Chocolate Piroshki with Raspberry

These chocolate piroshki are something else — soft chocolate dough filled with a tart, zesty homemade raspberry center, topped with roasted hazelnuts. A dream for any chocolate and raspberry lover. Piroshki (small filled buns) are a classic all over Russia and Eastern Europe, usually savoury — this sweet chocolate version is my favourite twist.

Why you'll love chocolate piroshki

• Soft, fluffy chocolate dough with a gooey raspberry centre.
• Tart raspberry balances the rich chocolate perfectly.
• Crunchy roasted hazelnuts on top.
• Great for brunch, picnics and lunchboxes.

Ingredients (makes about 16 buns)

Dough

• 250g (1 cup) milk, lukewarm
• 20g fresh yeast or 1 sachet (7g) fast-action dry yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 egg
• 50g (¼ cup) oil
• 400g (3¼ cups) plain flour
• 100g (1 cup) cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt

Raspberry Filling

• 400g (3 cups) frozen raspberries
• 100g (scant 1/2 cup) raspberry juice (from the thawed raspberries)
• 50g (6 tbsp) cornstarch
• 150g (¾ cup) sugar
• 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter

To finish

• 1 egg, beaten (egg wash)
• Roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar in a bowl, leave a few minutes to prove. Add oil and egg, mix wet ingredients together.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Slowly add wet ingredients, mixing to a soft dough (about 5 minutes).
3. Oil the bowl, cover with a damp towel, rest 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. For the filling: let frozen raspberries sit at room temperature 2 hours. Drain juice and mix with cornstarch. Cook remaining raspberries with sugar and butter until melted, then quickly stir in the juice-cornstarch mixture. Cook 2-3 minutes until thickened. Cool for several hours.
5. Roll out the rested dough, pinch small portions, add a tablespoon of raspberry filling, and pinch closed from the top and around the edges.
6. Toast hazelnuts briefly, break into pieces. Egg wash each piroshki, sprinkle with hazelnuts.
7. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy warm the same day.

🍫 Love chocolate? Get my free chocolate ebook with 6 of my favourite chocolate recipes, sent straight to your inbox. Download it free here →

Alla's tips

• Make the filling ahead. It must be completely cold and thick, or it will leak.
• Sift the cocoa into the flour so there are no lumps in the dough.
• Seal the edges tightly and place the buns seam-side down.
• Don't overbake — chocolate dough is hard to judge by colour, so check that the buns sound hollow underneath.
• No hazelnuts? Use flaked almonds or a sprinkle of pearl sugar.

Storage

Best eaten on the day. Keep leftovers covered for 1 day, or freeze baked piroshki for up to 2 months and warm through in the oven.

Frequently asked questions

What are piroshki?
Piroshki are small baked or fried buns with a filling, popular across Russia and Eastern Europe. They can be savoury (meat, cabbage, potato) or sweet (fruit, jam, cottage cheese).

Can I use fresh raspberries?
Yes — mash them lightly to release some juice, and use that juice with the cornstarch.

Can I use jam instead of homemade filling?
Yes, a thick raspberry jam works as a shortcut.

Why did my filling leak?
It wasn't thick or cold enough, or the edges weren't sealed well.

Can I make the dough the night before?
Yes — let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before shaping.

More chocolate bakes to try

• Double Chocolate Fudge Cake
• Cinnamon Buns (Bulochki)
• Poppy Seed Braid
• Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins

Hugs, Alla xox

✨ Want to learn a new cake with me every month? Try Cake Club for 7 days →