Soft, fragrant, and quietly bold, these brandy soaked raisins bring a little grown-up depth to even the humblest dish.

A ceramic bowl filled with raisins and a spoon sits on a tiled surface. In the foreground, part of a plate with a decorative edge is visible, topped with a dessert, possibly bread pudding, garnished with raisins and a dollop of cream.

Some recipes come from cookbooks, passed down on stained pages and brittle corners. Others start quietly, with a conversation across the kitchen, or the soft clink of a spoon in a glass bowl. This one? It came from a kugel.

I was testing the Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cognac-Soaked Raisins I’d written about not long ago. A recipe that always reminds me of Rosh Hashanah, of fall’s first chill, of the way my grandmother would hum quietly when the oven warmed up the whole apartment.

She never measured much. A splash of this, a palmful of that. Her raisins were soaked in brandy or cognac, depending on what was around. I remember her calling them “grown-up raisins,” as if they had secrets.

I’d been soaking them the way she did, pouring just enough cognac over golden sultanas to let them drink slowly overnight. I paused to taste one. It was soft, rich, just a little sharp. Something in that one bite reminded me of stewed prunes, dried fruit, and all the sweets you stretch out over hours of conversation at a crowded table.

Fruit with Memory

A ceramic bowl brimming with brandy-soaked raisins and a silver spoon rests inside. The bowl is placed on a tiled surface, with part of a decorative plate peeking next to it.

That’s when I started keeping a large jar of these brandied sultanas in the refrigerator—not just for kugel, but for cakes, pancakes, and the occasional blintz with cottage cheese on a lazy Sunday.

They’ve since made their way into weekday breakfasts, tucked into warm farina, and Sunday mornings when the kids help stir pancake batter while I sip coffee and remember.

There’s not much to it: raisins, brandy (or cognac), and a bit of time. But they soften and plump, becoming their best version, like fruit that’s learned patience. And just like that, they’ve become one of those quiet kitchen rituals, the kind that doesn’t announce itself but always returns. A little preparation that leads to something comforting, a thread connecting memory to meal.

Ingredients

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Golden Raisins – I always reach for golden sultana raisins here. They’re sweeter and more tender than dark raisins, with a mellow flavor that takes on the cognac beautifully. If you only have regular raisins, they’ll work, but golden ones feel more celebratory, and they soak faster too.
Brandy or Cognac – Use what you love. Cognac adds a rounder, deeper note, while regular brandy gives the raisins a cleaner sharpness. I’ve even used a splash of apple brandy once, when it was the only thing on hand, and it turned out lovely. There’s no need to buy the good stuff, just something drinkable. A touch of leftover Hanukkah liquor works great.

See the recipe card for full list and exact quantities.

How to Make this Brandy-Soaked Raisins Recipe

A ceramic bowl filled with dried raisins sits on a tiled surface. A metal spoon is resting inside the bowl. The scene is lit by natural light from the side.

These brandy soaked raisins is less of a recipe and more of a ritual. Once you’ve done it once, you’ll do it again the next time you find yourself with a handful of raisins and no big plan. Here's how to make this recipe:

Place the Raisins in a Bowl

Use a large bowl that’s wide enough for the raisins to spread out a little. This helps them soak more evenly. Sometimes I use a jar, especially if I plan to refrigerate them overnight.

Add the Brandy or Cognac

A hand holds a small white bowl above a larger brown bowl filled with prunes in syrup. Another empty white bowl is in the top left corner. The surface beneath is a light tiled countertop.

Pour the cognac over the raisins until they’re fully covered. Stir gently so every one gets coated. There’s no need to boil, just let the liquor start to infuse. Don’t worry about exact amounts, this isn’t a precise recipe. Just enough to cover is perfect.

Cover and Let Them Sit

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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid. Leave it on the counter for at least an hour, but overnight in the fridge gives the raisins time to absorb the flavor and plump up beautifully. I usually prep them after dinner and use them the next morning.

Use or Store

A ceramic bowl filled with golden raisins sits on a beige surface. A metal spoon is partially submerged in the raisins. Part of a decorative black and white plate is visible in the bottom right corner.

Once they’re soft and plump, you can use them right away or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The longer they sit, the more concentrated the flavor becomes.

The leftover syrup is magic, you can drizzle it over vanilla ice cream, a warm loaf of cake, or use it in a glaze.

Storage

A small ceramic bowl filled with luscious soaked raisins sits on a tiled surface. A silver spoon rests inside, partially submerged in the plump fruit. The natural lighting casts gentle shadows across the bowl, evoking a warm and inviting scene.

I keep a small glass jar of these tucked behind the almond milk and leftover soup. They last up to a week in the fridge, though they rarely make it that long. The raisins continue to swell over time, and the leftover brandy becomes a syrup you’ll want to sneak into other things, spooned over pancakes, stirred into whipped cream, or even brushed onto warm cake.

If you’d like to keep them longer, pour the raisins and brandy into a tightly sealed jar. I’ve forgotten about a batch for nearly two weeks and they were still perfect (maybe even better).

Top Tips

Taste the Raisins First – if your raisins are dry or tough, soak them briefly in warm water and drain before adding the cognac. It gives them a head start and helps them absorb more flavor.

Use a Light Hand – you don’t need a lot of brandy. Just enough to barely cover the raisins. Too much and they float, which slows down the softening. Too little and they’ll drink it up unevenly.

What to Serve With Brandy Soaked Raisins

A piece of noodle kugel topped with whipped cream and raisins is on an ornate white plate. A fork rests on top, cutting into the dessert. A small bowl of raisins is blurred in the background.

These cognac-soaked raisins have a way of making any dish feel like it’s been thought through, like you took a quiet moment just for the food. I love folding them into blintzes alongside cottage cheese, especially when the kids are circling the kitchen, noses wrinkling at anything unfamiliar, only to ask for seconds once they’ve had that first bite.

They’re beautiful tucked into Russian Syrniki, where the creamy cheese pancakes meet the soft chew of brandied sultanas. A spoonful of sour cream on top, maybe a dusting of brown sugar, and suddenly it feels like breakfast at my grandmother’s table.

For something more casual, I stir them into Dried Fruit and Granola Muffins. The brandy-soaked raisins add depth to the sweetness and make even a quick weekday batch feel like a special treat, one I often wrap up for my husband’s lunch or sneak into the snack bag before school pickup.

And if you’re leaning into dessert, try them over Poached Quince with Yogurt. The cool tang of yogurt, the soft fruit, and the syrupy raisins feel like the kind of dessert meant for quiet, slow evenings. We’ve even added them to a bowl of our Lactose-Free Yogurt with a handful of chopped walnuts and called it breakfast, though it felt more like dessert.

Recipe

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