Raisin paste is great if you are on a budget and want a great substitute for date paste, or just love this delicious low sugar sweetener. Get started now by getting out those Sun-Maid raisins. We used a Vitamix blender in this video but we also recommend any food processor that you think will do the job.
What is Raisin Paste
Raisin paste is made from raisins that you soak in hot water. After about 10 minutes you then blend them until they have very fine creamy texture… almost like peanut butter. Since raisins have a decent amount of natural sugar they are fairly sweet. This makes raisin paste great for adding sweetness to your desserts without adding the calories. Try a scoop on top of vanilla ice cream or on one of your favorite breads. You can also use raisin paste in baked goods like muffins or scones to sweeten them up. I could see adding this raisin paste recipe to the center of a croissant, making this recipe a great substitute for medjool dates in baking. One of my all time favorite ways to use this raisin paste recipe is to add it to a nice healthy green smoothie in order to make it more sweet.
Health benefits of using Raisin Paste
Raisins have natural sugars and good carbohydrates, and tons of fiber giving the body a quick boost of dietary energy. 2 oz. of raisins contains 1 gram of Iron. Iron is an essential mineral in blood oxygen circulation and immune system support. Potassium is also a component of the paste. It’s good for the muscles, nervous system and helps with lowering your blood pressure. They also contain Iron, Calcium and tons of antioxidants that can help remove free radicals from your blood and may prevent damage to your cells.
Raisins are a healthy date substitute
Let’s face it dates are expensive. Raisins are not. You know what else you don’t have to do with raisins? You don’t have to take out the pits. No sticky hands, no pairing knife… you get the picture. But are raisins actually a “good” substitute for dates? Meaning there has to be a reason why healthy folks have been recommending dates right? Here is a good breakdown from Pink Villa that compares dates vs. raisins: Date vs Raisins: Health benefits and the difference between the two.
Shockingly, the takeaway from the article is that raisins are actually healthier. This makes them one of natures best dates substitute. The main reason being that raisins have a higher content of iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, copper, and potassium. Wow, there you have it. You can save a bunch of money using raisins instead of dates in your recipes now too!
You can use raisins as a replacement for dates in recipe
News flash: Medjool dates are healthy! Chalked full of natural sugar, while maintaining a low/medium glycemic index score due to high fiber content. On top of that, they are really low in fat and have a ton of vitamins and nutrition. However, they are often quite expensive, which often sends people looking for a replacement for dates in recipe. Specifically, they are looking for a medjool dates substitute. That’s why you see a lot of raisin paste recipes these days… like this one!
So look no further, you have come to the right place. You no longer have to type in to google: “raisin paste where to buy”, because you can now make it yourself. Thanks for taking the time to learn how to make this super easy raisin paste recipe! We hope you share this with your friends. My son even made this recipe and he had a blast do so. Please check out his channel on YouTube or watch the video above. It’s super cute.
Raisin Paste
Calories Per Serving
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c raisins
- 1 bowl hot water
Instructions
- Place raisins in bowl1 1/2 c raisins
- Pour water over raisins, just enough to cover them1 bowl hot water
- Wait 10 minutes
- Reserve ¼ cup raisin water and drain
- Transfer to food processor
- Process until you have a thick paste
- Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until you have a smooth peanut butter like consistency
- Store in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks (Can also freeze raisin paste into cubes and be kept in the freezer for months
- * Can use 2 teaspoons of raisin paste for each date called for in most recipes