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Home » All Recipes » Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board

Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board

November 17, 2022 By beckysue

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Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board by Baking The Goods
Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board by Baking The Goods.

I am not one to hop on the hot internet trends. I prefer to follow my gut and make what makes me happiest. That said, this butter board trend is one worth exploring; especially when it results in something as elegant and easy as this Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board.

October is California Farmer and Farmworker Month

In early October I was lucky enough to attend an agriculture tour in the California Central San Joaquin Valley with my friends from California Grown. The tour aligned with California Farmer and Farmworker Month. It was an opportunity to learn from, celebrate and thank California’s hardworking farmers and farmworkers throughout the month of October. That tracks – it seemed like everything was being harvested while we were there. Our trip to a raisin field ended up being the inspiration for this Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board.

Sweet Thistle Farms

We visited Sweet Thistle Farms, a charming, family-owned flower farm and pumpkin patch. The fields of pumpkins, vibrant zinnia fields and a pumpkin decorating session were as October as it gets! They share the land with Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery. The 30+ goat gals produce 8 types of cheese, ranging from soft and creamy to aged and nutty.

Sweet Thistle Farms
How cute is Sweet Thistle Farms? I could have hung out here all day.
Pumpkin decorating at Sweet Thistle Farms
We even decorated pumpkins at Sweet Thistle Farms. Here is my little cutie pumpkin pie.
Dottie the goat at Rocky Oaks Goat Farm
Hanging with the goat gals of Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery. This is Dotty and she was the sweetest.
CA Grown Central San Joaquin Valley agritour
We had to get a photo against the pumpkin wall at Sweet Thistle Farms!
Photo credit James Collier for California Grown
Quady Winery

We had a full tasting of sweet wines, dessert wines and vermouths at Quady Winery. I may or may not have come home with a couple of bottles of vermouth. We happened to be there for the final crush of the season, which was a delightful experience!

Quady Winery grapes
The grapes just before the last crush of the season at Quady Winery.
Final crush of the season at Quady Winery
Alison, Kate and I admiring the wine grapes just before they hit the crusher and began their transformation into wine at Quady Winery.
Photo credit James Collier for California Grown
Froze at Quady Winery
All of the wines at Quady were fantastic, but this Froze situation really hit the spot!
Quady Winery Electra Moscato
Bold and bright, the wines match the vibe here at Quady Winery.
Tasting wines at Quady Winery
K.C. showing us a secret hidden easter egg on the label of the Deviation, an Orange Muscat wine infused with Rose Geranium at Quady Winery. The unique characteristics of this wine are captured by steeping herbs in Orange Muscat wine for seven days.
Photo credit James Collier for California Grown

Did you know kiwi fruit grows on vines, similarly to wine grapes along a trellis?

Catania Worldwide

Catania Wordwide’s mesmerizing kiwi orchard made me want to move back to CA, plant a kiwi orchard and host fabulous dinner parties under a sun-dappled trellis of kiwi vines. I didn’t even realize kiwi was grown in California, let alone in such a beautiful way, but the Central San Joaquin Valley is the ideal climate for growing kiwi and so much more!

Kiwi on the vine at Catania Worldwide
Kiwi grows on vines much like wine grapes at Catania Worldwide in Madera, CA.
Farm worker picking Kiwi at Catania Worldwide kiwi orchard
A farmworker skillfully harvests fresh kiwi under a sun-dappled canopy of kiwi vines. It was such a beautiful and impressive site.
Photo credit Hilary Rance for California Grown

The California Central San Joaquin Valley is the most productive agricultural region in the world, cultivating more than 250 crops

As we drove through Madera, CA to Clovis, CA and everywhere in between, the number of crops that surrounded us was nearly unfathomable. We rolled past almond and pistachio orchards, which are gorgeous, by the way. We saw pomegranate and fig orchards, and all the rows of grapes.

River Ranch Raisins

California grows everything from table grapes to wine vineyards and raisin crops. We stopped by River Ranch Raisins to witness the harvest of Selma Pete variety DOV raisins.

Becky Sue picking DOV raisins
The moment I fell in love with the DOV raisins. 💜
Photo credit Hilary Rance for California Grown
Selma Pete DOV Raisins
I picked these sun soaked Selma Pete DOV Raisins straight from the vine. They were plump, sweet and the best raisins I’ve ever had in my life.
Picking DOV raisins
Raisins that actually resemble grapes! It was so cool to see them growing like this and taste them straight from the vine.
Photo credit James Collier for California Grown

DOV or Dried On Vine Raisins are gently sun-dried while still on the vine

What sets DOV Raisins apart is the fact that they are sun-dried on the vine under the shade of the canopy, rather than the more common technique of drying Thompson grapes on the ground in direct sunlight. You know that style: hard, small and deeply caramelized. The Selma Pete DOV Raisins are the plumpest, sweet and softly chewy raisins I’ve ever had. I had never been much of a raisin fan, but these raisins were transformative. Standing in the rows and plucking those sun-soaked Selma Petes straight from the vine; I think I ate more raisins that afternoon than in all of my grade school boxed raisin days combined.

DOV raisins are naturally more delicate, sweeter and meatier than typical raisins

We even got to climb up the ladder and load onto the raisin harvester as the driver deftly maneuvered the tight rows while somehow simultaneously tracking everything that was happening around him. In the next row over, another driver pulled a tractor with 4 giant bins that were filled with the raisins collected by the harvester. It was like watching a well-choreographed ballet but with significantly more dust, heat and shaking.

This Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board was inspired by our trip to River Ranch Raisins

The drivers and farmworkers skillfully ran the machinery while working together to shake those raisins loose and collect them into bins faster than my brain could process what was happening. In my brain’s defense, that was a very shaky ride! Much respect to the proficient farmworkers who operate those machines and rock those fields. For me, this was the highlight of the agritour. The experience even sparked the inspiration for this Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board, right there in the middle of the raisin field.

California Raisins are naturally dried by the sun and have no added sugar, preservatives or juices

California grown raisins are a healthy, nutritious and sustaining snack. In fact, 1/4 cup of dried raisins is the equivalent of 1 serving of fruit. Delivering dietary fiber, potassium and antioxidants.

Riding a Raisin Harvester in Madera, CA
We got to ride along on a DOV Raisin harvester with Madera Ag Services at River Ranch Raisins in Madera, CA.
Photo credit James Collier for California Grown
Riding a Raisin Harvester in Madera, CA
Riding the raisin harvester at River Ranch Raisins almost felt like a parade float. A really dusty, loud, shaky beast of a parade float. I cannot reiterate enough how cool of an experience this was.
Photo credit James Collier for California Grown
Riding a Raisin Harvester in Madera, CA
At some point the ride on the harvester started to resemble a party boat. I think the heat was getting to us.
Photo credit Hilary Rance for California Grown
Riding a Raisin Harvester in Madera, CA
Hopped a ride on a raisin harvester. This was the best surprise ever! The highlight of the tour for me.

This Cinnamon Raisin Butter Board combines so many of my favorite California-grown ingredients

  • Real Milk California butter is the creamy base serving as a swoopy and swirly delivery vessel for the rest of the ingredients.
  • Honey grown in California is a sweet compliment to creamy butter. Whipped together they pair up into a heavenly spread. A golden drizzle of honey tops the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board for a glossy sweet finish.
  • Cinnamon adds warmth and a cozy wintery spice to the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter.
  • DOV Selma Pete Raisins from California dot the board with chewy little nibblets of natural caramelly sweetness.
  • Rosemary brings a note of herby intrigue, elevating this butter board into elegance.
DOV Selma Pete Raisins
These DOV Selma Petes are such a lovely snacking raisin. You can see how plump and flavorful they are just by looking at them!
Ingredients for the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board
The ingredients for the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board are simple. Just butter, honey raisins, salt, cinnamon and rosemary.

This Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board recipe came together seamlessly. The butter board itself combines some of California’s greatest crops, and you can build on it however you’d like. The accouterment is endless.

  • Make the most with Toast I combined a variety of toasty breads, including sourdough, Pain de Mie aka sandwich bread, English Muffins and Pumpernickel. Get wild with it. Bring in some rustic Levain, a marble rye, or even simple scones or biscuits! Anything goes here.
  • Fresh fruit Use whatever is in season or evergreen fruits that you can find year-round. Since it’s fall, I brought in some fresh California-grown apples, pears and tangerines. But berries, figs and grapes would also fit right in.
  • Dried Fruit Coalition Yes that’s a real and important thing. This Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board is a great excuse to bring some dried fruit into your diet. Along with the raisins, I added prunes and dates – all grown in California! You can learn more about the health benefits of dried fruit from the California Dried Fruit Coalition.
  • Jam out If that’s your jam. Bread, butter and jam are my favorite jam band. Here I used a simple raspberry jam to compliment the creamy butter.
  • Go nuts By adding any and all nuts. My butter board features walnuts and almonds, and you guessed it, both are grown in California!

More than 99% of the walnuts in the U.S. are grown in the fertile soils of California’s Central Valley

toast varieties
Toasts with the most!
Finely chopped rosemary
Finely chopped fresh rosemary elegantly elevates the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter.

Here is the thing about this Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board; you can make it as simple or complicated as you want. I am laying out all of the options for you here. Feel free to cherry-pick this recipe and make it your own… ooh cherries would be a nice summery compliment to this board!

This Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board is an effortless yet elegant snack board that elevates any occasion

This version of my This Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board obviously leans very breakfast/brunchy. But, it could easily be upleveled to an elegant appetizer by serving it alongside sliced baguette, salty hard cheese and prosciutto. If the idea of a trending butter board isn’t your thing, serve it on a plate, platter or in a bowl. Or, roll in some saran wrap and chill it into a seasonal holiday butter log! What really matters is that you’re combining these flavors and ingredients and serving them with something delicious!

Save time and mix your Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter ahead of time

The Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter stores well in the refrigerator. Make it up to 5 days ahead of time and just store it in the refrigerator, tightly sealed. Then set it out the day of, allowing it to come to room temperature before swooping and swirling it on a board. 

A great big gracious thank you to California Grown for taking me along on this immensely educational agritour. Once again, I was floored by the hard work, dedication and skill of the farmers and farmworkers who work diligently to provide us with fresh and nourishing food. I wish I could invite every single farmworker over and serve this Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board as a small token of my gratitude.

Read about previous agritours with California Grown in Monterey County and the Central California Coast.

mixing butter for Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter
This Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board starts with simple whipping together the butter, honey, salt, cinnamon and rosemary.
whipped honey butter
You want to whip the butter mixture until it’s light and fluffy, similar to frosting.
Whipped Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter
Transfer all of that fluffy butter to your butter board. Anything works here; a cheese board, a pretty plate or a shallow bowl.
adding butter to butter board
Use an offset spatula, small spatula or a butter knife to create swoops and swirls in the butter.
Topping butter board with raisins
Then top the butter with those plump and flavorful DOV Raisins. They nestle nicely into the swoops and swirls.
drizzling honey on butter board
Drizzle on more honey for a glossy finish.
Adding salt to Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board
Then sprinkle on a shower of sea salt flakes. This really helps all of the flavors on the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board.
Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board
This Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board is such a simple recipe, but oh boy is it beautiful!
Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter
How gorgeous is that glossy Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter!
To build out your snacking board, start with the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board and build around it. I spread the butter on a smaller board and layered it on a larger board.
Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board with toast, fruit and nuts
I surrounded the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board with warm toasts, fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts and jam.
Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board by Baking The Goods
Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board by Baking The Goods

This post was proudly made in partnership with California Grown. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love. Follow @cagrownofficial on Instagram to learn more about the foods grown in California, farm practices, and discover new recipes!

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Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board by Baking The Goods

Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board


5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Becky Sue of Baking The Goods
  • Yield: 10 servings
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Description

This Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board recipe is the epitome of easy elegance with a creamy dreamy blend of whipped butter, honey, cinnamon and rosemary, topped with plump raisins and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. Serve it as a beautiful breakfast or an elegant snacking board.


Ingredients

Units
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (- softened)
  • 6 tablespoons honey (- divided)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1–2 teaspooons rosemary (- finely chopped)
  • 1/4 cup California raisins
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

Instructions

  1. Combine butter, 1/4 cup of the honey, cinnamon and fine sea salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachement. Cream together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the rosemary.
  3. Using a spatula, transfer the butter to cutting or cheese board of your choice, and use the spatula or an offset spatula to spread the butter around and create swirly swoops.
  4. Top with raisins, drizzle with honey and sprinkle on the sea salt flakes.
  5. Serve with a selection of toasty breads, crackers, nuts, fresh or dried fruits. Along with jam, if that's your jam.

Notes

The Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter can be made a few days ahead of time. Just store it in the refrigerator, tightly sealed. Then set it out day of, allowing it to come to room temperature before swooping and swirling it on a board. 

  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: snack baord

Keywords: all butter pie dough, butter board, chiise dip, cider cheese dip, beer cheese dip, snack, appetizer, Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board, compound butter, snack board

Questions? Hot tip?

Baking the Goods on Instagram & Pinterest

Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board breakfast
Easy elegance, that’s what the holidays are all about. Thanks to California Grown for inspiring this I surrounded the Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board recipe!

Filed Under: All Recipes, Breakfast & Brunch, Snacks & Appetizers, Toasts Tagged With: butter, Butter Board, Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board, compound butter, snack board, toast board

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. KC says

    November 21, 2022 at 10:13 PM

    I mean, could this be a more delicious idea? Trying immediately. With DOV raisins of course!






    • beckysue says

      December 14, 2022 at 10:01 AM

      It’s the best set it and forget it breakfast. Get after it!

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