55+ Best Raisin Recipes for Every Meal
I have been cooking and baking with raisins for as long as I can remember, and over the past 16 years on this blog, I have built a collection of over 55 recipes featuring them. I also spent several years developing recipes and creating content for Raisins South Africa, so it’s a subject close to my heart. Raisins and sultanas are one of those ingredients that work across a variety of meal types, from breakfast muffins to bobotie. This is a complete round-up of every raisin recipe on the blog, grouped by category so you can find exactly what you are looking for.
Types of Raisins Used in These Recipes
A quick note on the different raisin varieties you’ll come across in these recipes, because the names can be confusing.
All raisins are dried grapes, but the variety of grape and the drying method determine the colour, size and flavour. Sultanas are a type of raisin, made from seedless green grapes and typically lighter in colour with a milder, sweeter taste. In South Africa, we have access to some beautiful varieties.
Thompson seedless raisins are the most common and what most people picture when they think of a raisin. They are versatile and work in just about everything.
Golden sultanas are dried in a controlled environment rather than sun-dried, which keeps them lighter in colour and slightly tangier. They are lovely in baking and salads. These are my favourite type of raisin, and in any recipe that calls for a lot of raisins (like a fruit cake or mince pies), I will always add sultanas to the mix.
Flame raisins are larger and darker with a rich, full flavour that holds up well in savoury cooking and breads.
Crimson raisins are plump and sweet with a deep red colour, and Midnight Beauty raisins are almost black, with an intense, concentrated sweetness. Currants are the smallest of the family, made from tiny Black Corinth grapes, and are perfect in biscuits, scones and traditional baking where you want a more delicate dried fruit.
As a general rule, you can swap one variety for another in most recipes. The flavour will shift slightly, but the result will still be delicious.
Raisin Recipes for Breakfast and Brunch
Raisins add natural sweetness to breakfast dishes without the need for extra sugar. From granola and muesli to French toast and baked oats, these are my favourite ways to start the day with raisins.
Orange and pecan muffins with sultanas
Honey & nut granola with raisins
Raisin pancakes with ricotta & orange
Baked French toast with apples, cinnamon, and raisins
Butter fried raisins on ricotta toast
Raisin Baking Recipes for Tea Time
There is something about raisins in baking that feels timeless. These are the cakes, biscuits, scones and sweet bakes that are perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon.
The best fruit cupcakes with spiced vanilla buttercream
My best carrot cake recipe (with raisins)
Classic Madeira cake with fruit
My ultimate indulgent fruit cake recipe
Muesli rusks with oats and raisins
Shortbread mince pie crumble cookies
Hot cross rusks: all the flavours of a hot cross bun
Bran & muesli buttermilk rusks with seeds
Soft & chewy oat & raisin cookies
Gooey oat, fruit and nut bars with dark chocolate
Decadent rum & raisin chocolate brownies
Apple and mince pie crumble bars
Easy deep filled Christmas mince pies
Raisin Dessert Recipes
From warm puddings to ice cream, raisins bring a chewy sweetness and depth to desserts that few other dried fruits can match.
Classic raisin bread & butter pudding
Baked apples with brandy-soaked raisins & orange
Camembert baked in puff pastry with raisins
Rum & raisin chocolate truffles
The best Christmas fruit mince with cherries
Raisin Bread and Loaf Recipes
Raisins and bread baking go hand in hand. These are my favourite loaves, from hot cross buns to sweet celebration breads and rusks.
The best banana bread with pecans & raisins
Chocolate and orange hot cross buns
Easy whole wheat English muffins with raisins
Hot cross cinnamon sticky buns
Salads, Dips and Condiments with Raisins
Raisins work brilliantly in savoury contexts too. A handful of raisins can transform a simple salad, chutney or dip, adding pops of sweetness that balance sharp and spicy flavours. I particularly love pickled sultanas and currents, which develop a delicious umami flavour and are little flavour bombs.
Roast carrot & barley salad with pickled sultanas
Kale salad with Pecorino, walnuts & sultanas
Nutty black and white rice salad
Moroccan carrot & fennel salad with sultanas & pistachios
Redicchio salad with roasted butternut, blue cheese and pickled sultanas
Roast zucchini on herby labneh with pickled currants
Halloumi saganaki with sultanas and pecans
Roasted vegetable and cous cous sald with raisins, sultanas and flaked almonds
Roasted cauliflower hummus with sultanas and cashew nuts
Savoury and Meat Recipes with Raisins
From casseroles to meatballs and bobotie, raisins bring a subtle sweetness to savoury dishes, rounding out bold spices and rich sauces.
Traditional South African bobotie
Traditional South African yellow rice with raisins
Moroccan spiced chicken with rice and aubergine
Sausage rolls with apple sage and raisins
Herby lamb koftas with yoghurt sauce
Roasted Eggplant with Caponata – A Classic Sicilian Side Dish
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