Use the instant pot to help your bread rise in just a few hours, no kneading required! This Instant Pot Raisin Bread is an old family recipe that I tweaked to be able to make in a fraction of the time.
When the Recipe Redux announced its monthly recipe challenge was bread recipes, I immediately knew what I had to make. You see, my grandpa passed away in December, just a couple months ago, and this bread recipe was something he made religiously for our family after my grandma passed away. I originally tweaked this recipe to make it a little more nourishing with whole-wheat flour and applesauce and wrote a tribute to my grandma and you can find that post for Gram’s Irish Raisin Bread here. Since I have a post dedicated to my Gram, I wanted to carve out some space for my Grandpa here too.
This recipe goes back four generations to my Great-Grandmother who was born in Ireland. This bread always made an appearance at our family gatherings and holidays. It was a special treat to look forward to at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Until, my Gram passed away, and shortly thereafter, my sweet Grandpa Joe learned how to make the recipe and would bake loaves of bread weekly to hand deliver to our house. I remember pulling in the driveway a few times to see that loaf of bread tied up in a plastic bag hanging on our doorknob, and being so excited. It was always delivered warm too, which was an extra treat.
My grandpa kept up this tradition for a while until it became too much for him to continue. His home bread deliveries speak so much to his values and character. He always put his family first. Above all else. If you stopped by to visit him on a whim, chances are you’d catch him saying the rosary for a family member in need of some prayers. His dedication to family and faith was so moving and his passing made me realize how much I hope to put these things first in my life as well.
As I paged through my Gram’s recipe book, I held back tears thinking of my sweet Grandma and Grandpa. I miss them dearly. But I’m so thankful for the memories (and recipes!) we have to cherish them and keep them in our hearts. As I pulled the loaf out of the oven, I was overwhelmed with the aroma of the bread, which elicited so many fond family memories.
I didn’t tweak this recipe much this time except to make one loaf and to let it rise in the Instant Pot, which helps making this bread a little more manageable to make it in the morning and have it ready by the afternoon. To do this, you place your dough in the Instant Pot and set it to yogurt function for 3 1/2 hours. This helps keep the dough warm enough to poof or rise.
I love this bread when it’s still a little warm, slathered with some butter. It’s also delicious toasted too!
Instant Pot Raisin Bread (No Knead!)
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...
- Yield: One loaf
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter (plus extra tablespoon for brushing)
- 1 3/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 8 ounces raisins
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat milk on stovetop over medium heat until scalding. Remove top layer of film using a spoon. Add butter to saucepan until melted and let mixture cool to room temperature.
- Fill a glass with 1/8 cup warm water. Add yeast and a 1/8 teaspoon of sugar. Stir to combine and let sit. Over 5 minutes, you should see bubbles begin to form and yeast begin to rise in the glass.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, raisins, and salt. Stir in cooled milk + butter mixture and yeast mixture.
- Use your (clean) hands to mix dough together once you can no longer stir to combine. If dough seems dry, add a little more milk. Once dough seems soft and elastic, stop.
- Gently spray the Instant Pot with cooking spray. Place the dough inside. Close lid and set to yogurt function for 3 1/2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place dutch oven in oven while it heats up.
- Remove dough from Instant Pot and turn dough out onto floured surface and shape into a round loaf. Brush with melted butter.
- Place dough on top of a piece of parchment paper in the dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool before slicing.
Notes
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this recipe by letting the dough rise next to a heat source overnight or for at least 4 hours, punching it down half way through.
For more baking inspiration, check out the recipes below!
Thank you for sharing your Grandpa Joe’s family recipe. Wish I could upload a photo of this beautiful and delicious loaf of raisin bread! This will definitely be a repeat here.
Thanks, Maggie! Glad you love it as much as I do!
The recipe sounds delicious, and must be even more so because it is a family recipe. But, and please understand I’m not “one of those” who looks for trouble on the internet, but why do you call this an instapot recipe? Proofing can be done in any warm place, hand mixing and conventional oven baking isn’t instapot.
Hi Barney! As mentioned above, I let the dough rise in the Instant Pot. This allows me to make it in the morning, and the bread will be ready by the afternoon. 🙂
I made it all then realized I had no yogurt setting on my IP. So….. google and decided to try this suggestion. Set the IP to warm for 15 minutes then turn it off and let it rise. Could take 6-8 hours. I am also using a gluten free Red Mill flour replacement. And fast acting yeast. This should be interesting. cross your fingers!
Oh no! I hope it worked! Fingers crossed!!
This sounds delicious but I’m avoiding refined sugar. Does the sugar that’s mixed in with the flour serve a purpose other than as sweetener?
Just for flavor!
Sugar gives the yeast “food” it needs to help your dough rise. Honey could be used as well, I am sure.
Looks wonderful! Have you ever tried to do gluten free with almond or coconut flour? I have very little experience in the kitchen but I am learning so I can eat healthy.
Hi, Ken. I personally haven’t tried this bread with almond or coconut flour.
I assume it should be in the steam position, correct? Not the venting position?
It actually doesn’t matter with the yogurt function! Either way is fine.
This bread looks wonderful. However, have you ever tried making a smaller loaf? I’m afraid it would dry out before we ate it all.
I haven’t tried making a smaller loaf but I have tried freezing it and that works well! I slice it and then wrap the slices in saran wrap and place in a freezer-safe Ziploc.
I make it in the slow cooker (crock pot) line with parchment paper on high 1 1/2 to 2 hours when it becomes brown at the bottom. Then transfer it under the broiler for 10 min to brown the top
Nice! Sounds great, Karla!
Hi Kara, that sounds delicious! I too have many great memories of my grandparents and special meals. I have a question. Did you use a glass lid on the IP, or the regular lid sealed or vented?
Thanks!
Awe, so special! I used the regular IP lid. With the yogurt function, vent can be sealed or vented.
I don’t have a Dutch oven… is there an alternative way to bake it?
Hi Sue – you could use a covered metal pot, pot covered with foil or an oven-safe casserole dish.
What a beautiful and heart-warming memory! You are blessed.
Can parchment paper or something else be used in place of the plastic wrap? I am concerned about the health dangers of plastic on foods.
Thank you, Jean! I’m not aware of any health dangers of using plastic on foods but sure you can use parchment paper if you’d prefer.
Just an FYI your recipe does not tell you when to put the yeast mixture in. I know where it need to go in at but you need to add it.
Thanks for pointing that out, Heather! The recipe is now updated.
I don’t have a yogurt setting on my on my Bella PC. Any ideas of a work around?
Hey Carol, unfortunately not that I’m aware of at the moment.
I was just thinking about making bread in my instant pot. Now I’ve gotta try this! it looks delicious
Yessss. Thanks, Rebecca!
I have an instant pot but it does not have a yogurt setting, is there another setting I could use instead?
Unfortunately, I don’t think there is, Katie 🙁
Such a lovely post about family. I agree having family recipes ( and the memories of those foods and gatherings) are priceless. While reading your story I remembered the Christmas my Grandfather made me a recipe box and filled it with Grandmother’s favorite recipes. At the time it seemed like a little thing, but now I realize it was actually a very BIG thing.
Awe, I love that Diane! Family food memories and recipes are so special!
when your rising the dough, is the yogurt setting on normal or low? Thanks! looking forward to making this bread, I will be trying with dried cranberries instead of rasins
Hey Bev, it was set to normal on yogurt function. Hope you enjoy!
I am probably one of the few left that doesn’t have an Instapot, after seeing this recipe, that’s going to change.
Woohoo! I love inspiring people to try the InstantPot! It’s a game changer.
What a wonderful tribute to your Grandpa – love the photo of a young Kara with him. I adore that he learned how to make this bread and keep your Gram’s tradition going. I look forward to trying the recipe and will think of you and your family when I do 🙂
Thank you, Deanna! That pic was taken after he bought me my first car for my 17th birthday :).
This looks so delicious, can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Amber!
Love the memories you shared! Not having to knead bread is sooo nice! 🙂
Totally! Love time and energy saving hacks!
What a great story behind a delicious looking bread.
Thank you, Becca!
I loved reading your Gram and Grandpa’s story. #familyfirst The pic is fun too. (: Thanks for sharing your memories and this 4-generation old recipe with us!
Thanks, Serena! XO
You are always so creative Kara; love it! Memories are great, I can remember my parents saying the rosary, and my mother in law dropping off the Irish soda bread around St. Patricks day every year until she wasn’t able to anymore. We all looked forward to that and the loaf would be gone within the day! Thanks for sharing and I will try it this way.
Awe, thank you Maddy! Awe, I love cherishing all those food memories.
This looks amazing Kara and I love the memories you shared with it.
Thanks, Jessica! 🙂
This is genius, Kara! I have not used my Instant Pot yet (sadly still in the box), but you just gave me a whole new excuse to use it!!
Woohoo! Happy to inspire using the Instant Pot!
I had no idea Uncle Joe learned to make soda bread. Baking this bread was a daily ritual for both our grandmothers, who after it was done, would sit down for a nice long phone chat with each other even though they lived 6 blocks apart. 🙂
Awe! I love that, Brigid. I had no idea – thank you for sharing that memory with me 🙂