Few desserts feel more comforting than a classic Jam Roly Poly pudding. This traditional British favourite uses soft suet pastry rolled around a generous layer of fruity jam, then gently steamed in the oven until light and fluffy.
This Jam Roly Poly pudding recipe is simple to make using everyday ingredients and delivers a soft, comforting dessert that’s perfect served warm with plenty of custard. It’s a nostalgic pudding that works beautifully for family desserts, Sunday dinners, or whenever you fancy an old-fashioned treat.
We tested this recipe several times to perfect the texture and shape, so you get a soft pudding with a lovely swirl of jam in every slice.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Jam Roly Poly Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
- 100 g Suet
- 250 g Self Raising Flour
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 150 ml Full Fat Milk
- 200 g Jam - Strawberry or Raspberry
- 1 teaspoon Butter - to grease parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Place a fresh sheet of baking parchment on top and lightly grease it. Put this aside and make the roly poly now.
- Lay two sheets of foil on the worktop, folded together along the long edge to make it wider
- Add the 100 g Suet , 250 g Self Raising Flour, 2 Tablespoons Sugar and 150 ml Full Fat Milk to a mixing bowl
- Mix with a spoon until it starts to come together.
- Then switch to your hands and gently bring it into a soft dough.Lay a sheet of baking parchment on the worktop and sprinkle it generously with flour.
- Place the dough on top and shape it roughly into a rectangle using your hands.
- Roll the dough out evenly, turning the parchment as you go to keep the shape neat.
- Aim for a rectangle about 25 x 18 cm.
- Stir the 200 g Jam well to make it easier to spread.
- Spread the jam over the suet pasty leaving a small border around the edges.
- Fold the long edge closest to you slightly over the jam to create a lip.
- Using the parchment to help, gently roll the pastry up, lifting and rolling a little at a time. Do not roll it tightly, as the pudding needs room to expand while cooking.
- Place the rolled pudding seam-side down onto the prepared greased parchment.
- Fold the parchment over.
- Then bring the foil up and over the pudding. Leaving space for it to expand during cooking.
- Seal the long edge well, then fold. Seal both ends securely too
- Carefully pour boiling water into a deep dish and place in the bottom of the oven. This will create steam during baking.
- Place the wrapped jam roly poly on the shelf directly above the water dish. Bake at 180°C fan for 45-50 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully open the parcel. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice into desired size pieces
- Serve with hot custard and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
What is Jam Roly Poly?
Jam Roly Poly is a traditional British pudding made from suet pastry rolled with jam and cooked until soft and fluffy. It was once a staple of school dinners and British home cooking.
The name comes from the way the pastry is rolled up like a spiral, creating layers of jam throughout the pudding.
Historically it was steamed in cloth, but baking it in the oven with steam is much easier while still giving the same soft texture.
Ingredients
This classic pudding uses just a handful of simple ingredients. Each one plays an important role in creating that soft suet pastry and sweet jam swirl.
Suet
Suet gives the pastry its traditional light and fluffy texture. It melts as the pudding cooks, helping create a soft cake crumb rather than a dense dough.
Self-Raising Flour
Self-raising flour provides the structure for the pastry while also helping it rise during cooking, keeping the pudding light rather than heavy.
Sugar
A small amount of sugar adds a little sweetness to the pastry itself, balancing nicely with the fruity jam filling.
Full Fat Milk
Milk brings the dough together and keeps the pastry soft. Full fat milk works best as it gives a richer texture.
Jam
Jam is the star of the pudding, creating the classic spiral through the pastry. Strawberry and raspberry jam both work beautifully, but you can use your favourite to suit your taste.
Butter
A small amount of butter is used on the greaseproof paper before wrapping the pudding. This prevents the pastry from sticking while it cooks.
Top Tips for Perfect Jam Roly Poly
While testing this recipe we found a few small things make a big difference to the final pudding.
Use a well-floured surface
Suet pastry mixture can be quite soft and sticky when rolling. Sprinkle flour over the baking parchment and your rolling pin before you start. This prevents the sticky dough from getting stuck to the pin and helps you roll it into a neat rectangle more easily.
Turn the parchment occasionally while rolling so the pastry keeps its shape and doesn’t stick to the surface.
Don’t roll the pastry too thin
Roll the dough to about 25 x 18 cm. If it’s rolled thinner, the pudding will be to flat and not rise when cooking.
Leave a small border around the jam
Leaving a 2–3 cm border helps keep the jam inside while rolling and prevents leaks.
Roll gently, not tightly
Avoid rolling the suet dough tightly. A slightly loose roll gives the pastry room to expand as it cooks.
How to Wrap Jam Roly Poly for Cooking
Wrapping the pudding properly is important. It keeps the pastry moist while it cooks and gives the pudding room to expand without bursting.
Prepare the foil base
Lay two large sheets of foil on the work surface. Place them so the long edges slightly overlap and fold them together to create one wider sheet. This helps ensure the pudding is fully sealed.
Step 2 – Add baking parchment
Place a fresh sheet of baking parchment on top of the foil. Lightly grease the parchment with a little butter so the pastry does not stick while cooking.
Step 3 – Position the pudding
Place the rolled jam roly poly seam-side down in the centre of the parchment.
Step 4 – Fold the parchment
Bring the parchment up and over the pudding. Do not wrap it tightly. Leave a little space above the pudding so it has room to expand while cooking.
Step 5 – Seal with foil
Next, bring the foil up and over the parchment. Fold the long edge together along the top and press it closed to seal it well.
Step 6 – Secure the ends
Fold both short ends of the foil parcel inwards and press firmly so they are sealed. This keeps the steam inside while the pudding cooks.
You should end up with a secure parcel that still has a little room inside for the pudding to rise.
Place the wrapped pudding on the oven shelf above the dish of water and bake until cooked through.
Why Cook with Steam in the Oven?
This jam roly poly is cooked using the old fashioned way, creating steam in the oven to keep the suet pudding soft and fluffy.
Simply place a dish of boiling water on the bottom shelf of the oven while the pudding cooks on the shelf above. As the water heats, it creates steam around the pudding while it bakes.
The steam helps the suet pastry stay moist and prevents it from drying out, giving the pudding its classic soft texture.
It’s an easy way to recreate the traditional steamed pudding method without needing a steamer.
Serving
Allow the pudding to rest before slicing
Once cooked, carefully unwrap the pudding and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. This short resting time helps the pastry firm up slightly, making it much easier to cut neat slices while still serving it warm.
What to serve with Jam Roly Poly
Custard is the traditional British pudding experience, for jam roly poly, adding a smooth, creamy contrast to the soft pastry and sweet jam filling.
You could also serve it with:
- Hot vanilla custard
- Single or Double cream
- Vanilla ice cream
- Extra warm jam drizzled on top
How to Store Jam Roly Poly
If you have leftovers, they store well.
Fridge
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat slices in the microwave for about 30–40 seconds until warmed through. Serve again with custard.
Freezing
Wrap slices well and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
More Classic Dessert Recipes
If you enjoy traditional puddings like this jam roly poly, you might also like these recipes.
Nikki says
Amazing! At the beginning of the week, I checked the fridge and had jam, milk and suet that all needed using up… and then this recipe dropped on Wednesday. So easy to make and even easier to eat!
Luke and Kay says
That’s perfect timing! 😊 Sounds like it was meant to be. So glad you found it easy to make and even easier to enjoy… that’s exactly what we love to hear! Thanks so much for giving it a try, Nikki