Chocolate Covered Raisins
Getting creative with raisins is easier than you think, and making chocolate covered raisins is a great place to start. This simple recipe involves coating your raisins in melted chocolate, transforming an otherwise unexciting snack into a decadent dessert that’s perfect for indulging on its own or adding to other sweet treats. Enjoy these tasty morsels as a solo snack while watching a movie, or use them as a topping for ice cream or rice pudding – the possibilities are endless.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Zestfully embracing traditional baking, oatmeal raisin cookies offer a delightful way to repurpose raisins into a sweet treat. This recipe is not only healthy but also satisfyingly indulgent, catering to your cravings without compromising on nutritional value. Beyond the inherent sweetness of the raisins, these cookies derive their unique flavor profile from the judicious addition of cinnamon and vanilla extract to the dough.
The harmonious balance between sweet and spicy aftertastes elevates the cookie experience to new heights.
Apple Strudel
Highlighting the classic German dessert of apple strudel, we have not only a few more delicious German treats to share in this article, but also an excellent opportunity to showcase one of our favorite ways to incorporate raisins into baking. To make the flaky pastry for this scrumptious strudel, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients: a large egg, some high-quality flour, canola oil, and warm water.
The filling is where things get really interesting, as it’s comprised of soft breadcrumbs, plump raisins, crisp apples, warm cinnamon, granulated sugar, creamy sour cream, and melted butter.
Rice Pudding
Filling your winter evenings with a warm and delicious dessert has never been easier than making rice pudding. This classic comfort food requires minimal effort and only a handful of ingredients to prepare, yet it’s incredibly satisfying. To get started, gather the necessary items: white rice, water, cinnamon, raisins, granulated sugar, an egg, salt, butter, vanilla extract, and two cups of milk.
With these simple components, you’ll be on your way to creating a dessert that’s both tasty and comforting. In just 25 minutes, you can enjoy one of the most delightful and cozy desserts you’ve ever had.
Scones
Harking back to a quintessential British delight, scones remain a timeless treat that never fails to hit the spot whether it’s dessert time or a mid-afternoon craving. This particular recipe suggests incorporating an assortment of berries into your scone mixture alongside the traditional raisins. The reason for this is twofold: not only do the flavors of raisins complement those of fresh and dried fruits, but they also pair surprisingly well with various spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Golden Apple Bundles
Lightly sweetened golden treats, also known as apple turnovers in certain regions, are undeniably one of the most mouth-watering desserts that can be made using raisins. Regardless of what name you choose for these delectable pastries, their irresistible charm lies in combining the natural sweetness of apples and raisins with a rich complement of brown sugar, along with the warmth of cinnamon, a hint of lemon zest, and crunchy walnuts.
Lady Baltimore Cake
Creating a culinary experience like no other, Lady Baltimore cake is a must-bake for any dessert enthusiast! This show-stopping treat captures the essence of autumn and winter in every bite, thanks to the harmonious blend of brandy, figs, orange zest, raisins, and pecans. When it comes to frosting, don’t settle for anything less than heavy whipping cream – it’s the secret to a rich, indulgent texture that will leave everyone begging for more.
And to ensure your cake is as moist and tender as possible, remember to soften the butter before incorporating it into the batter, allowing each ingredient to come together in perfect harmony.
Raisin Pecan Pie
Using the same combination of nuts and dried fruits that made the Lady Baltimore cake recipe above a hit, we suggest trying out our raisin pecan pie recipe. This unique twist on the classic pecan pie is sure to be a showstopper at any Thanksgiving gathering, making it an excellent choice for this holiday season.
As a staple in many American households during the fall and winter months, it’s no surprise that pecan pie remains a popular choice for the big day, but why not mix things up and try something new? Our raisin-filled version is a refreshing change from the traditional recipe and can be enjoyed throughout the year, not just limited to Thanksgiving.
Apple Raisin Crisp
Naturally, the Apple raisin crisp is a quintessential Fall dessert that is easy to prepare. For the filling, you will need golden raisins, apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar, which blend together seamlessly. Meanwhile, for the crumb topping, simply combine brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and some butter to create a crunchy texture.
Once prepared, this delightful apple raisin crisp can be savored on its own or elevated with a dollop of cream or a scoop of ice cream for an added layer of indulgence.
Carrot Cake Bars
Worrying about the time-consuming process of baking a cake can be a thing of the past when you have the option to enjoy the scrumptious taste of carrot cake without all the fuss. With this no-bake carrot cake bars recipe, you can indulge in your cravings and skip the hours spent in the kitchen. The recipe is packed with nutritious ingredients such as raisins, carrots, dates, almonds, and pineapple chunks, making it a guilt-free treat for anyone looking to satisfy their sweet tooth.
Creating the frosting is also incredibly easy, requiring only three simple ingredients: cream cheese, liquid stevia, and vanilla extract. One of the best features of this recipe is that there’s no need to spend time in the kitchen with hot ovens and messy baking sheets – simply store them in the refrigerator and enjoy!
Ginger Puffs
Here’s why ginger puffs hold a special place in our hearts – they’re some of our all-time favorite cookies that cleverly incorporate raisins into their sweet and spicy flavor profile. The combination is particularly well-suited for the holiday season, making them an excellent choice to bake around Christmas time.
What sets these cookies apart from other baked goods is not only their incredibly soft and fluffy texture but also the fact that they can be prepared in a mere 15 minutes and take an even shorter amount of time (10 minutes) to bake. This makes them the perfect solution for last-minute entertaining or when you need to whip up something quickly. Whether you’re expecting guests at short notice or simply want to treat yourself to a sweet indulgence, ginger puffs are an excellent choice.
They’re easy to pass around and offer a delightful combination of flavors that’s sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
Apricot Raisin Cake
Understanding that seasonal recipes often involve using up leftover ingredients, this apricot raisin cake recipe comes in handy when dealing with a surplus of raisins. The preparation time for this dish is approximately an hour and a half, as it requires separate preparation of the fruit and batter. However, the reward lies in the delightful taste experience that awaits. To begin, simmer the apricots and raisins in water for about 30 minutes, allowing their flavors to meld together.
Once the fruit mixture has cooled slightly, you can start preparing the cake batter according to your preference. With both components ready, simply fold everything together and pop it into the oven for a delicious result.
Cuccidati
Delving deeper into the world of sweet treats, we’ve already showcased two delectable raisin cookie recipes today, but our excitement doesn’t stop there! The wonderful thing about raisins is their incredible versatility, making them a perfect addition to an array of baked goods.
Another scrumptious Sicilian recipe that’s sure to tantalize your taste buds is the cuccidati, which consists of soft cookies filled with a mixture of dried fruits and nuts, including raisins, dates, walnuts, figs, and even oranges. To take these cookies to the next level, you can also top them with a luscious glaze made from milk and confectioners’ sugar for an extra-special touch.
Rum Raisin Bread Pudding
Pay close attention to the ingredients used in this simple yet elegant bread pudding recipe, as they make all the difference in achieving a truly exceptional dessert experience. This particular rum and raisin version is indeed one of our favorites, and for good reason – it’s a masterclass in balance and flavor that’s sure to please even the most discerning palates.
To replicate this success at home, we recommend using a Granny Smith apple, which adds a delightful sweetness and tartness to the dish. While brioche or challah cubes will certainly work, we find that brioche provides a richer, more complex flavor profile that elevates the entire dessert.
Applesauce Cake
Generally speaking, applesauce cake is often reserved for special occasions like holidays. However, we adore it so much that we make it a regular part of our baking repertoire year-round.
Cinnamon Raisin Muffins
Elevating traditional muffin recipes with a twist of sweetness, raisins aren’t as uncommon as you might think. In fact, these cinnamon raisin muffins are a perfect treat for the Fall season, but they can be enjoyed at any time of the year. The addition of chocolate chips to this recipe is also a stroke of genius – especially when using dark chocolate chips that complement the flavors of the raisins and cinnamon so well.
Pumpkin Spice Bread With Raisins
Upon the onset of Fall’s pumpkin spice season, why not seize the opportunity to create this delightful pumpkin spice bread? It’s richly infused with the warmth of pumpkin, crunchy pecan nuts, an array of spices, and a sweet hint from the raisins. Furthermore, the recipe calls for butter flavoring, buttermilk, and vanilla essence, which will collectively contribute to an extra-decadent buttery taste and texture.
Stollen
Characterized by its sweet and spicy flavors, stollen is another classic German dessert recipe that’s perfect for the holiday season. Like strudel, it’s a festive treat that’s been enjoyed by generations of Germans. To make your own homemade stollen, also known as ‘German Christmas bread’, you’ll need to gather an assortment of ingredients, including flour, sugar, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, egg, milk, vanilla extract, almonds, butter, and yeast.
Don’t forget the additional ingredients like raisins, rum, sugar, water, orange and lemon zest, which add depth and complexity to this traditional German dessert. The final touch is a simple powdered sugar topping mixed with melted butter for a sweet and indulgent finish.
Raisin Pie
Keen cooks will appreciate this simple recipe for raisin pie that puts the spotlight squarely on the sweet and tangy flavor of raisins. To create the filling, gather raisins, lemon juice, water, cinnamon, lemon zest, cornstarch, and brown sugar – all the essential ingredients to bring out the best in these little dried fruits.
The rest of the process is straightforward: either make your own pie crust from scratch or opt for a pre-made one from the store, depending on your preference and level of culinary expertise.
Walnut Raisin Galette
Just as delicious as its pie counterpart, a walnut raisin galette offers a wonderful alternative for those looking to try something new. This recipe takes approximately an hour to complete from start to finish, with equal time allocated to preparation and baking. To get started, you’ll need to source phyllo pastry dough (or make your own if feeling adventurous) before moving on to creating the filling.
A mixture of raisins, walnuts, apricot spread, cinnamon, butter, whipped cream, shredded coconut, lemon juice, and a pinch of additional cinnamon will be required for this.
Slow Cooked Stuffed Apples
Presented in a delicious package, these slow-cooked stuffed apples are perfect for the Fall season, served as a sweet treat with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. Preparation time is minimal, requiring only about 20 minutes, while the cooking time allows for a leisurely 3 hours.
This slow-cooker recipe makes it easy to indulge in this tasty dessert, and we recommend taking it up a notch by adding an extra topping of caramel ice cream and crunchy granola – trust us when we say it’s absolutely incredible.
Cinnamon Roll Pudding
You won’t believe how easily and quickly this cinnamon roll pudding comes together – with just 15 minutes of prep time! However, be warned that it does take a significant amount of time to cook, approximately 2.75 hours, so don’t even think about trying to make this recipe in a hurry. But trust us, the end result is well worth the wait.
To make this indulgent treat, all you need are standard baking ingredients and some special touches like cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, and crunchy cinnamon roll cubes.
Laura Hauser is a food writer and editor passionate about authentic, approachable home cooking.
