Raisin Scones with Rum Butter

Warm, fluffy, and richly flavoured, these Rum & Raisin Scones are made with buttermilk, plump rum-soaked raisins, and topped with softly whipped rum butter. Developed to balance traditional comfort with a gentle hint of indulgence, they’re a memorable addition to any Afternoon Tea. Watch the promo video for inspiration.

Professional looking scones every time

Soaking the raisins in Rum overnight is the secret to their delicious flavour while resting the dough twice is the key to creating professional-looking super high scones with smooth tops and clean edges – just like the ones you’ll see in the best 5 star hotels in London. The texture? Light, airy, and tender—thanks to the gentle reaction between the acid in the buttermilk and the baking powder in the self-raising flour. I’ve put all the tricks and tips in the recipe to ensure great results – every single time.

Perfection takes time…..

These Raisin Scones with Rum Butter do require a little more time than my Afternoon Tea Scones, so if you need a quick scone recipe then you might want to save these for a day when you can enjoy the process. Both recipes are simple to make—it’s just a matter of how much time you have to spare. .

Indulgent Rum Butter

While I love a good preserve and a dollop of cream, I must admit that my Rum Butter makes a nice alternative.

There’s something magical about a warm scone and soft rum butter slowly melting into the fluffiness! Of course you can still serve these with jam and cream if you prefer. Apricot works well and so does fig.

My Rum Butter recipe is similar to traditional whipped Brandy Butter which is often served with Christmas Pudding and mince pies. It includes icing sugar for sweetness and an airy texture plus a little mixed spice to complement the warmth of the rum.

Why You’ll Love Them

Classic flavours of Rum & Raisin – perfect for winter celebrations or Christmas Afternoon Tea parties.

Adaptable – you can soak the raisins or leave them plain, serve with the rum butter or jam and cream instead, the choice is yours!

Five star looks – These scones are made in a similar fashion to those you would find in a 5 star hotel. The buttermilk and resting the dough twice give them a beautiful smooth finish and extremely fluffy texture.

Scones can be made ahead and frozen—just reheat and serve, while the rum butter keeps in the fridge for two weeks.

Good to know

• Read through the recipe completely before you start.
• You will need a round cutter measuring 6 cm and at least 2cm high plus digital scales to ensure accuracy.
• Soak the raisins overnight for best results.
• Rum butter is best served at room temperature so it’s easier to spread.

Other delicious Afternoon Tea recipes to make

Tiny Sausage Rolls

Brandy Snap Cones

Turkey, Cranberry & Brie Finger Sandwiches

Little Lemon Layer Cakes

Coronation Chicken Finger Sandwiches

Ingredients for Raisin Scones with Rum Butter

Self-raising flour – This is plain / all purpose flour has had baking powder added to it so you don’t have to. Make sure yours is fresh as it loses it’s efficacy over time. If you’re not sure how old yours is then buy a new packet before making this recipe.

Superfine/caster sugar – You can also use granulated sugar although it will affect the texture slightly.

Unsalted butter – If you only have salted butter to hand then use it, just don’t add the pinch of fine table salt.

Buttermilk – The acid in the buttermilk will react with the baking powder in the self-raising flour, resulting in a fluffy texture and nice high scones. 

Rum – You can get fancy here with a nice dark rum or keep it simple with a medium one like Bunderberg. If you don’t want to buy a whole bottle then look for a hip flask size at your local bottle shop. It will be more than adequate for this recipe.

You will also need – Fine table salt and an egg yolk (for brushing the tops) plus raisins, icing sugar and mixed spice.

Preparation – the day before

Place the raisins in a small bowl. Add the rum and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap then leave on your bench overnight.

Preparation – when you’re ready to bake

Cut the butter into small cubes. Soften for 10-20 seconds in the microwave if you need to.

Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.

Make the scone dough

Place the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Add the cubed butter then rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the rum-soaked raisins

Drain off any excess rum from the raisins and discard – it won’t be much as the raisins should be nice and plump and full of rum! Add the raisins to the scone mix and stir until evenly distributed.

Add the buttermilk

Now add the buttermilk one third at a time, mixing between additions until all the flour/butter has been incorporated. NOTE: This will take a bit of effort and you may need to use your hands to press the mixture together. It will seem dry at first but will come together nicely when you start to knead it in the next step.

Knead the raisin scone dough

Dust a cutting board or silicone mat with a little extra flour then add the dough.

Gently knead until smooth. This should take around 2-3 minutes.

Pat the dough into a disc shape then put it in a clean bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave it on your bench. Set a timer for 30 minutes.

Make the Rum Butter

Place the softened butter, icing sugar and mixed spice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or you can use hand beaters if you prefer). Beat together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stop and scrape down the sides. Restart the mixer on the lowest setting and add the rum a little at a time, beating after each addition until fully incorporated.

Transfer the butter to a small container, cover and refrigerate until required. The butter will keep for up to two weeks.

Roll out the raisin scone dough

Dust a clean board or pastry mat with a little flour and gently roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of 2cm (use a ruler).

Important: If you want nice straight scones make sure you get the surface of the dough as even as possible. Bend down and check at eye level if it helps!

Cut out the scones

Take your cutter and using a stamping action (straight down, straight up) cut out as many scones as possible. Do not twist the cutter. Turn them over and place them on the baking sheet one finger width apart.

TIP: Turning the scones over after cutting will ensure smooth tops.

Gather the scraps, gently knead until smooth, then re-roll to the same 2cm height. Cut more scones. Repeat rolling/cutting until you have no more dough left.

Brush with egg yolk

Brush the tops with a pastry brush dipped in beaten egg yolk, then leave the tray of raisin scones uncovered on your bench to rest for another 30 minutes. Note: After about 15 minutes of resting preheat your oven to 180 C fan / 360 F fan.

Bake (finally!)

Place the tray of raisin scones in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, turn your tray, then bake for a further 5-10 minutes until brown on top and slightly coloured on the sides.

Remove from the oven. Serve immediately on a tiered stand or wrapped in a clean linen napkin in a pretty serving bowl with Rum Butter, or cool on a wire rack before storing.

To store

Cool completely then store in an airtight container lined with baking paper in the fridge for up to 2 days. Alternatively place the scones in zip lock bags and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the bags before re-heating.

To reheat

Preheat the oven to 160 C fan / 320 F fan.

Wrap the scones in aluminium foil and place the parcel on a tray in the oven for 12 minutes.

Remove from the foil and serve immediately on a tiered stand or wrapped in a clean linen napkin in a pretty serving bowl together with the rum butter plus jam and cream (optional). Add a sprinkle of mixed spice on top of the butter if you like.