This Homemade Raisin Bread is soft, fluffy, lightly sweetened, and packed with juicy raisins in every slice. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this eggless bread has a tender crumb, a beautifully chewy crust, and is perfect for breakfast, snacks, or afternoon tea.
If you have already been making basic homemade bread, this raisin bread is a wonderful next recipe to try. Unlike traditional cinnamon raisin bread, which requires rolling and layering the raisins, this easy version simply mixes them directly into the dough. It saves time, creates an evenly distributed filling, and delivers delicious results every single time.
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About Homemade Raisin Bread
I still remember making raisin bread for the first time after learning how to bake a simple white sandwich loaf. At that time, I followed the traditional method of rolling out the dough, scattering raisins over it, and rolling everything into a log.
After making it a few times, I realized there was a much easier way. Instead of adding raisins later, I simply mixed them into the dough from the beginning. The bread turned out just as delicious; every slice had plenty of raisins, and the entire process went much more quickly.
This has been my favorite method ever since.
The bread is lightly sweetened, making it perfect for everyday use rather than tasting like dessert. It is delicious fresh from the oven, lightly toasted with butter, spread with cream cheese, or even used for French toast.
Whether you’re new to bread baking or already comfortable working with yeast, this recipe is straightforward, forgiving, and incredibly rewarding.
Easy To Make Raisin Bread
There’s something incredibly satisfying about baking bread from scratch. Watching the dough rise, filling the kitchen with the aroma of freshly baked bread, and slicing into a warm loaf never gets old.
I’ve been making this raisin bread for years because it’s one of those recipes that’s simple enough for everyday baking but always feels special. I love that every slice is filled with raisins without the extra work of rolling and layering them into the dough. It’s the loaf my family enjoys toasted with butter for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea.
I hope this recipe brings the same comfort and joy to your kitchen that it has brought to mine.
– Jigna
Why You Will Love Homemade Raisin Bread
- Completely eggless and easy to make
- Soft, fluffy interior with a lightly chewy crust
- Loaded with sweet raisins in every bite
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Perfect for breakfast, tea time, or sandwiches
- Great for beginners learning to bake yeast bread
- Freezes beautifully for later
- Delicious plain, toasted, or with your favorite spread
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bread Flour (or All-Purpose Flour): Bread flour gives the loaf a slightly chewier texture because of its higher protein content. However, all-purpose flour works wonderfully too, making this recipe convenient with whichever flour you already have at home.
- Active Dry Yeast: Fresh, active yeast is essential for a light and fluffy loaf. After mixing it with warm water and sugar, the mixture should become foamy within 10 minutes. If it doesn’t, the yeast is no longer active, and you will need to replace it before continuing.
- Warm Water: Warm water activates the yeast. It should feel warm to the touch, not hot, as excessive heat can kill the yeast.
- Warm Milk: Milk enriches the dough, giving the bread a softer crumb and a richer flavor. Warm milk also helps create an ideal environment for yeast activity.
- Sugar: A small amount of sugar lightly sweetens the bread and feeds the yeast during proofing.
- Butter: Softened butter adds richness, flavor, and tenderness. However, you can use neutral-flavored oil instead of butter.
- Salt: Salt balances sweetness and enhances the flavor.
- Raisins: Use fresh, plump raisins for the best flavor.
How To Make Homemade Raisin Bread
Proofing The Yeast
- In a large mixing bowl, take the sugar and warm water.
- Add yeast and mix everything lightly with a spoon or fork.
- Then cover the bowl with a clean, dry kitchen towel and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, because the yeast is active, the mixture will be frothy and bubbly.
- If the mixture is not foamy, the yeast is inactive. In that case, discard it and start all over.
- There could be various reasons why the mixture is not foamy. For example, the water could be hot, or the yeast may have expired.
Making And Proofing The Dough
- Add butter, milk, raisins, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix well.
- Add the flour gradually, mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- First, add 2 cups of flour, then slowly add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time.
- You may need 3 to 3½ cups of flour, depending on the type of flour.
- The dough will come together but will be very soft and sticky, as shown in the picture below.
- Take some flour onto a clean surface and place the dough on it.
- Knead the dough with your palm and add some more flour if needed.
- Continue kneading the dough until it is soft but not sticky, smooth, and supple.
- Lightly grease a large bowl and transfer the dough into it.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel.
- Let the dough rise until doubled, about 1½ hours.
- Depending on the kitchen’s temperature, the dough will double in size after 1 to 1½ hours.
- Lightly punch down the dough to release the air.
Rolling And Proofing The Raisin Bread Log
- Grease a 9 X 5-inch loaf pan with oil.
- Roll the homemade raisin bread dough into a thick, large rectangle about 8 inches long, then roll it up and make a log.
- Place the log into a prepared loaf pan.
- Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
- Let it rise until doubled, about an hour, and the dough is about 1 inch above the loaf pan.
- The dough will double in size in an hour.
Baking The Homemade Raisin Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Bake the bread for 32-35 minutes, until golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and immediately brush the top of the loaf with melted butter.
- If the bread starts browning too much on the top after 20-25 minutes, remove it from the oven and loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Place it back into the oven and continue baking for the remaining time.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
Variations and Substitutions
Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a warm cinnamon raisin bread.
Replace raisins with dried cranberries for a slightly tart variation.
Mix raisins and dried cranberries together for extra flavor.
Include a little orange zest for a fresh citrus flavor.
Replace butter with a neutral oil if preferred, though butter gives the bread a richer flavor.
Expert Tips For Bakery-Style Homemade Raisin Bread
Use Fresh Yeast: Always check that your yeast is active before mixing the dough. The yeast mixture should become foamy within 10 minutes. If it doesn’t, start again with fresh yeast.
Keep the Dough Soft: The dough should feel soft, smooth, and slightly tacky; not dry. Resist the urge to add too much flour while kneading. A well-hydrated dough produces a lighter, fluffier loaf.
Knead Until Smooth: Proper kneading develops gluten, which gives the bread its structure. The dough should become smooth, elastic, and spring back gently when pressed.
Be Patient During Proofing: Rising time depends on your kitchen’s temperature. Wait until the dough doubles in size rather than relying strictly on the suggested times.
Shape the Loaf Tightly: Roll the dough into a tight log before placing it in the loaf pan. This creates an even shape and gives the bread a beautiful, rounded top after baking.
Don't Skip the Butter: Brushing melted butter over the hot loaf immediately after baking keeps the crust soft and adds wonderful buttery flavor.
Cool Before Slicing: Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. Cooling helps the crumb set properly and helps in clean slicing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Bread flour gives the loaf a slightly chewier texture because of its higher protein content, but all-purpose flour produces a soft and delicious loaf as well. Use the same amount.
Yes. Replace the active dry yeast with the same amount of instant yeast. You can mix it directly with the flour and skip the proofing step, though I still like to proof the yeast to ensure it’s active.
If your raisins are dry or firm, soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes. Drain well and pat completely dry before mixing them into the dough.
The most common reasons are inactive yeast, water that was too hot, a cold kitchen, or insufficient proofing time. The dough should double in size before shaping and again before baking.
Absolutely! Add about 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the flour for a delicious cinnamon raisin bread.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
Homemade Raisin Bread / Raisin Bread Eggless / Easy Raisin Bread
Video
Ingredients
- 3 to 3½ cups (360-420g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120ml) warm water
- ¼ cup (50g) cane sugar or granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (180ml) warm milk
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, take sugar and warm water. Add yeast and mix it lightly. Cover the bowl with a clean and dry kitchen towel and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, because the yeast is active, the mixture will be frothy and bubbly. If it is not foamy, that means the yeast is not active. In that case, discard it and start all over. Otherwise, continue with the next steps.
- Add butter, milk, raisins, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix well.
- Add flour gradually and keep mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula. First, add 2 cups of flour and then slowly add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time. You may need 3 to 3 & ½ cups of flour, depending on the type of flour. The dough will come together but will be very soft and sticky.
- Take some flour onto a clean surface and place the dough on it. Knead the dough with your palm and add more flour if needed. The dough should be soft and hydrated, not dry. So, while kneading, add flour very little by little.
- Continue kneading the dough until it is soft but not sticky, smooth, and supple.
- Lightly grease a large bowl and transfer the dough to it. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise until double in size, about an hour to 1 & ½ hours.
- The dough will double in size after 1 to 1 & ½ hours, depending on the kitchen's temperature.
- Lightly punch down the dough to release the air.
- Grease a 9 X 5-inch loaf pan with oil. Roll the dough into a thick, large rectangle about 8 inches long, then roll it up to make a log. Place the log in the prepared loaf pan.
- Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise until doubled and the dough is about 1 inch above the loaf pan for about an hour.
- The dough will be double in size in an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.Bake the bread for 32-35 minutes until golden brown on the top. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the top of the loaf with melted butter.
- If the bread starts browning too much on the top after 20-25 minutes, remove it from the oven and loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Then, Place it back into the oven and continue baking for the remaining time.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing. Raisin bread will stay at room temperature for three days and more days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use Fresh Yeast: Always check that your yeast is active before mixing the dough. The yeast mixture should become foamy within 10 minutes; if it doesn’t, start again with fresh yeast.
- Keep the Dough Soft: The dough should feel soft, smooth, and slightly tacky; not dry. Resist the urge to add too much flour while kneading. A well-hydrated dough produces a lighter, fluffier loaf.
- Knead Until Smooth: Proper kneading develops gluten, which gives the bread its structure. The dough should become smooth, elastic, and spring back gently when pressed.
- Be Patient During Proofing: Rising time depends on your kitchen’s temperature. Wait until the dough doubles in size rather than relying strictly on the suggested times.
- Shape the Loaf Tightly: Roll the dough into a tight log before placing it in the loaf pan. This creates an even shape and gives the bread a beautiful, rounded top after baking.
- Don’t Skip the Butter: Brushing melted butter over the hot loaf immediately after baking keeps the crust soft and adds wonderful buttery flavor.
- Cool Before Slicing: Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. Cooling helps the crumb set properly and helps in clean slicing.
Neeta Akoobhai says
Hi can you yes instant yeast
Jigna says
Hi Neeta, yes, we can use instant yeast in this recipe. Use the same amount as active dry yeast. With instant yeast, the bread will rise earlier, so just keep an eye. I hope this will help, have happy baking.?
Josie says
Hi Jigna,
I have an electric oven, does the baking time differ from a gas oven and where would I bake the bread , top, middle or lower grill? Thank you
Jigna says
Hi Josie, there will not be much difference in the baking time. However, keep an eye after 30 minutes of the baking.
Keep the baking pan in the middle of the oven.
I hope this will help, happy baking!😊
Elisa says
Can I use soy milk?
Jigna says
Hi Elisa, I have not tried this recipe using dairy-free milk, but I think it should work if you have been successfully attempting other baking recipes using soy milk.
Reina says
II just made this bread. Cant wait to taste it. Wondering, can I put 1/2 raisins & 1/2 cranberries?
Jigna says
Hi Reina, I hope you like the raisin bread. You can definitely replace 1/2 cup of raisins with dried cranberries.
Indira says
It turned out perfect and it’s become a favourite now. For added flavour I soaked the raisins and cranberries in a little Cointreau before I started the dough. Great recipe , thanx.
Jigna says
Thanks, Indira! I am very glad that you liked the recipe and love the idea of soaking raisins and cranberries.🤗
Aisha says
I didn’t even make it for me! My friend loves raisin bread. Snuck a piece and now I need to make more!
One thing, it was risen very nicely when I put the loaves into the oven, but both dropped by the time I took them out. Can you give me any advice?
Jigna says
Hi Aisha, thank you so much for trying the recipe and for your feedback!
The most common reason for a well-risen bread to collapse in the oven is over-proofing. Sometimes, if the kitchen temperature is warm or hot, the dough rises very quickly. So keep an eye on the dough after half an hour. You can also test it by gently poking your finger in the corner of the dough. If the indention slowly comes back, your dough is ready to go in the oven.
Margaret says
Love it…… came out perfectly
Jigna says
Hi Margaret, I am glad that you like the recipe. Thank you so much for your feedback!