Soft, sweet, and bite-sized, raisins make a deliciously healthy out-of-hand treat. They can be added to granola and trail mix, used to add color and sweetness to salads, and are frequent additions to candy, hot cereals, cookies, muffins, and breads.

Before using raisins in baked goods, plump them by soaking them in water for 15 minutes or simmer them for several minutes. For dessert dishes, raisins can be plumped in wine. Plumping raisins helps keep them from becoming overly dry when baked.