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Ready yourself for this soft, pillowy vatrushka bun recipe. These delightful Eastern European cheese pastries are similar to Danishes and perfect for breakfast or dessert!

Russian & Ukrainian Vantrushka buns

A lot of my readers are from the former Soviet Union, and if you went to school during that time, you’ve gotta remember vatrushki! I remember my school days vividly, and these pastries were a popular dessert there. They’re similar to Danishes, but with a slightly more fluffy dough and a cream cheese/farmer’s cheese filling. It’s a simple and easy pastry — exactly what I love (and need) when it comes to baking!

Hot tip: If you love fluffy sweet buns, you will love our brioche buns recipe.

Vatrushki Video

How To Make Vatrushki

Each time I make vatrushki, I remember another fun memory from my school days. It’s my “flashback” dessert if you want to call it that. Good thing you only need 30 minutes of prep and a couple hours to let them rise before you start baking away (which for me is the perfect amount of time to reminisce about my childhood).

  • Prepare the yeast mixture: Combine the yeast with milk and a bit of sugar. Rest the mixture for about 10 minutes.
  • Add in more ingredients: Whisk in the eggs, mayo, salt, and sugar.
  • Mix in the flour: Using a mixer, slowly add in the flour. Once the flour is mixed in well, add the oil. Knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is elastic. Allow the dough to rise for an hour.
  • Cut the dough: Cut and shape the dough into about 30 flattened balls. Space them out on a sheet pan or two and allow them to rise, covered, for 30 minutes.
  • Hollow out the centers: Use a glass to hollow out the center of each bun for the filling.
  • Prepare the filling: Combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese (or farmers cheese), eggs, and sugar.
  • Add the filling & bake: Fill each bun center with the filling and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Filling variations: Vatrushka can be filled with tons of different fillings, too (just like danishes!). Add berries or a dollop of raspberry jam on top of the cream cheese filling for a fruity taste! Or for a citrusy spin, add a splash of lemon juice, lemon zest, or lemon curd!

Dough starter in a bowl for vatrushka
Vatrushka dough in a bowl
Vatrushka dough for buns on a baking sheet
Vatrushka dough with a filling on a tray
Vatrushka pirozhki in a bowl

Tips for Great Vatrushka Buns

What is the secret to a delicious vatrushka bun? There’s actually no secret — I’ve got all the tips you’ll need right here!

  • Use a good quality flour: I have consistently had the best results with Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Flour. The dough turns out perfect every time!
  • Mix with a stand mixer: It’s super easy to get the correct dough consistency when you knead the dough with a stand mixer. This is my favorite one.
  • Oil the glass: When hollowing out the centers with a glass (for the filling), oil the glass. Now it won’t stick to the dough!
  • Use two baking sheets: Your dough balls will need space for rising and you don’t want the pastries to overlap when baking, so divide them between two large sheet pans. This set is my favorite!
  • Give the buns an egg wash (optional): For an extra golden color, I often brush the pastries with an egg wash before filling and baking them.
  • Slightly overfill the centers: Add enough filling to the center of the pastry that it begins to slightly “dome” over. The cheese shrinks as it bakes, so you want to have a little bit extra in there.
Vantrushka pirozhki prepared on a bowl

Storing Vatrushka

Vatrushka (like many pastries) taste the absolute best right after baking. The warm center and soft dough is to-die-for! But, in case of extras, here are my suggestions on how to best store them.

  • Room temperature: If you have only a few left over, place them in an airtight container and store them on the counter for 2-3 days.
  • Refrigerator: To store for a week, keep the vatrushki in an airtight container in the fridge.
  • Freezer: Fully bake and cool the pastries. Then, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheating tip: Vatrushka can be enjoyed either cold or warmed up — it’s up to you! If you want yours warm, put them in the microwave for just a few seconds, or heat a whole tray in the oven until warmed through.

More Sweet Bun Recipes

Recipe

Vatrushka pirozhki in a bowl

Vatrushka Buns (Moms Recipe)

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Servings
30 Units
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rising Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
Ready yourself for these soft, pillowy vatrushka buns. They're delightful Eastern European cheese pastries similar to Danishes and perfect for breakfast or dessert!

Ingredients

Filling

  • 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 16 oz farmers cheese or cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup golden raisins optional
US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast with two cups of warm milk (110°F) and one tablespoon of sugar. Let this mixture rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
  • Add the eggs, mayonnaise, salt, and remaining sugar to the mixture, whisking to combine.
    Dough starter in a bowl for vatrushka
  • Gradually mix in the flour with a spatula. Once the flour is all mixed in, add oil to the mixture. It's important to add the oil last, as this helps with the dough texture. Use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to knead the dough until it's elastic, this will take at least 10 minutes. The dough should not be sticky, but still soft. Then, allow the dough to rise for about an hour.
    Vatrushka dough in a bowl
  • Cut the dough into 30 equal pieces (a dough or bench scraper works great here). Shape each piece into a flattened ball. Place the balls 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet, and cover with a towel. Let them rise for 30 minutes.
    Vatrushka buns dough pieces rising
  • After rising, press each bun in the center with the bottom of a glass to hollow out the center for the filling. You'll want to space out the balls of dough before pressing into them, so that the pastries don't touch. Use two baking sheets to fit all of the buns.
    Vatrushka dough for buns on a baking sheet
  • Whisk the cream cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, and sugar together to create the filling. Optionally, you can add raisins to the filling. (Note: If adding raisins, they will need to be soaked in boiled water for 10-15 minutes and then drained, before combining with the cheese.)
    cheese, raisins and eggs in a bowl
  • Fill each center with the sweet cheese filling.
    Vatrushka dough with a filling on a tray
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake one tray of vatrushka buns at a time, the other tray can rest on the counter in the meantime. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!
    Vatrushka pirozhki in a bowl
Nutrition Facts
Vatrushka Buns (Moms Recipe)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 224 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 206mg9%
Potassium 132mg4%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 290IU6%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Updated January 27, 2025

About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.