touch is required.
• Thin the jam slightly before using: Stir a small amount of freshly boiled water into your jam to loosen it. This makes it much easier to spoon into the buns, and it also helps stop it from becoming too thick or toffee-like as it bakes.
• Raspberry jam is traditional, but not essential: Rasp buns are traditionally made with raspberry jam, but strawberry, blackcurrant, or apricot all work well, too. Use whatever you like or already have open – just bear in mind it won’t strictly be a rasp bun if you change the flavour!
• Best enjoyed fresh, but they do freeze well: Rasp Buns are at their best on the day they are baked, but they do freeze well once cooled. Defrost at room temperature and they’ll be ready to enjoy with a cuppa.
Raspberry Buns
INGREDIENTS
- 250 g Self-raising Flour
- 55 g Butter or Block Margarine
- 55 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 1 Free-range Egg
- 2-3 tbsp Milk (dairy, soya, oat…)
- 4 tsp Raspberry Jam (Raspberry Jelly)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 190° (or 170°c for a fan-assisted oven, Gas Mark 5 or 375°F) and grease a couple of baking sheets with some excess butter/marargine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour. Add the butter/margarine and rub together with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the caster sugar and egg to the mixture, then start add the milk a spoonful at a time, mixing together to create a thick, sticky dough (you may not need all of the milk).
- Roll a small amount of dough in your hands to make a ball, about the size of a ping-pong ball. Place onto your prepared baking sheets and repeat with the rest of the dough, making 12 balls in total.
- Using a floured finger, poke a hole in the top of each bun, and gently pressing downwards.
- Spoon a small amount of jam into these holes – using a small teaspoon and adding a little water to your jam beforehand will make this step a little easier.
- Bake in your preheated oven for around 12-15 minutes until they have risen a little and have nice golden colour.
- Allow the buns to cool a little on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
NOTES:
Storage:
Rasp buns are best enjoyed on the day they’re baked, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. The texture may change as time passes – this is normal.Freezing:
Once completely cooled, the buns can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag or container. Defrost at room temperature and enjoy as is, or warm slightly before serving.Substitutions:
- Flour: This recipe works best with self-raising flour. If needed, you can use plain flour with baking powder: 250g plain flour and 3-4 tsp baking powder.
- Jam: Raspberry jam is traditional, but strawberry, blackcurrant, apricot, or any similar jam will work just as well. I like to use a seedless jam, but you can use whatever you prefer.
- Milk: You may not need all of the milk listed – add it gradually until you have a soft, workable dough.
- Butter or Block Margarine: Either can be used in this recipe with equally good results. Just be sure to use a block margarine, as opposed to the spreadable kind. The latter will create a dough that is much too soft and will spread more than you would want, too.
Rasp Buns are simple British buns made with a soft, lightly sweet dough and a spoonful of jam baked into the centre – traditionally raspberry jam, which is where the name comes from. Think of them as somewhere between a rock bun and a scone: easy to make, not overly sweet, and perfect with a cup of tea. While raspberry jam is traditional, you can make them with whatever jam you have to hand.
The name comes from the traditional use of raspberry jam baked into the centre. If you use a different flavour, they’ll still be delicious wee buns – just not strictly a rasp bun.
Yes. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can use plain flour with baking powder instead. See the recipe above for exact quantities.
Raspberry jam is traditional, but any similar jam will work. Thicker jams tend to hold their shape better, but loosening the jam slightly with a little boiled water can make it easier to use and help prevent it from becoming too sticky when baked.
Free-from & Vegan:
Gluten-free: You could try using a gluten-free self-raising flour blend in place of the regular self-raising flour, to make these gluten-free Raspberry Buns. As this recipe hasn’t been tested gluten-free, results may vary, and you may need to adjust the milk quantity slightly to get the right dough consistency. Be sure to also check your jam is gluten-free, too.
Dairy-free: These Rasp Buns can be made dairy-free by using a dairy-free margarine in place of butter and your favourite milk alternative. Most traditional jam is naturally dairy-free, but it’s always worth checking the label.
Egg-free: This recipe does contain egg, but you could try replacing it with a simple egg substitute such as a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 2½ tbsp water, left to thicken). I haven’t tested this variation, so the texture may differ slightly, but it should still produce a soft bun.
Vegan: To make these vegan Raspberry Buns, simply follow the dairy-free and egg-free tips above.
N.B. Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely that – suggestions. Please be careful to double-check all ingredients individually, taking extra caution when serving to those with allergies & intolerances.
For more info on common food allergies, please see food.gov.uk | For more info on coeliac disease, please see coeliac.org.uk | For more info on a vegan diet, please see vegansociety.com
Originally published in April 2020. Updated in February 2026.
Thank you to Naomi Seiler for creating the updated photos.
I made these today and they are delicious! I added 40g of dessicated coconut to the dough and it worked very well. Definitely will make again. Simple and tasty :)
I made your millionaire shortbread recipe and gave it to friends, they all said it was Amazing!
I made a raspberry bun for school.so delishous