Rum Raisin Gelato Recipe with Creamy Homemade Flavor

A good rum raisin gelato needs balance. The dairy should taste rich, the vanilla should come through, and the rum should be present without making the base icy or harsh.

This batch is built for a Top Churn machine and freezes to −11°C. It’s a practical Gelato Recipe for a dessert case, plated service, or a small rotating cafe menu.

Ingredients for one batch

Ingredient	Amount
Whole milk	1000 g
Vanilla pod	2 pods
Skimmed milk powder	80 g
Sucrose	170 g
Dextrose powder	120 g
35% cream	230 g
50CF base powder	33 g
Rum	150 g
Rum-soaked raisins	150 g

Use a digital scale for every ingredient. This matters with gelato, especially when alcohol is involved. Rum affects freezing, so rough measuring can quickly change texture.

How to make the gelato

Split the vanilla pods

Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pods. Add the seeds to the liquid ingredients. You can add the pods too during blending for extra aroma, then remove them before churning.

Mix the dry ingredients

In one bowl, combine the skimmed milk powder, sucrose, dextrose powder, and 50CF base powder.

Mix well before adding liquid. This helps prevent clumps and gives the stabilizer a better chance to disperse evenly.

Mix the liquid ingredients

In a second bowl or jug, combine the whole milk, cream, rum, and vanilla seeds.

Keep everything cold if you’re working during service prep. Cold handling gives you better control and keeps the batch clean.

Add the dry mix to a large container

Put the dry ingredients into a large container first.

This order helps the powders hydrate as the liquids hit them. It also makes blending easier.

Pour the liquid ingredients on top

Add the milk, cream, rum, and vanilla mixture over the dry ingredients.

Pour steadily so the powder doesn’t splash up the sides of the container.

Blend until smooth

Use a hand blender and blend the base until smooth.

Move the blender through the container, not just in one spot. Scrape the sides if needed. The base should look even, with no visible dry pockets.

Add the rum-soaked raisins

Stir in the 150 g rum-soaked raisins.

Don’t over-blend after adding them unless you want smaller raisin pieces. For a classic Rum Raisin Gelato, keep the raisins visible and tender.

Churn and freeze

Pour the mix into the Top Churn machine.

Freeze to −11°C. Once it reaches temperature, extract it cleanly into a chilled pan or serving container.

The finished gelato should be creamy, dense, and easy to scoop. The vanilla should smell warm and clear. The raisins should taste rich with rum, not sharp or boozy.

Run this batch as a premium flavor. It works well beside espresso, chocolate desserts, almond biscotti, or a simple scoop in a chilled glass. For best results, keep the process consistent, weigh everything, and freeze to the target temperature every time.