Christmas Rum Soak
Every year as we get close to Christmas, my kitchen starts to smell like one thing: warm spices, citrus peel and booze-soaked dried fruits.
Back in 2020, when we were all baking banana bread and anything we could get our hands on, I started a tiny Christmas bake-along on Instagram — soak your fruits now, bake your cake a few weeks later. Somehow, that little idea turned into a full-blown tradition in hundreds of homes.
This jar of rum-soaked fruits has become the starting point for multiple Christmas recipes through December — classic fruitcake, carrot cake, truffles, tiramisu and more. One simple prep, lots of ways to use it.
This post is for the base recipe: a small batch of Christmas fruit soak that you can scale up, tweak and turn into whatever dessert you’re in the mood for.
What is Christmas rum soak?
Think of this as flavour concentrate for Christmas.
You take dried fruits, nuts, spices and citrus peel, and soak them in rum (or another spirit) for a few weeks. The fruits plump up, absorb the alcohol, and turn soft, sticky and intensely flavoured.
Once it’s ready, you fold spoonfuls of this mix into cake batters, cookie doughs, puddings, or use it as a topping for ice cream and desserts. One jar, many possibilities.
If you don’t drink alcohol, there’s a non-alcoholic version in this post too — you don’t have to miss out on the fun.
Ingredients for Christmas Rum Soak
This recipe makes a small jar — perfect for one medium cake or a few different desserts. You can double or triple everything if you want a bigger batch.
You’ll need:
50 g nuts – cashews, almonds or walnuts
50 g dried cranberries or blueberries
50 g dried apricots or prunes
75 g raisins or sultanas
2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped or sliced
1 stick cinnamon
2–3 whole star anise
Peel of 1 orange (just the orange part, no white pith if you can help it)
150 ml dark rum
You can also use whiskey or bourbon
For a non-alcoholic version: use orange juice or a simple syrup made with 75 ml water + 75 g sugar simmered together
Feel free to mix and match the dried fruits based on what you have at home — just keep the total quantity similar.
How to Make the Rum Soak
Equipment:
A clean, dry airtight glass jar (a mason jar works well).
Step 1: Prep the fruits and nuts
Roughly chop the nuts (cashews/almonds/walnuts) into bite-sized pieces.
Chop the dried apricots or prunes into small chunks.
Leave the raisins/sultanas and cranberries/blueberries whole.
Step 2: Prep the aromatics
Finely slice or chop the ginger (you want about 2 tablespoons).
Use a peeler or small knife to remove the peel of one orange in strips. Try to avoid too much white pith — it can make the soak slightly bitter.
Step 3: Add everything to the jar
In your airtight glass jar, add:
chopped nuts
all the dried fruits
ginger
cinnamon stick
star anise
orange peel
Give the jar a little shake so everything is roughly mixed.
Step 4: Add the rum
Pour 150 ml dark rum over the fruit and nut mix.
The liquid should mostly cover the dried fruits. If a little is peeking out, it’s okay — they’ll soften and settle down.
Close the jar tightly and give it a good shake.
Step 5: Let it soak
Store the jar in a cool, dark place (a cupboard or pantry works).
Give it a quick shake once every few days.
Let it soak for at least 2 weeks, ideally 3–4 weeks for maximum flavour.
The longer it sits (within reason), the better and deeper the flavour gets.
How to Use Your Christmas Rum Soak
Once your fruits have soaked and softened, you can:
Fold them into Christmas fruitcake or carrot cake batter
Stir into tiramisu or layered desserts for a boozy, fruity twist
Roll into truffles with melted chocolate and crushed biscuits
Spoon over ice cream, custard, or yogurt as a dessert topping
Add a little (and some of the soaking liquid) into warm puddings or bread-and-butter pudding
Start with small amounts and taste as you go. The soaking liquid is strong and flavourful — a few spoonfuls can completely transform a dessert.
Storage Tips
Alcohol-based soak (rum/whiskey/bourbon):
Store in a cool, dark place.
Stays happy for several weeks to a couple of months if the jar and ingredients were clean and dry.
Always use a clean, dry spoon to scoop out fruits.
Orange juice / non-alcoholic soak:
Store in the fridge.
Best used within 3–5 days for orange juice.
Simple syrup versions can last up to a week in the fridge.
If anything ever smells off or looks fizzy/mouldy, don’t risk it — throw it out.
