Soft Raisin Buns

Soft raisin buns and layered cake used to be a staple on birthday tables in Denmark where I am from. I love raisin buns, but in my circles, it’s becoming rarer to serve buns with raisins for birthdays. Some don’t like raisins in their pastries. This could lead to raisin buns becoming endangered specie in the Danish kitchen. Here’s the recipe for delicious birthday buns with raisins.

To cater to all guests, even those who dislike raisins in pastries, I only add raisins to a third of the buns. So, for instance, there might be 10 buns with raisins and 20 without, depending on the number of attendees.

Soft Raisin Buns Recipe

I love buns with raisins, but I’m not a fan of burnt raisins. They get burnt if sticking out of the bun. Thus, I ensure they’re tucked inside. It requires care but is doable.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Danish

Servings 10 buns

Ingredients

  

• 25 g yeast
• 4 tsp. sugar
• 4 tbsp. lukewarm water 37°C
• 2 dl milk plus some for brushing
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1-2 dl raisins as desired
• 400 g wheat flour

Instructions

 

• Dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water.
• Add milk and olive oil.
• Mix salt and raisins with 350 g of the flour, then knead into the dough.
• Knead until the dough is uniform – slightly moist but not too wet. Add more flour if necessary.
• Let the dough rise in a warm place, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces.
• Form each piece into a bun, ensuring raisins stay inside.
• Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
• Let them rise in a warm place, covered, for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 220°C (fan-forced).
• Brush the buns with some water and bake for 12 minutes until golden brown and baked through.

Notes

Tip 1: The dough should be more on the wet side. You can always add more flour later.

Tip 2: To avoid the dough sticking to covers during rising, invert a tray over the buns.

Tip 3: This recipe can also be made without raisins. Alternatively, use apples, cranberries, candied peel, dates, or a mix.

Tip 4: Optionally, brush buns with beaten egg for a glossy look.

Fun Ways to Serve Soft Raisin Buns

In Denmark where I am from soft raisin buns are often associated with celebrations and children parties. Here, you’ll get some inspiration on how to get creative when serving the buns. While these airy buns filled with raisins can simply be served on a platter, if you wish to add a creative touch to your presentation, here are some suggestions:

1. Raisin Bun Train: Imagine entering a dining room and being greeted by a long raisin bun train that stretches from one end of the table to the other. Each carriage can be made from a raisin bun, while a larger bun serves as the locomotive. Tracks can be made from licorice laces, and small pieces of candy or nuts can serve as passengers. This is a fantastic serving idea for children’s birthdays and, of course, for all the train enthusiasts out there.
2. Floating Raisin Buns: Use some transparent, nearly invisible threads and hang raisin buns from the ceiling, making them appear as if they’re floating in the air. This can be combined with a game where guests have to eat the bun without using their hands. Not only is it fun to look at, but these delicious buns can also provide unique entertainment for the birthday party! If it’s challenging with the regular size raisin buns, you can potentially make them double the size. They’re still soft, airy, and delicious – just bigger.
3. Raisin Bun Burgers: For the creative souls out there! Split a raisin bun in two to make a burger bun. Then use slices of fresh fruit as the “meat”, whipped cream as “mayo” or “cream cheese”, and thin slices of kiwi or green grapes as “lettuce”. Serve the raisin bun burgers in small paper trays for a fully authentic burger experience. Your guests will likely think these are the best buns and that they taste wonderful.
4. Mini Raisin Bun Tea Set: For those who love tea time, you can create a mini tea set using your airy raisin buns. Use a larger bun as the teapot and smaller raisin buns as teacups. The tea can be liquid chocolate or a fruit sauce, which guests can “pour” over their mini raisin bun teacups.
5. Raisin Bun Animals: With a touch of creativity, your soft raisin buns can be transformed into fun animals! Use fruits, nuts, and candies to give your buns faces, ears, and legs. For instance, a raisin bun with almond ears, chocolate eyes, and a licorice tail can become a cute little mouse.

I hope you found this a good recipe for raisin buns, and thank you so much for using the recipe from AlmostNordic.com – I originally made it for our Danish website HurtigMums, and you can see the original Danish recipe for rosinboller (raisin buns) here.

Enjoy the buns, and I hope you have a wonderful birthday celebration.

See more Danish recipes from AlmostNordic here.