Soft Rum Raisin Buns (Bread Machine Dough)
Sneak Preview: Fluffy sweet buns (or rolls) dotted with raisins and topped with a rum-flavored glaze. Mix the dough in your bread machine, shape by hand, and bake in the oven for a fragrant treat.
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Do you remember butter rum lifesavers? I guess they’re still around, but I haven’t had any for years. Those little candies sparked my lifelong love of rum flavor. These raisin rolls take that same buttery rum flavor and bake it right into a pan of tender, glazed buns.”
I used my White Whole Wheat Dinner Roll recipe as a starting point. The rum-flavored icing and raisins gave them a personality makeover making them my favorite breakfast rolls, which I could happily eat all day.
Ingredients and Substitutions
MILK: Any type works; higher fat adds richer flavor. Use cool milk unless your kitchen is cold.
BUTTER: Unsalted, finely chopped so it blends quickly. Shortening can be substituted.
EGG: Large egg is standard (50 g). Adjust milk slightly if using a different size.
SALT: Table or sea salt recommended. If using Kosher, add a little extra.
SUGAR: White granulated is best. Honey can substitute—use slightly less.
FLOUR: White whole wheat plus all-purpose flour for balance. Substitute bread flour for the AP flour, if needed; swap regular whole wheat flour for white whole for a stronger flavor.
YEAST: Instant or bread machine yeast works best. If using active dry, add a touch more.
RAISINS: Classic choice, but dried cranberries, cherries, or currants are good swaps. Or leave them out.
ORANGE OR LEMON OIL: Enhances raisin flavor; citrus zest or extract works too.
RUM (for icing): Rum or rum extract gives the glaze its flavor. If skipping the icing, add a bit to the dough instead.
POWDERED SUGAR: Creates a smooth glaze base. No substitutes
RUM OR RUM EXTRACT: The key flavor—adjust to taste.
HEAVY CREAM: Thins glaze to drizzling consistency; milk works in a pinch.
Step-by-Step: How To Make the Dough for Raisin Rum Buns
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Note: Although the raisins are not shown in the pictures below, they can be added during the last 5 minutes of the DOUGH cycle or kneaded in by hand when the dough is removed from the bread machine pan for shaping.
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Tips That Make a Difference
• Shaping Shortcut: Rolling dough into balls is the fastest way to get evenly sized, bakery-style buns.
• Check Dough Twice: In the bread machine, peek at 1 minute and 15 minutes. Adjust flour or milk so the dough clings to the sides, then pulls away.
• Citrus Boost for Raisins: Toss raisins with a drop of orange or lemon oil (or zest) before kneading them in—adds brightness.
• Rum Options: Use real rum in the icing for a mellow flavor or extract for a stronger punch. Skip icing? Add rum or extract directly to the dough.
Soft Rum Raisin Buns (Bread Machine Dough)
Video
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (227 g) milk
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter, chopped finely
- 1 (50 g) large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 cups (180 g) white whole wheat flour
- 1-1/2 cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast
- 1 cup (150 g) raisins sprinkled with a few drops of orange or lemon oil
Glaze:
- 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons rum or 2 teaspoons rum extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2+ tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Add Ingredients: Place 1 cup (227 g) milk: 1/4 cup (57 g) butter, chopped finely, 1 (50 g) large egg, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar, 1-1/2 cups (180 g) white whole wheat flour , 1-1/2 cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, and 2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast into the bread machine pan.
- Start Dough Cycle: Select the DOUGH cycle, then press START.
- Check Dough: Open the lid and look at the dough at least twice. Look immediately after the machine starts mixing to ensure the paddles are engaged correctly and the dough is clumping.Look again 15 minutes into the DOUGH cycle to assess the consistency of the dough. The dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly.If your dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time.Conversely, if the dough is too dry, add one tablespoon of liquid at a time until the dough looks just right. Read more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.
- Knead in Raisins: When the dough cycle completes, remove the dough from the pan and place it on a floured surface. Knead 1 cup (150 g) raisins sprinkled with a few drops of orange or lemon oil into the dough.
- Shape Rolls: Divide the dough into 16 equally-sized pieces and form into smooth balls. Place the balls into 2 greased 8 or 9-inch round pans (preferably with a dark finish).
- Rise: Lightly cover pans with a tea towel and allow the dough to rise until almost double.
- Bake: Bake at 375˚F (190˚C) for 10–12 minutes, until golden and 190˚F internal temp. Remove rolls from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Remove rolls from the pan and allow them to cool on a rack so the bottoms won’t get soggy.
- Glaze: Combine all ingredients: 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons rum or 2 teaspoons rum extract, 1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract, and 2+ tablespoons heavy cream , stirring until smooth. Drizzle over slightly cooled rolls.
Notes
1️⃣ Add ingredients to the bowl in the listed order.
2️⃣ Mix on LOW until moistened, then knead on speed 2 or 3 with a dough hook for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3️⃣ Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
4️⃣ Gently deflate and shape as directed in the recipe. ? By Hand:
1️⃣ Mix all ingredients into a shaggy dough ball in a large bowl.
2️⃣ Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10-20 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3️⃣ Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.
4️⃣ Gently deflate and shape as directed. ? Yeast Tip: Using active dry yeast? Increase by ¼ teaspoon. It no longer requires dissolving, but you can if preferred.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQ’s About Raisin Rum Buns
Yes. Cover and refrigerate shaped rolls overnight. Let them come to room temperature and rise before baking.
Best eaten the same day. Store leftovers covered at room temp for 1–2 days or freeze for longer storage.
Final Thoughts
With or without frosting, I think you will enjoy these fresh homemade buns. They are so good with a cup of coffee in the morning or when walking through the kitchen a few hours later. If you like dried fruit in your bread, this Bread Machine Fruit Bread is sure to become a favorite.
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
Helen Corbitt inspired me with a recipe titled “Rum Buns” in her book, Helen Corbitt’s Cookbook(paid link). Her recipe uses a brioche-type dough, but I wanted something a little easier.
I’ve just made two batches of these lovely rolls Paula. I didn’t have any orange oil, so I added the zest of a lemon and a small orange to the first batch and they were delicious. Half of them have disappeared already, as my daughter and her boyfriend turned up while they were cooling….yummy with butter!
The second batch I made with dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots, and they are just out of the oven and smelling wonderful. I didn’t bother to ice either batch, as they were so terrific on their own…maybe next time. ??
I’m using your bread recipes almost exclusively now, Paula, and getting so many compliments that I’m really grateful to have found your site. Many thanks to you.
Thank you Elaine. I’m thrilled to hear this and will keep working to share more terrific recipes.
I use to love those life savers. These roils sound delightful! I’ve never used orange or lemon oil. What else do you use the oils in? I guess anywhere a zest is called for, huh?
Paula. I want to try and make these but I’m wondering if it matters that I don’t use bread machine yeast?
Bread machine yeast is a slightly more concentrated form of regular yeast so you may substitute. I would use a touch more regular yeast than the recipe calls for.
Wonderful looking rolls Paula. The colour and consistency of them remind me of the hot-cross buns we used to have at Easter every year when I was a kid.
You could use it where a zest or an extract is called for. It’s my understanding that the oils are much stronger than an extract (I have not used them before), so I’d be a little stingy with how much you use until you’re used to it.
I use to love those life savers. These roils sound delightful! I’ve never used orange or lemon oil. What else do you use the oils in? I guess anywhere a zest is called for, huh?
I want to make these and wonder if this would be a good time to use the raisins I soaked in rum? I read somewhere, about a month ago, it was an old trick to give flavor to hard petrified raisins and I set them to soak, but have not found a use for them. I’m not familiar with the oils and don’t know if it would work.
Paula these rolls look wonderful especially with that glaze on top. I made the roast the other night it wasn’t exactly the recipe of your sisters because I was out of beef boulion but I substituted a mushroom gravy packet and everyone loved it. No left overs to make the sheperds pie 🙂
Suzanne, I’m thinking I would like the mushroom gravy stuff even better. Love mushrooms and anything with mushroom flavor.
These rolls look soft and fragrant and wonderful. I am intrigued by your use of citrus oil to add flavor to the raisins. I have never thought of doing that and would like to try it. Is that something you’ve done before? Or was the use of the oil on raisins kind of an experiment? I’ve done things before like soaking raisins in orange juice, or in a diluted liqueur, before draining them and using them in a recipe but I’m always on the look-out for new ideas like yours. A very interesting technique!
Hi Jane,
So glad you asked. It was an experiment. I don’t normally keep orange juice in the house, and I only have a small amount of liquor for cooking and baking (seems I never have the right kind though). In the past I have tried to duplicate the raisin rolls I used to eat in Holland as an exchange student. Using a few drops of oil on the raisins seemed to add that special something I was looking for. So I tried it with these rolls and really liked it there too. Thanks for writing. pr
Well these are a must try…I’m sure they’ll be fantastic since everything other bread recipe of yours has been.
But just curious – is there a reason to knead the raisins in afterwards rather than during the bread machine knead cycle?
Sue,
That is an excellent question! If you add the raisins in the beginning, the machine will tear them up in the kneading process and your bread will be a darker color. Some machines will signal when it is OK to add nuts or fruit toward the end of the kneading cycle. If yours has this feature, this is the perfect time to add the raisins. For me, I either miss the signl or more often, I only want to add raisins to half the batch so I do it by hand. Thanks for asking. pr
Oh.my.goodness. These look divine! I use orange oil, too, for different things. Love it!
These look amazing and I love the combination of flavors. Up North I was able to buy Sun Maid’s “baking raisins” which I loved for recipes. They were tender, plump and juicy. Can’t find them here in the South for some reason. These certainly beat “hot cross buns” anyday!
Good morning, Paula!
I wonder why my heart smiles when I see you have a new post… could it be that you always share such tasty treats!
Orange and lemon oil are new ingredients to me. Isn’t it amazing what wonderful variations you can make when you have a great basic bread dough.
I think you mean, 3 tablespoons SUGAR in your recipe. I know because this recipe has been embedded in my head for the past 20 years 🙂
Have a great week!
Lorraine
Dough correction: 3 tablespoons SUGAR!
Yes, Yes, Phyllis. You are correct. I changed it. Thanks so much. pr
Hello Paula! These sound fabulous, what a delicious breakfast (really any time of the day) treat! But I don’t think I could keep them around the house, way……… too dangerous, even the freezer would be calling my name if they were stashed away …………