Rum Raisin Ice Cream

Rum Raisin Ice Cream is a decadent homemade ice cream flavor made with a rich cinnamon vanilla custard base and rum-soaked raisins that burst in your mouth!

This classic French-style ice cream recipe is extra creamy because it’s made with an egg-yolk custard and churned in your ice cream maker.

Rum and Raisin ice cream is naturally gluten-free and nut free.

I’m not sure I’ll ever get tired of recreating my favorite ice cream flavors at home! Rum Raisin has been a favorite since I was a kid, enjoying it with my grandparents, and maybe it was one of your favorites too.

Because ice cream with rum-soaked raisins isn’t the most popular ice cream flavor, you may not always be able to find it at the grocery store.

No worries though! I’ve got you covered with this easy recipe, and it’s truly the best rum raisin ice cream you’ll ever eat.

If you enjoy rum raisin ice cream, I think you’ll also really like bananas foster ice cream. It has the same flavors of cinnamon, dark rum, and vanilla.

Why You’re Going to Love this Rum Raisin Ice Cream Recipe

Rum Raisin is an old-fashioned, nostalgic, and historic flavor, that has been enjoyed for many, many years.

While rum and raisin ice cream was first introduced to the U.S. in the 1980s, the concept of macerating dried grapes in wine or spirits can be traced back to someplace in the vast history of Italy, Spain, and Greece, where extra sweet Malaga grapes soaked in wine have been a dessert ingredient forever.

In fact, it was Italy that first created ice cream with alcohol-soaked grapes. They called it Malaga gelato.

We’re calling it Rum Raisin Ice Cream, and it’s super simple to make! Follow along with this step-by-step recipe and you’ll soon be wondering why you’ve waited so long to try making rum and raisin ice cream from scratch.

Ingredients in Homemade Rum Raisin Ice Cream

Raisins – Use regular raisins, or splurge on golden raisins if you’d like to.

Spiced Rum – I love the bold flavor and aroma of spiced rum like Captain Morgan’s in this recipe, but a dark or golden rum can also be used if you prefer.

Egg Yolks – These create the base for our ice cream custard. We’ll gently heat the egg yolks to pasteurize them, but you can also purchase pasteurized eggs if you prefer.

Sugar – For texture and sweetness in homemade ice cream, granulated sugar is the best choice.

Whole Milk – The first of our dairy items adds bulk and aids in getting the perfect creamy texture.

Salt – Just a bit of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of rum and raisin ice cream.

Ground Cinnamon – This spice is heavenly paired with rum-soaked raisins.

Heavy Cream – A mix of both heavy cream and whole milk is what gives us the perfect creamy texture.

Vanilla Extract – a nice, high-quality pure vanilla extract will give tons of warm vanilla flavor.

How to Make Rum Raisin Ice Cream from Scratch

Start the day before by making sure that the bowl for your ice cream maker has at least 24 hours to freeze solid.

1. Add the raisins and spiced rum to a bowl. Let the raisins soak up the rum until plump, about 4-6 hours.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until smooth and pale yellow in color.
3. Add the milk, salt, and ground cinnamon to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the milk to a simmer and then remove it from the heat, being sure not to let it boil. Add about 1/2 cup of hot milk to the egg mixture and constantly whisk until combined.
4. Then add the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the hot milk. Heat the saucepan on low. Stirring constantly, cook until the base has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Strain the mixture into a bowl to remove any pieces of egg that may have cooked. Then, add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, making sure that the wrap is covering the surface of the ice cream base. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
6. Churn the ice cream mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions, until it is thick and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. In the last two minutes of the churn, add the raisins and any remaining rum to the ice cream.
7. Spoon the ice cream into a shallow container or a loaf pan. Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the ice cream. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid. 
8. Let homemade ice cream sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions for making rum raisin ice cream from scratch, please see the recipe below.

How to Store Rum Raisin Ice Cream

Store this homemade Rum and Raisin ice cream in the freezer in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper pressed on top for up to one month.

If you’ve made other ice cream recipes before, you may notice that this ice cream is softer than others, and easier to scoop.

This is because alcohol acts as an anti-freeze agent!

Tips for Making This Rum and Raisin Ice Cream Recipe

Use quality ingredients – When making homemade ice cream, you’ll want to make sure you are using high-quality ingredients for the best outcome.

Don’t skimp on the sugar – Sugar not only adds sweetness to homemade ice creams, it also helps with the texture. Sugar is essential for the creamy texture of ice cream.

For more flavor, use brown sugar instead of white sugar. This adds more molasses and gives the dessert a deeper, richer flavor.

Don’t waste the rum! The raisins should soak up most of the rum, but if there is any left in the bowl, make sure to pour it into the machine.

Chill out – If possible, always start with chilled ingredients. It’s also very important that the custard ice cream base is refrigerated for at least three hours. If the base isn’t cold, the ice cream won’t set in the machine.

Don’t skimp on the fat – High-fat milk and cream are essential when making homemade ice cream. Opting for a low-fat option often leads to icy ice creams and inconsistency in the texture.

Don’t go crazy with the add-ins – If you’re adding in additional ingredients, pick one or two and make sure they are chopped into pieces no larger than a blueberry or pea. Try adding chopped walnuts to rum and raisin ice cream!

Why Do We Press Plastic Wrap to the Top of the Ice Cream Base Before Chilling?

The base for this rum raisin ice cream is a traditional custard that is made with egg yolks, milk, and cream. If exposed to air when cooling, a skin will form on the top of the bowl.

This skin forms because liquid evaporates, making the milk proteins in the custard more concentrated and drier. It’s harmless, but not ideal.

To avoid skin forming on your ice cream base, make sure that no air can get to the custard by placing plastic wrap directly on the top of the ice cream base while you’re cooling it down in the fridge.

If you do get a bit of skin formed on top of your ice cream base, simply scrape it off before adding it to the ice cream maker.

No Churn Rum Raisin Ice Cream Directions

Chill a shallow container or a loaf pan in the freezer while you mix the ice cream ingredients.

Pour the ice cream mixture into the prepared pan and freeze for 3-4 hours. Stir the ice cream every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours to help add air. This will help create a creamy, smooth texture.

Stir in the soaked rum raisins somewhere toward the end of that first two-hour period so that they won’t immediately sink to the bottom of the pan.

Does Rum Raisin Ice Cream Have Alcohol In It?

There is 1/2 cup of rum in this ice cream recipe. If divided into six servings, each serving will contain approximately 2/3 ounces of rum.

This is less than a traditional serving of alcohol, but it’s still significant.

Enjoy ice cream made with alcohol responsibly, and avoid serving it to those not legally allowed to drink.

Commercially produced rum raisin ice cream is most likely flavored with rum extract, and won’t have the same alcohol content.

Can I Make Nonalcoholic Rum Raisin Ice Cream?

Yes, you can. Replace the rum in this recipe with 1/2 cup of water and 2 or more tablespoons of rum extract for flavor.

This option won’t be entirely alcohol-free unless you find an alcohol-free rum extract though. Most flavor extracts have small amounts of alcohol in them.

You could also make this custard ice cream.

More Classic Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

• Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• Rocky Road Ice Cream
• Strawberry Ice Cream
• Pistachio Ice Cream
• Black Raspberry Ice Cream

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Rum Raisin Ice Cream

Ice Cream From Scratch

Rum Raisin Ice Cream is a decadent homemade ice cream flavor made with a rich cinnamon vanilla custard base and rum-soaked raisins that burst in your mouth!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Additional Time 13 hours hrs

Total Time 13 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course French Style Custard Base Ice Cream Recipes

Cuisine Dessert

Servings 6 servings

Calories 516 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup spiced rum
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Chill the ice cream bowl for at least 24 hours or until solid. You should not hear any water sloshing around when you shake the bowl. Add the raisins and spiced rum to a bowl. Let the raisins soak up the rum until plump, about 4-6 hours.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until smooth and pale yellow in color.
• Add the milk, salt, and ground cinnamon to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the milk to a simmer and then remove from the heat. Be sure not to boil. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot milk to the egg and sugar mixture and whisk constantly until combined. 
• Then, add the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Heat the saucepan on low. Stirring constantly, heat until the base has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take a few minutes. 
• Strain the mixture into a bowl to remove any pieces of egg that may have cooked. Then, add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap making sure to have the plastic wrap touching the surface of the ice cream base. This will help keep it from forming a skin while chilling. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Churn the ice cream mixture in the bowl of your ice cream machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions, until it is thick and the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. In the last two minutes of the churn, add the raisins and any remaining rum to the ice cream.
• Spoon the ice cream into a shallow container or a loaf pan. Press plastic wrap or wax paper to the surface of the ice cream. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid. 
• Let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

To save time, you can start soaking the raisins and let them sit while your ice cream custard is chilling in the refrigerator. This will cut down on the inactive time of the recipe. 

I love to use a spiced rum for this recipe, but you can use any rum that you like. 

The raisins should soak up the majority of the rum but you will still have a few tablespoons of rum left over. Be sure to pour that into the ice cream with the raisins for extra flavoring. 

If you want a more molasses type of flavor in the ice cream, you can use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar in the ice cream base.

1/2 cup water plus 2 or more tablespoons of rum extract can be used in place of the rum in this recipe.

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