Bread Machine Raisin Bread Recipe for a 2 lb Loaf

On this page (10 sections)

1. What is a simple bread machine raisin bread recipe for a 2 lb loaf?
2. Why do raisins go in at the beep instead of at the start?
3. Which cycle should you pick for a raisin loaf?
4. How do you keep raisins from crushing or sinking?
5. How do you adapt a raisin bread recipe to your machine?
6. How do you bake raisin bread in a machine with a fruit dispenser?
7. Which machines handle a 2 lb raisin loaf best?
8. What else can you bake with raisin bread dough?
9. How should you store and slice raisin bread?
10. What should you remember before your next raisin loaf?

Use a 2 lb basic or sweet bread cycle and add the raisins at the machine's fruit and nut beep, not at the start. A 2 lb loaf takes about 2 cups of bread flour and 3/4 to 1 cup of raisins.

The recipes below are sized for a 2 lb pan. Machines vary in how much dough they handle, so read your pan size first.

Our guide to bread machine loaf size explains how 1 lb, 1.5 lb and 2 lb pans differ.

What is a simple bread machine raisin bread recipe for a 2 lb loaf?

The basic recipe is 2 cups bread flour, 1 cup milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons yeast and 3/4 cup raisins. It fills a 2 lb pan without spilling over.

Here it is in order for a machine that wants liquid first:

• 1 cup milk, warmed to room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons soft butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
• 3/4 cup raisins, added at the beep

Put the milk, egg and butter in the pan first. Add the sugar and salt, then the flour.

Make a small well in the flour and add the yeast away from the liquid. Select the basic or white cycle at the 2 lb setting and medium crust.

When the machine beeps for mix-ins, scatter the raisins over the dough and close the lid.

Why do raisins go in at the beep instead of at the start?

Raisins added at the start get beaten by the kneading blade for the whole mix, which crushes them and stains the dough. Add them after the first knead so the gluten forms first and the fruit stays mostly whole.

On most machines the beep comes partway through the cycle, after the dough has come together. The raisins get only a short knead to spread through the dough.

And they don't sit in liquid for a long stretch, so they keep some chew instead of turning to mush.

If your machine has no mix-in beep, watch the cycle. Add the raisins once the dough looks smooth and pulls away from the pan, usually after 10 to 15 minutes of kneading.

A machine with a dispenser drops the raisins on its own at the right moment.

Which cycle should you pick for a raisin loaf?

Use the basic or white bread cycle for most raisin loaves. Switch to the sweet bread cycle when the dough has more than 2 tablespoons of sugar, because the extra sugar needs a longer rise.

Here's how the common cycles behave with raisins:

• Basic or white: about 3 to 3.5 hours, medium crust. Best for the recipe above.
• Sweet: about 3.5 to 4 hours. Use it for doughs with more sugar and butter, like cinnamon raisin bread.
• Fruit and nut: a program that waits to add mix-ins. Pick this when your machine offers it.
• Rapid: about 2 hours. Fast, but the crumb is coarser and the fruit flavor is less developed.

The sweet cycle runs longer because rich dough rises more slowly. Our guide to how long a bread machine takes breaks down cycle times by program.

How do you keep raisins from crushing or sinking?

Coat the raisins in a little flour and add them at the beep. The flour gives the fruit something to grip so it doesn't all drop to the bottom during the rise.

Three habits keep the loaf even:

1. Add raisins at the beep, not with the flour.
2. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of flour before adding.
3. Don't overfill the pan. A 2 lb pan takes about 4 cups of dough, not more.

Raisins sink when the dough is too wet. Hold back 2 tablespoons of the milk and add it only if the dough looks dry after 5 minutes of kneading.

How do you adapt a raisin bread recipe to your machine?

Set the machine to the 2 lb loaf size and match your pan's capacity. The same recipe runs on most machines, but the pan size setting changes the knead and rise times.

Check three things before you start:

• Pan size: select 2 lb on machines that offer 1, 1.5 and 2 lb settings. On a 2.2 lb pan, the 2 lb setting is the safe choice for this recipe.
• Yeast type: use bread machine yeast or instant yeast. Active dry yeast needs proofing first.
• Flour: bread flour gives the best rise. All-purpose flour works but produces a slightly flatter loaf.

For a first loaf in a new machine, follow the how to use a bread machine walkthrough. If your raisin loaf comes out dense, the cause is usually too much liquid or yeast that's past its date.

How do you bake raisin bread in a machine with a fruit dispenser?

Load the dispenser with raisins and the machine drops them at the right moment. This removes the need to stand by for the beep.

The KBS Pro has an automatic stainless steel dispenser that adds mix-ins during the bake. Load 3/4 cup of raisins into it and select a program with a mix-in step.

Its 17 programs include basic, gluten-free and whole wheat settings, plus a custom setting with 3 crust colors. The pan is ceramic and holds up to 2.2 lb, so a 2 lb recipe leaves headroom.

Skip the dispenser if your raisins are large or sticky. Clumps can jam the gate.

Check that the dispenser is dry and the raisins are loose before you load it.

Which machines handle a 2 lb raisin loaf best?

All three machines below bake a 2 lb loaf and offer a mix-in signal or dispenser. The choice comes down to whether you want to add fruit by hand or have the machine do it.

Best for a classic vertical loaf: Cuisinart 12-Program 2 lb Bread Maker

The Cuisinart offers 12 menu programs and 3 loaf sizes, including 2 lb. Its vertical pan bakes a tall loaf, and the 60-minute keep warm cycle holds the bread after the bake.

You get 3 crust colors, and the machine beeps for mix-ins so you can add raisins by hand. The removable nonstick pan needs hand washing.

This suits someone who wants a compact machine that handles fruit bread on a standard cycle.

Best for whole wheat and seeded raisin bread: Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus

The Virtuoso Plus runs 7 programs, including whole wheat and gluten free, and it has dual kneading blades plus heaters in the base and lid. Those two blades knead dough more evenly, which helps when raisins and seeds weigh it down.

The rapid course bakes white or whole wheat bread in 2 hours 25 minutes. It's a large machine at 18 inches wide and 24 lb, so measure your counter first.

Choose it if you bake raisin whole wheat loaves and want even browning.

Best for hands-off raisin bread: KBS Pro 2.2 lb Bread Maker

The KBS Pro has 17 programs, 3 loaf sizes and an automatic nut dispenser, so the raisins go in without you opening the lid. Its 710W motor and 360° convection heating are built for an even crust.

The 15-hour delay timer and 1-hour keep warm are handy for plain bread, but keep raisin dough out of the delay setting. It comes with 53 recipes and 11 baking essentials.

Pick it if you want the machine to handle the fruit step for you.

What else can you bake with raisin bread dough?

The same dough works for rolls, cinnamon swirl bread and a fruit loaf with a sugar glaze. Shape it by hand after the dough cycle and bake it in your oven.

Set the machine to the dough cycle, then divide the dough into 12 pieces for rolls. Let them rise until doubled, about 45 minutes, and bake at 375°F for 18 to 20 minutes.

For cinnamon raisin bread, roll the dough into a rectangle, spread soft butter and cinnamon sugar over it, roll it up and bake it in a loaf pan. A simple powdered sugar glaze finishes the loaf.

Try a bread machine pizza crust recipe with yeast when you want a savory bake from the same machine.

How should you store and slice raisin bread?

Cool the loaf fully before slicing, then store it cut side down in a paper bag or wrapped in foil. Homemade raisin bread keeps about 3 to 4 days at room temperature.

Slice it thick, about 3/4 inch, so the fruit doesn't tear the crumb. Toast slices to bring back the crust.

For longer storage, freeze slices in a sealed bag for up to 2 months. Don't refrigerate the loaf, because cold storage dries bread out faster than a bread box.

What should you remember before your next raisin loaf?

Add raisins at the beep, use the basic or sweet cycle, and keep the loaf to 2 lb. That covers most of what goes wrong with a raisin loaf in a bread machine.

Pick the Cuisinart for a compact vertical loaf, the Zojirushi for whole wheat and seeded raisin bread, or the KBS Pro for a dispenser that adds the fruit for you. Start with the basic recipe, then adjust the liquid once you see how your machine handles the dough.

A loaf that's a little dense usually needs less milk, not more yeast.

Frequently asked questions

How many raisins go into a 2 lb loaf of bread?

Plan on 3/4 to 1 cup of raisins for a 2 lb loaf. That works out to roughly 45 to 60 percent of the flour weight.

More than that can weigh down the dough and leave a dense center.

Why do my raisins get crushed in the bread machine?

Raisins added at the start get pounded by the kneading blade for the whole mix. Add them when the machine beeps after the first knead, or coat them lightly in flour first.

Both keep more fruit whole.

Can I use the delay timer with raisin bread?

No, skip the delay timer for fruit bread. Raisins sitting in wet dough overnight soak up water and can turn mushy.

Mix and bake the loaf the same day, or hold the raisins and add them at the beep.

Which bread machine cycle is best for raisin bread?

The basic or white bread cycle handles most raisin loaves well. Use the sweet bread cycle if your recipe has more than 2 tablespoons of sugar.

On machines with a fruit and nut setting, choose that program so the machine waits before adding the raisins.

Can I swap the raisins for other dried fruit?

Yes. Chopped dates, dried cranberries, currants and diced apricots all work in the same amount.

Chop larger fruit to raisin size so it mixes evenly.

Very sticky fruit benefits from a light dusting of flour before it goes in.