Steamed Christmas Pudding

We're thrilled to introduce you to our delightful steamed Christmas pudding recipe that promises to add a dash of magic to your holiday celebrations.

Our recipe is not just another Christmas Pud, otherwise known as Figgy pudding or called Plum Pudding. It's the best Christmas pudding you'll ever taste, a perfect blend of tradition and ease.

We've simplified the traditional Christmas pudding recipe for modern-day home cooks to create a masterpiece easily.

This Classic Christmas Pudding is steamed for eight hours on your hob in a large pan or steamer, bringing out sweet, rich, deep, festive flavours.

Jump to:

• How to Make Christmas Pudding
• History
• Ingredients
• Optional Extras
• Pudding Size
• Equipment
• Instructions
• Steamed Christmas Pudding Cooking Time
• Serve or Store
• Serving Suggestions
• 📖 Step by Step Recipe
• Optional Extras
• Storage
• How to Reheat Steamed Christmas Pudding
• More Christmas Recipes
• 💬 Reviews

If you love Christmas pudding recipes, you may want to check out our slow cooker Christmas Pudding Recipe. You should check out our puff pasty mince pie recipe, too.

How to Make Christmas Pudding

We believe that great cooking should be simple and approachable, so we've made sure this recipe is easy to follow, with clear instructions and helpful tips.

Check out the video below.

So, are you ready to dive into the warmth and joy of creating your own Christmas pudding?

Jump to Christmas Pudding Recipe Card

Let's get started! Remember, the secret ingredient is always a sprinkle of love and a generous helping of festive spirit.

History

In the past, Christmas puddings were typically made on "Stir-up Sunday," which is the last Sunday before Advent, usually falling at the end of November. The pudding mixture was traditionally stirred by each member of the family.

The pudding would then be stored and left to mature in a cool place until Christmas Day — a process that can take up to six weeks! This was done to allow the flavours to meld together and intensify, resulting in a rich, aromatic dessert that's truly festive.

Fast-forward to today, and while some families still uphold this tradition, it's unnecessary. It's perfectly fine to eat it straight away after cooking. You'll still get a deliciously moist pudding with a wonderful blend of flavours — fruity, spicy, and slightly boozy if you've added alcohol.

We give advice for both options.

Ingredients

Let's talk about what ingredients are in most Classic Christmas Pudding Recipes. We know some ingredients might be hard to find, so we've provided substitutes wherever possible.

Suet

This ingredient is a staple in traditional Christmas Pudding recipes and can be found in all UK supermarkets. While we use beef suet, vegetable suet is also a suitable alternative.

You can substitute it with vegetable shortening or butter if you cannot find it. It is best to freeze and grate before adding. Use the same weight.

Brown Sugar

We like to use Soft Dark Brown Sugar, which gives the pudding a rich flavour and a dark colour.

Substituting with other brown sugars affects the flavour and texture. Muscovado sugar will give it a more treacly flavour, while Demerara sugar will give it a slightly crunchy texture. Light brown sugar will make the cake a lighter colour and not as rich.

Flour 

For our Christmas pudding recipe, we use self-raising flour. This type of flour combines all-purpose flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Self-raising flour helps give the pudding a slight rise.

You can use plain flour instead, add a pinch of baking powder and salt too.

Mixed Spice

We use mixed spice in Christmas pudding, embodying the festive season's warm and aromatic blend. Mixed spice typically contains cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, with possible additions of mace, cloves, coriander, and ginger.

Each spice contributes a unique flavour and aroma, creating a melody of taste in your mouth.

You can add more spices if you want to add a personal touch. For instance, if you're a big fan of cinnamon, you might want to add more.

It's all about finding the best balance for your family's palate!

Eggs

In our recipe, we use large eggs. Eggs act as a binding agent, holding all the delightful ingredients together and giving the pudding its firm yet soft texture.

Breadcrumbs

Fresh breadcrumbs give a soft texture to the Xmas Pudding. I do not recommend using dried breadcrumbs.

We make our breadcrumbs for the Christmas pudding recipe using sliced white stale bread blitzed in the blender.

However, don’t fret if your bread isn’t stale! Fresh breadcrumbs work out just as well. Give it a quick pulse in a blender or food processor.

Mixed Dried Fruits

Our recipe calls for mixed dried fruits, a combination of raisins, sultanas, and currants, with candied mixed peel.

This is where you can get creative, feel free to use whatever combination of dried fruits you like. Some popular additions include chopped apricots, prunes or cranberries.

Apple

We recommend using a good cooking apple for our Christmas pudding recipe. A variety like Bramley, known for its tart and tangy flavour, works wonderfully in this recipe.

If you don't have a Bramley apple, don't worry! Various apples will work just as well; it's all about personal preference and what you have in your fruit basket.

Grate it for a lovely, fine texture in your pudding. Or, finely dice your apple instead if you prefer a bit more bite. It's your pudding, after all!

Orange

An orange is one of the key ingredients that will impart a wonderfully fresh and tangy taste to your Christmas pudding. We use both the zest and juice from the orange in our recipe.

Brandy

The quintessential festive ingredient, brandy, adds warmth and depth to the flavours in your Christmas pudding.

We use it in the mixture before steaming. The alcohol will cook off during steaming, leaving only its delightful warmth behind. Then, we add more on top when serving. But that is optional!

We have kept the amount used fairly low. If your family likes a stronger brandy Christmas Pudding, add more and use less orange juice.

Butter

We use butter to grease our pudding basin. Greasing the basin ensures that your pudding doesn't stick to the sides and comes out easily after steaming.

Optional Extras

There are other popular ingredients that can be added to personalise your Christmas pudding.

Nuts

Nuts are a common addition to the Classic Christmas Pud, whether fine or chunky. Ground almonds are a popular choice.

Other Spirits

You can use other spirits, such as whiskey and rum, instead of Brandy.

One of our favourites is spiced rum, such as Captain Morgan's.

Pudding Size

We used our Christmas Pudding mixture to make two puddings using the 900ml size pudding basin.

The recipe we have given can be used to make various amounts and sizes of Christmas Puddings. Here are some measurements to help you decide which size you want to cook.

Pudding Basin	650 ml / 1.1 pint	900 ml / 1.6 pint	1750ml / 3 pint
Dimension of Basin	14cm x 14cm H 8cm	16cm x 16cm H 9cm	20cm x 20cm H 11cm
Weight of Cooked Pudding	650 grams	900 grams	1.7kg
How Many Each Will Serve	4-5	6-8	12-15
Our recipe will make	3 x 650g Puddings	2 x 900g Puddings	1 x 1.7kg Pudding

We have given cooking times later on the post

Equipment

Before diving into the recipe, gathering all the necessary equipment is essential. Don't worry—we've kept it straightforward, just like our recipe.

Pudding Basin

This is a deep, round dish for making steamed puddings. It's the traditional bowl used for Christmas puddings, contributing to their iconic round shape.

Steamer

A steamer is key to achieving the moist, dense texture that makes a Christmas pudding delightful.

If you have a 3 tier steamer, you can cook two puddings simultaneously. Or, if using a two-tier, place one in the water and one in the steam basket.

A large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid can be a great alternative if you don't own a steamer. Ensure the pan is deep enough to hold the pudding basin and some water.

Cooking Twine

You'll need this to secure the greaseproof paper and foil around your pudding basin. Any strong, food-safe string will work.

Greaseproof Paper & Foil

Grater

A fine grater is needed to zest the orange and grate the apple in our Xmas pudding recipe. The zest adds a fresh, tangy flavour that beautifully balances the pudding's richness.

Instructions

This Christmas Pudding recipe consists of multiple steps, I won't delve too deeply into it here.

For comprehensive instructions, along with precise measurements and visual aids, please refer to the recipe card.

Jump to Recipe

Ingredients Preparation

Start by making breadcrumbs out of white bread in a blender. In a mixing bowl, combine these breadcrumbs with suet, soft dark brown sugar, self-raising flour, dried mixed fruit, and mixed spice. Stir well to mix the dry ingredients.

Next, grate the zest from a large orange, carefully avoiding the bitter white pith. Halve the orange and squeeze out the juice.

Add brandy to the orange juice until they measure 150ml together. Adjust the ratio based on your preference for alcohol content, or use only orange juice for an alcohol-free version.

Peel and grate a cooking apple, or finely chopped if you prefer. Whisk two large eggs in a small bowl.

Add the apple, brandy, orange juice, zest, and whisked eggs into the dry mixture and stir well.

Set aside the mixture while you prepare the pudding basin. Optionally, you can let the mixture soak overnight for a stronger flavour.

Pudding Basin Preparation

Turn the empty basin upside down onto parchment paper and draw around the top to create a disc. Cut around the circle and generously butter the basin and the parchment.

Pour the pudding mixture into the basin, leaving about 2 cm of space from the rim. Flatten the top and cover it with the greased parchment paper.

Place a sheet of greaseproof paper and an equally sized sheet of foil on a flat surface. Fold them together in the centre to create a crease for the pudding to steam and rise.

Secure this over the basin with string, creating a handle with the excess string. Trim off any excess paper and foil.

Cooking Method

Place the prepared pudding basin in a steamer over a pan of simmering water or in a large lidded pan filled with boiling water halfway up the basin.

Ensure no water gets into the mixture. If you're cooking multiple puddings, use a multi-tier steamer.

Steamed Christmas Pudding Cooking Time

Maintain a gentle simmer to generate steam.

Cooking times vary based on the size of your pudding

650 ml / 1.1 pint	900 ml / 1.6 pint	1750ml / 3 pint
6 hours	8 hours	9 hours

Check and top up the water as it evaporates. Once cooked, remove the pudding, let it cool slightly, and then tip it onto a plate.

Serve or Store

Enjoy your freshly cooked Christmas pudding straight away (see serving suggestions below) or if you've prepared your pudding ahead of time, it's easy to store. See the info below the recipe card for more storage advice.

Serving Suggestions

Serving your Christmas pudding on the day it's cooked is a delightful experience.

For an added touch of festivity, you can warm brandy (or other spirits) in a pan and carefully light it with a long-handled lighter or match before pouring it over the hot pudding. Be careful!!

Decorating with holly or a sprinkle of icing sugar can also add to the festive presentation.

When serving, cut the pudding into thin slices and pair it with your choice of Brandy Butter, Brandy Sauce, Cream, Ice cream, or Custard for a deliciously indulgent treat.

Seen here served with our homemade brandy butter.

📖 Step by Step Recipe

Storage

If you are making Christmas Pudding ahead of time. Allow the pudding to cool completely. Wrap the cooled steamed pudding in cling film, clean the basin, then cover the pudding with it.

Add a parchment disc on top and seal with cling film and foil. I usually place mine in the fridge, but it can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6 weeks.

Freeze

Place your Christmas pudding in a freezer-safe container to freeze it for up to a year. When you're ready to enjoy the wonderful flavour. Thaw overnight at room temperature and reheat gently, ensuring it's piping hot through.

How to Reheat Steamed Christmas Pudding

Feeling puzzled about how to reheat your Christmas pudding? Worry no more, we've got you covered! Here are three easy ways to warm your pudding and ready to serve.

Quick Microwave Method

Remove the foil from your pudding and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Pop it into the microwave and heat for approximately 5 minutes. It's as simple as that!

Classic Re-Steam Method

If you'd like to stick to the traditional way, re-steaming your pudding is the way to go. Just unwrap your pudding and follow the Pudding Basin Preparation as before. Then, let it steam for about 1 ½ hours.

Individual Slice Method

This method is perfect if you only want to heat a slice or two. Place your slice on a microwave-safe serving plate and heat in 30-second intervals until it's heated.

More Christmas Recipes

Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with our easy-to-follow Christmas recipes.

We want to wish you the most delightful and delicious Christmas dinner and dessert. May your holiday season be filled with warmth, laughter, and good food. From our kitchen to yours, Merry Christmas!