Vegan jagodzianki – Polish blueberry buns

Vegan jagodzianki – Polish blueberry buns

vegan jagodzianki blueberry bunscut open

Happy weekend everyone! I hope the sun is shining beautifully for you? I’m feeling a little bit knackered as we went for a longish hike around Ebbor Gorge yesterday and it was a bit tough going at times. It was lovely and we lucked out when it comes to the weather as it did not rain on us. We feasted our computer-tired eyes on gorgeously green ferns, moss, wild flowers and it was nice to be out in nature and get a much needed day of feeling unplugged.

Today’s recipe is a trip down memory lane for me, veganised of course. Due to my therapy sessions, I am spending a lot of time lately reflecting on my childhood so I thought it would be very fitting to make something that I used to enjoy eating as a child. Like many Northern European countries, Poland is big on yeasted buns (like these I veganised recently) and we have many varieties that change depending on what is in season. They used to by a staple of my childhood, something you would spend your pocket money on in the school cafeteria or in the store on the way back from school. In summer, when mountainous regions of southern Poland abound in wild blueberries (known in the UK as bilberries, I think) ‘jagodzianka’ – a bun filled with them is the bun of choice. I used to love those. My maternal grandma introduced me to them, I am pretty sure.

When we stayed in her summer house in the mountains, we used to go bilberry picking together and I remember that time very fondly although I am pretty sure that, especially early on, I ate more bilberries than what I ended up contributing to the overall family haul. I used to have a soft spot for bilberries and I still do, I always gorge on them whenever I end up visiting home during summer. Too bad that eating a lot of them can cause some serious constipation 😉 (ingesting them is an old home remedy used to help with the opposite problem).

Unfortunately, it is impossible to get hold of fresh (or frozen near where I live) bilberries here so I’ve had to use their close botanical cousins, blueberries, to make my vegan take on my childhood jagodzianka (which translates simply as ‘berry bun’) but they are still very delicious (PS: I also tried raspberries with great success). Fluffy, subtly sweet with a juicy blueberry centre and an optional lemon icing. They are perfect to take with you on a hike – like everything, they taste even better in nature – or to have with your afternoon coffee or tea. Alternatively, they also make a fantastic (if quite naughty) breakfast. Enjoy. x

vegan jagodzianki blueberry buns blueberries

vegan jagodzianki blueberry buns making

vegan jagodzianki blueberry buns top down

vegan jagodzianki blueberry buns small

makes
8
PREP
40 min
COOKING
20 min
makes
8
PREPARATION
40 min
COOKING
20 min
INGREDIENTS
DOUGH

  • 250 g / 2 cups all purpose wheat flour*, plus extra for dusting
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  • 7 g / 2¼ tsp instant dried yeast
  • 65 g / 1/3 cup sugar (coconut sugar if refined sugar-free)
  • approx. 150 ml / ½ cup + 2 tbsp lukewarm plant milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 30 g / 2 heaped tbsp mild coconut oil (or vegan butter)
  • vegan ‘eggwash’ – 2 tsp plant milk + 1 tsp maple syrup

BLUEBERRY FILLING

  • 1 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch or potato starch
  • 200 g / 7 oz fresh blueberries** (wild blueberries if you can get them)

ICING (OPTIONAL)

  • 90 g / ½ cup icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice, any plant milk or water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (or more lemon juice / plant milk / water)

METHOD
DOUGH

  1. Mix the flour, salt, instant yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Pour in lukewarm (cold or too hot milk will kill the yeast) plant milk and vanilla extract. Bring all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon.
  3. When the mixture has mostly stuck together, turn the mixture out on to a work surface. If the mixture feels dry, add another 5-10 ml of plant milk.
  4. Knead the mixture by holding one end of the dough in one hand and stretching it out with the other hand. Reform the dough, turn it 90 degrees and start again. Repeat this for about 5 minutes, then work the coconut oil into the dough. To begin with the dough will be slippery and will look like it’s been ruined. Keep working it and eventually all the fat will get absorbed by the dough and it will become elastic and smooth (it takes about 10 minutes).
  5. Put the dough in a large clean bowl, coat it in a thin layer of oil and cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside, in a warm (but not too warm) place for 1-1½ hours, until the dough doubles in size. Proceed to make the filling and the icing.
  6. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch all the air out of it and divide it into 8 identical portions.
  7. Roll each portion into a ball, and then flatten into a circle using a rolling pin. Try to make sure that the middle has more padding and the edges of the circle are thinner to ensure that the dough is evenly distributed once the buns are filled and sealed.
  8. Place a heaped tablespoon of blueberries in the middle of the dough and seal the dough around them making sure you don’t trap too much air in. Ensure the bun is really well sealed as otherwise it will open during baking and the juice will leak out.
  9. Turn the bun over and roll it very gently around the counter to create a rounder bun. Place it on a lightly greased baking tray and cover with a kitchen towel while you make the remaining 7 buns.
  10. Once you’ve made all your buns allow them to proof again, for about 30-45 minutes (until they double in size) under a kitchen towel.
  11. Heat up the oven to 180° C / 355° F.
  12. Glaze the buns with a mixture of plant milk and maple syrup. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.
  13. Once done, you may want to glaze the buns with icing. If looking to avoid refined sugar, brush warm buns with maple syrup instead to give them a nice shine.

BLUEBERRY FILLING

  1. Stir starch through clean blueberries in a large bowl. Set aside.

ICING (OPTIONAL)

  1. Mix icing sugar, lemon juice (or water) and a few drops of vanilla extract in a small bowl.

NOTES
*I used all purpose flour – it produces a softer result, but some people use 50% all purpose and 50% bread flour or even all bread flour. I would advise against using wholewheat flour as the result will be coarser and less pleasant to eat. I have not tested these with GF flour as gluten is a key here so it won’t work without a serious dose of magic, I’m afraid.

**Fresh raspberries also make an awesome filling.

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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
254
13%
sugars
23 g
26%
fats
5 g
7%
saturates
3 g
17%
proteins
4 g
8%
carbs
49 g
19%
*per bun
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4.9
15 reviews, 49 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Gaby:
Hi Ania,
Love your recipes, made so many already! This is the second time I’ll be making those but just wondering, do you think I could use jam instead of fresh/frozen fruit?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw thank you so much, Gaby! I am so chuffed to hear that you enjoy my recipes so much. Yes, I don't see why not, but shaping them may be a little tricky that's all. Vegan nuttella filling would also be yum ;P x Ania
Rachel:
I just made these for my boyfriends parents who immigrated from Poland 20 years ago. They were super impressed and surprised that these were vegan! Thank you ☺️ will make again!
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's so nice to hear Rachel and what a lovely gesture!! And I love how you are smashing the stereotype that vegan food is in any way inferior! x Ania
Jane:
Definitely 5 stars for the recipe! They turned out perfectly! But next time I would use raspberries purely because I think shop bought blueberries are pretty bland. I've eaten wild bilberries in the past so I know the difference! Or maybe a mixture. I can sometimes get hold of frozen blackcurrants which are full of flavour so they would be an option, either alone or in a combo with raspberries/blueberries. But it's a great recipe and something a little different! xx
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks Jane! I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed these so much. Great call on using raspberries, in fact they are sometimes used instead of blueberries in Poland too. I don't know where you live, but here in the UK I've spotted frozen bilberries in M&S and Ocado if you felt like it - if you were to use frozen, be sure to defrost them first. Anyway, glad you enjoyed them and thanks so much for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it. x Ania
Michelle:
Ran across these buns on Pinterest and had to try them. I've been vegan for about 10 years and do a lot of baking, and I've got to say - these were some of the best treats I've ever made. I followed your recipe exactly. The dough was just perfectly soft and sweet and the burst of blueberries and the tart lemon glaze was just an incredible pop of flavor. Going through your blog now looking for more goodies to try! Thank you for sharing this with the world. :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much Michelle! I am so touched to hear that you enjoyed these childghood favs of mine so much. I hope you'll find other recipes you enjoy just as much and thank you for taking the time to write this lovely review, it means a lot! x Ania
Carol:
Could this work without the filling? I am looking for a yeast donut that is baked, not fried.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi,
    Yes, they will work without filling but they are sweet buns rather than doughnuts, which typically have a much richer (more fat) dough. Hope this helps! Ania
Andra:
Made these, they turned out really neat! I filled them with a variety of fruit that I found in my fridge including raspberries, blueberries and sweet cherries. For some reason the bun turned out a bit grainy, although i respected the recipe strictly. Question: do you know if they freeze well?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Andra,
    So happy to hear you enjoyed these - they hold a special place in my heart - and a forest berry filling sounds just as delicious as the original. Not sure why would the dough turn out grainy - could it be sugar crystals that were too big to dissolve during baking? I have not tried freezing them but I am pretty sure theyw ill freeze well sealed in an air-tight container. Hope this helps! Ania
Abi:
Do you think you could omit the sugar from the dough? Trying to bake for someone who can only have trace amounts of sugar due to allergies!
Thanks
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Abi,
    A little sugar (2-3 tsp) is recommended in all bread baking as it helps with the rise (yeast feed on sugar) so I would not get rid of all of it. Also, these buns are meant to be lightly sweet and I don't know if they will be that nice without sugar to be honest, perhaps making something savoury for your friend is a better idea - like crackers, these delicious Italian taralli, vegan sausage rolls or German pretzels? Ania
Afra:
Hi!
Would the recipe work if I used normal milk/butter?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Afra,
    Yes, I think so although as I am vegan myself, I have not tried. Anna
Marcela:
These are way too delicious. I made them with cherries and half the amount of sugar and they were amazing! I'm so glad I found you through Instagram and can not wait to try more of your recipes.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Marcela, I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed them and a cherry filling sounds truly delicious! x Ania
Chris Barber:
These look delicious but would love to see a video on how to make these
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Chris! I might do one at some stage but in the mealtime, they are super easy to make - you'll be able to figure it out from the method and photos. Ania
Steff:
I've made these twice in the last week, definitely a new favorite treat that will be in regular rotation! The 1st time I missed the instruction to turn the bun over after sealing and they all opened when baking, but they actually turned out to still be super delicious (just more like a danish pastry). The 2nd time I figured out the key to sealing is to follow the tip about making the edges thinner than the center - the dough cooperates a LOT more than if the dough is all the same thickness.
    Ania
    Ania:
    So happy to hear you enjoyed these, especially that they are such a fond memory of mine! Yes, the seam at the bottom and thinner edges make these much better. x Ania
Rosamina:
How would i go about to make these gluten free too? I was thinking of using riz flower white and brown but i am not sure which other u should use. Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Rosamina,
    Making fluffy buns without gluten is not a trivial task. I would suggest using a good GF bread flour mix (one that contains a selection of flours and starches like potato starch, tapioca, cornstarch) and you will also need something like xanthan gum or psyllium to ensure that the dough doesn't fall apart. You could make your own flour mix by mixing brown and white rice flour and tapioca (about 1/4-1/3 of the recipe), but again something like xanthan gum is very much needed or else they will fall apart. Ania
Adilson:
Fantastic recipe! Bumped into the Instagram page whilst browsing and could not be any happier finding it.
The recipe is explained really well and I found it very easy to follow. The buns turned out a lot better than I expected. The buns are a good size and full of flavour.
I will definitely be trying out more recipes.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thank you so much for your kind feedback, Adilson! I'm delighted to hear that you liked these buns and that you try my other recipes - I hope you'll find some to your taste. x Ania
Clarissa:
I absolutely love these 😍 I didn't think mine would turn out right because they look like they'd be complicated to make but this recipe was so well explained and they ended up turning out perfect first time! 😃 Thank you sooo much for sharing this wonderful recipe ❤️
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you so much for your lovely feedback, Clarissa! I'm so happy to hear that they turned out so well for you and thanks for taking the time to leave this review - much appreciated. x Ania
Helen Jones:
Disaster. I wish I’d used plain flour. I live at altitude and they just didn’t rise. Do you recommend a specific “plant” milk. I used flax, I don’t know if that also had an effect.
Really disappointed... newbie vegan baker.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Helen,
    I'm sorry to hear that they did not rise - looking at this guide on baking at altitude, there is a bunch of things that need to be altered in this situation so I am pretty confident that the lack of rise is to do with that. You say 'wish I'd used plain flour' - what flour did you use then? I don't think the type of plant milk matters honestly - you could even use water if you wanted to - I tend to use soy or almond. Hope we can get to the bottom of this and you can have a beautifully risen next batch. Ania
Elizabeth:
Hey Ania I was wondering if i could use rice milk instead of plant milk? please answer asap because they with be a gift for the neighbors, Elizabeth
    Ania
    Ania:
    How nice of you! I haven't tried with rice milk specifically but any plant milk (rice milk is a plant milk ;) ) should work fine. Good luck and I hope they go down well. Ania
Kim-fung Nam:
Hi,
I baked these. They tasted delicious, but the bun was thin and a nice thick layer of bun like yours. In the 2nd proofing the buns didn’t double in size.... maybe I should have proofed first longer?
Also, it’s possible my plant milk may have been a touch too warm...
I’m going to give these another try after I’ve eaten this batch!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Yes, it does sound that perhaps they haven't risen enough. I'm glad you are planning to try again and I hope it will be a complete success next time! Ania
Ana:
Hi, I'm making the recipe and I miss when the egg wash has to be added to the dough, please could you advise? Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Ana,
    'Eggwash' is used to glaze the buns just before they go into the oven, after the 2nd proofing. See point 12 in the METHOD. Ania
Maria:
Delicious recipe I thought since becoming a vegan I would never have another jagodzianka until I have found this recipe :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thank you so much, Maria! I'm so happy to hear that you got to enjoy them again. Ever since I went vegan, I have been on a mission to prove that veganism isn't at all about deprivation and lack of variety so comments like yours make me especially happy. x Ania
Cathy:
Just wanted to let you know I solved my mystery, and it was all my own fault. I had active dry yeast, not instant. So, the recipe is perfect, it's just my reading comprehension that is lacking! If anyone else has ADY instead of instant, what I did was keep the yeast out of the dry ingredients in the first step, then proof the yeast in the warm plant milk with a teaspoon of sugar, and then mixed it in with the dry ingredients and vanilla. Making a second batch today since my husband has been talking about them nonstop!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear that you've solved the mystery, Cathy. And don't worry I have done this myself more than one time - memorised the wrong colour of the packaging for some reason and confused active yeast label with instant yeast and did not understand why the dough was so flat, luckily I figured it out soon too. Glad to hear that both you and your husband have enjoyed these and that you plan to make more! x Ania
Marcelina:
I was overjoyed to see this recipe on my Instagram feed. It sent me straight back to summers in Poland at my grandma’s home :) I made these & they turned out yummy, but I had a bit of a dough problem. I remember following your recipe for drozdzówki around Easter time, & my dough had a similar issue. When I get to the kneading step, before adding the coconut oil, the dough is super crumbly & not very elastic. Even after adding the coconut oil, it breaks apart easily and is tough to knead. I tried to add a little more plant milk, and although this improved the texture, it definitely wasn’t the same type of dough elasticity I’ve experienced with breads. Do you have any idea what could be causing this/what to do next time? It causes my end product to be a tougher/harder texture and not as soft as I’d like.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Marcelina,
    I'm not sure what happened there but if you have used regular wheat flour the dough should not be crumbly. It sounds like it simply needs a touch more water to come together. Yes, adding coconut oil does make it feel like the dough is ruined (I specifically mention that in the instructions) but you just need to carry on kneading and it will be elastic and smooth in the end, promise. Please see the photos I took of the dough here. So unless you used another flour (like spelt or rye, which have much less gluten), it cannot not work - please knead patiently ;) ! Ania
Basia:
They look fantastic, Ania! Drożdżówki are firmly tied to my highschool years when I would always get one during recess. I always preferred the ones filled with vanilla custard - I don't think my school sold jagodzinaki so I never tried one! :D but in the last few years my mum has been buying jagodzinaki from a bakery near her house which apparently are delicious but not vegan unfortunately so I don't know.
I'm not having gluten (or sugar) because SIBO at the moment but will definitely make them once I can as a treat...!
Speaking of being on a sentimental Polish cooking streak I've been living off Polish veggie soups pretty much throughout this whole summer (and quarantine.) My favourite one has been zupa botwinkowa...it's so so good and very easy to veganise.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that you are not able to have them. Makes me thing I should work on developing a gluten-free dough that can be proofed. Feels like it would be quite a challenge as these need to be fluffy as...I will do some research. Glad you are keeping yourself nourished and healthy while having a trip down the memory lane at the same time :) I am a bit weird and only enjoy soups in cold months. My granma used to make lots of cold soups including one out of bilberries but I always found them a bit weird. It was delicious but tasted more like a dessert... x Ania
Corinna:
Really excited to try this one Ania! Try the frozen Blueberries from Lidl, they really come super close to Bilberries and taste much better than any other frozen / fresh Blueberries I have ever found in the UK xxx
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great tip, Corinna, I shall investigate. I hope you'll enjoy these! x Ania
Beth:
Thanks for the tip Ania! Will definitely experiment with what I can find in my part of the world....
    Ania
    Ania:
    Good luck, whichever berry you fill it with, it will be delicious - maybe apart from strawberries as they are quite watery. Ania
Rebecca:
This recipe caught my eye right away. The first thing I did after reading this post was go to the grocery store to get blueberries. The second thing I did was make these. They are great! I even managed to get a few that didn't leak! (More leaked than didn't, but oh well.) I have never made filled buns like these before, so it was a fun new skill to learn. Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm delighted to hear that, Rebecca! Don't worry about the leak - I've seen it happen even in professional bakeries - those pesky blueberries not liking confinement ;) Ania
Cathy:
Yup! We're in the Appalachian Mountains, so that must have to do with the discrepancy. No matter, they came out just lovely! I never had a jagodzianki before, so it was a fantastic new treat, thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, Cathy! I'm so pleased to hear that you enjoyed them! x Ania
Cathy:
Thanks, Ania! Who knows, maybe its something with the elevation or the weather here, but it rose overnight so now I can proceed! Thanks for the reply :) Looking forward to these treats!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Glad to hear, Cathy! Yes, higher altitude does apparently interfere with dough rising. Ania
Beth:
These look so lovely and are exactly the kind of fruit + bread combination to guarantee happiness!
I love learning about the polish food you make - the stories behind the recipes are always a highlight. Every year I go to a polish Christmas carol service here in New Zealand and there are all kinds of beautiful polish decorations and food made by the congregation.
Just wondering about the buns: do you think there is any way to use frozen raspberries or blueberries... I'm worried that they might make things a little soggy but unfortunately can't find any fresh at the moment...
Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Beth,
    Thanks for your kind words. I am glad that this recipe has struck a cord with you, it is a pretty special thing to eat. My feeling is that if your frozen berries are separate (not stuck together) I would stir some more cornstarch and maybe some fine bread crumbs through them to ensure that the extra moisture gets absorbed nicely. If you seal the buns well you should not have any problems. Ania
Cathy:
Hi! I was so excited to make these, but the dough never rose :( Any idea what went wrong? I know the yeast I used is good because I just used it yesterday for pizza dough. Maybe it just needs more time?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Cathy,
    It's hard to say! Did you make sure that your plant milk wasn't too warm - that would definitely kill the yeast. Maybe it simply needs more time / warmth. There is nothing inherently different in this recipe that would stop the dough from rising. Ania
Yael:
Dear Ania,
I enjoy your blog very much, as a former pastry chef and current vegan for many years
I love making your recipes for my family. This time I was extra excited to find this recipe,
Since it brings back a specific childhood memory from my grandmother who made this
For me while telling me about her own memories from Poland before the war has started.
She passed away almost 30 years ago, and none of the family members could trace the recipe
For me. Thank you so much! Will definitely buy blueberries tomorrow and make this :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Yael! I'm so touched to hear that my recipe has brought back such precious memories for you. I hope you'll enjoy these and you are able to (not sure where you live), try finding bilberries, they really make these extra special. x Ania
Judith:
What a beautiful recipe and story ania. Your polish recipes are My favorite, as i learn the most from them and they are new to me. Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks so much, Judith. I am always very positively surprised how many people my childhood-inspired recipes resonate with. It's really lovely to hear and I hope you will attempt these - they are really easy to make. Ania
babes:
Hiya these look amazing! do you think these would work if I made them smaller? Thinking 18 mini ones instead? Thank you
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi,
    Sure, I don't see why not although I would go for 16 rather than 18 ones as my current recipe makes 8. One thing that you may find tricky when making them so small is filling them - try using small blueberries (or wild blueberries if you can find them). Good luck! Ania
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