Plyushki with Raisins — Simple Sweet Buns

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Welcome to a taste of pure comfort! Today, we're baking Plyushki with raisins, a beloved classic from Eastern European kitchens. These aren't just any sweet buns; they are a nostalgic treat that evokes memories of cozy afternoons and the warm, inviting scent of yeast and sugar. Plyushki are known for their incredibly soft, pillowy texture and delightful sweetness, enhanced by juicy raisins scattered throughout the dough. This recipe is wonderfully straightforward, making it a perfect project for a relaxing weekend or a fun baking session with family. Let's create these charming, knotted buns together!

A plate of freshly baked Plyushki with raisins, dusted with powdered sugar.

Plyushki with Raisins — Simple Sweet Buns

Cooking: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Quantity: 10 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 280 kcal
Proteins: 7 g
Fats: 6 g
Carbohydrates: 49 g

Ingredients for Plyushki with Raisins

  • 500 g all-purpose flour
  • 60 g sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 45 g butter
  • 230 ml milk
  • 4 g salt
  • 2 tsp instant yeast
  • 70 g raisins
  • powdered sugar for dusting

How to Make Plyushki with Raisins

A white bowl containing sugar, salt, and a cracked egg, ready for mixing the bun dough.

In a bowl, combine the granulated sugar and salt, and crack in one egg.

Whisking a mixture of milk, sugar, and eggs in a white bowl to form a smooth liquid base.

Whisk the milk with the sugar and eggs.

Pouring melted butter from a small saucepan into the bowl with the milk and egg mixture.

Melt the butter and pour it into the bowl with the wet ingredients.


Let’s make the dough. In a bowl, combine the granulated sugar and salt, and crack in one egg. Crack the second egg into a small bowl and whisk it. Set aside 2-3 teaspoons of the egg mixture for glazing the buns later, and pour the rest into the bowl with the sugar. Whisk until smooth.

Pour in the milk. There’s no need to heat the ingredients beforehand; we’ll be adding melted butter, which will warm everything up. Whisk the milk with the sugar and eggs.

Melt the butter and pour it into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir – the mixture will become slightly warm, which is perfect for the dough.

Sifting all-purpose flour through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl of wet ingredients.

Sift the all-purpose flour into the bowl with the wet ingredients.

Sprinkling a spoonful of instant yeast over the mound of sifted flour in the mixing bowl.

Sprinkle the instant yeast over the flour.

A bowl of raisins soaking in hot water to plump them up before adding to the dough.

Rinse the raisins thoroughly and soak them in boiling water for a couple of minutes.


Sift the all-purpose flour into the bowl with the wet ingredients. This type of flour is best for enriched dough.

Sprinkle the instant yeast over the flour.

Rinse the raisins thoroughly and soak them in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Then, drain them in a sieve and spread them on a paper towel to dry completely.

A person kneading the soft, smooth dough on a lightly floured surface.

Knead the dough thoroughly for 10-12 minutes, either by hand or in a stand mixer.

Knead the dough thoroughly for 10-12 minutes, either by hand or in a stand mixer. Once the dough is no longer sticky, add the dried raisins. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and leave it in a warm place for 2 to 2.5 hours. An ambient temperature of 24-27°C (75-81°F) is ideal for the yeast to work.

The risen dough punched down and divided into several equal-sized balls on a work surface.

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 9-12 equal pieces.

Hands rolling a portion of dough into a long, thin rope shape on a wooden board.

Roll each piece of dough into a rope about 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) long.

A close-up of a dough rope being tied into a neat knot to form the classic plyushka shape.

Tie the dough rope into a knot and tuck the ends underneath.


Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 9-12 equal pieces. To ensure the plyushki (traditional Eastern European sweet buns) are all the same size, I recommend weighing each piece on a kitchen scale.

Roll each piece of dough into a rope about 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) long. Try to tuck any exposed raisins into the dough, as they can burn during baking.

Tie the dough rope into a knot and tuck the ends underneath.

Several shaped, unbaked plyushki arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ready to rise.

Shape the remaining plyushki in the same way and place them on a baking sheet.

A pastry brush applying a thin layer of egg wash to the risen plyushki before baking.

Once the buns have risen, gently brush them with the reserved egg wash.

A baking sheet with golden-brown plyushki baking inside a hot oven.

Place the baking sheet in the fully preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.


Shape the remaining plyushki in the same way and place them on a baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet in a large plastic bag or a proofing box for 30 minutes to let them rise. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Once the buns have risen, gently brush them with the reserved egg wash.

Place the baking sheet in the fully preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.

A beautiful arrangement of warm, golden plyushki with raisins, generously dusted with powdered sugar.

Dust the finished plyushki with raisins with powdered sugar and serve with tea.

Dust the finished plyushki with raisins with powdered sugar and serve with tea.

And there you have it—a batch of beautiful, golden-brown Plyushki, fresh from the oven! We hope you enjoyed the simple magic of turning basic ingredients into these wonderfully soft and aromatic sweet buns. They are best enjoyed warm, perhaps with a cup of hot tea, coffee, or a glass of cold milk. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days. Feel free to experiment with other fillings like cinnamon sugar or poppy seeds next time. Happy baking, and enjoy every delicious bite!