Go Back
Scottish cranachan cream dessert in glass tumblers with raspberries, toasted oats, and honey drizzle on a wooden board

Scottish Cranachan Cream Dessert with Whisky, Raspberries, and Toasted Oats

A no-bake Scottish cranachan made with whipped double cream, toasted oatmeal, fresh raspberries, honey, and Scotch whisky. Assembled in minutes, best served the same day.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

  • 80 g pinhead oatmeal (steel-cut oats) toasted
  • 400 ml double cream (or heavy whipping cream) cold
  • 3 tbsp Scotch whisky blended or Speyside single malt
  • 2 tbsp heather honey (or clear runny honey) plus extra to drizzle
  • 250 g fresh raspberries plus a few extra to garnish

Method
 

Toast the oats
  1. Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Add the pinhead oatmeal and stir constantly for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown and nutty-smelling. Watch them carefully - they catch quickly.
  2. Pour the toasted oats onto a plate and spread them out to cool completely. This takes about 10 minutes. Do not skip this step.
Make the whisky cream
  1. In a small bowl, stir together the Scotch whisky and honey until the honey has dissolved into the whisky.
  2. Pour the cold double cream into a large bowl. Whip with an electric hand mixer or whisk until soft peaks form - the cream should hold a shape when you lift the beaters but still look silky, not grainy.
  3. Pour the whisky-honey mixture into the whipped cream. Fold gently with a spatula in 3 to 4 slow strokes until just combined. Don't overmix.
Assemble
  1. Set aside a small handful of raspberries and a tablespoon of toasted oats for garnish.
  2. Fold the remaining raspberries and most of the toasted oats into the cream mixture with 2 to 3 light folds. You want streaks of raspberry and oats visible, not fully mixed.
  3. Spoon the cranachan into 4 serving glasses. Top each with a few reserved raspberries, a pinch of toasted oats, and a small drizzle of honey. Serve immediately.

Notes

Traditional cranachan is sometimes made by leaving the whisky bottle and honey on the table so guests season their own bowls. If you're serving a crowd, try it that way - it makes the dessert feel interactive and avoids any guesswork about how boozy people want theirs.