Easy Christmas Pudding Recipe – A Simple Homemade Christmas Pudding
Making your own Christmas pudding can sound like one of those festive traditions that requires hours in the kitchen and a recipe handed down through several generations. Fortunately, it really doesn’t have to be complicated.
This Christmas pudding recipe is easy to make, packed with dried fruit and warming Christmas spices, and can be prepared well before Christmas Day. In fact, making it ahead of time gives all those rich fruity flavours time to develop.
Below, we look at the ingredients for a Christmas pudding, how to make it step by step and what to serve alongside it. And if making a homemade Christmas pudding still sounds like too much work, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with buying one ready-made!
Ingredients for a Christmas Pudding
This recipe makes one medium Christmas pudding, serving approximately 8 people.
One advantage of making your own Christmas pudding is that most of the ingredients are ordinary baking cupboard staples. Here’s what you’ll need:
| Ingredient | Quantity | Buy Online |
|---|---|---|
| Raisins | 150g | Buy Raisins on Amazon |
| Sultanas | 150g | Buy Sultanas on Amazon |
| Currants | 100g | Buy Currants on Amazon |
| Mixed peel | 75g | Buy Mixed Peel on Amazon |
| Soft brown sugar | 100g | Buy Brown Sugar on Amazon |
| Fresh breadcrumbs | 100g | Buy Breadcrumbs on Amazon |
| Self-raising flour | 75g | Buy Self-Raising Flour on Amazon |
| Shredded vegetable suet | 100g | Buy Suet on Amazon |
| Eating apple | 1 | Buy Apples on Amazon |
| Chopped almonds | 50g | Buy Chopped Almonds on Amazon |
| Ground cinnamon | 1 tsp | Buy Cinnamon on Amazon |
| Mixed spice | 1 tsp | Buy Mixed Spice on Amazon |
| Ground nutmeg | ¼ tsp | Buy Nutmeg on Amazon |
| Orange | Zest + 50ml juice | — |
| Lemon | Zest of 1 | — |
| Large eggs | 2 | — |
| Brandy | 100ml | — |
| Butter | For greasing | — |
You can also add a handful of glacé cherries or chopped dates if you like a particularly fruity pudding.
This is one of the nice things about a home made Xmas pudding: you don’t have to follow the ingredients with absolute precision. Families have traditionally adapted their Christmas pudding recipes according to taste and what they have available.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need much specialist equipment. If you already bake regularly, you’ll probably have most of these items in your kitchen.
| Equipment | What It’s For | Buy Online |
|---|---|---|
| Pudding basin | Cooking and shaping your pudding | Buy a Pudding Basin |
| Large mixing bowl | Combining the ingredients | Buy a Mixing Bowl |
| Wooden spoon | Mixing the pudding | Buy a Wooden Spoon |
| Baking parchment | Covering the pudding | Buy Baking Parchment |
| Kitchen foil | Sealing the pudding basin | Buy Kitchen Foil |
| Kitchen string | Securing the parchment and foil | Buy Kitchen String |
| Large saucepan | Steaming the pudding | Buy a Large Saucepan |
A reusable pudding basin with a fitted lid is an even easier option because you don’t need to mess around quite as much with foil and string.
Easy Christmas Pudding Recipe: Step by Step
1. Mix the Dried Fruit
Put the raisins, sultanas, currants and mixed peel into a large mixing bowl.
Add the brandy and orange juice and give everything a good stir.
For the richest flavour, cover the bowl and leave the fruit to soak overnight. However, if you’ve decided to make your Christmas pudding at the last minute, leaving it for an hour or two will still work.
2. Add the Dry Ingredients
Add the brown sugar, breadcrumbs, flour, suet, almonds, cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg.
Mix everything together thoroughly.
You should now have a wonderfully Christmassy-smelling mixture of dried fruit and spices.
3. Add the Apple and Citrus
Grate the apple directly into the mixture before adding your orange and lemon zest.
The apple adds moisture without making the pudding excessively heavy.
4. Add the Eggs
Beat the two eggs separately and then stir them into the pudding mixture.
Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly combined.
The mixture should be moist but not runny. If it seems particularly dry, add another small splash of orange juice or brandy.
Don’t Forget to Make a Christmas Wish!
If you’re making your pudding with children, this is a good point to introduce an old Christmas tradition.
Traditionally, members of the family take turns stirring the Christmas pudding mixture while making a wish.
Some traditions say you should stir the mixture from east to west, representing the journey of the Three Wise Men.
Whether or not your wish comes true is another matter, but it makes making the pudding a bit more fun!
5. Fill the Christmas Pudding Basin
Grease your pudding basin thoroughly with butter.
Spoon in the Christmas pudding mixture and press it down gently.
Don’t fill the basin completely to the top. Leave a little room for the pudding to expand while cooking.
Cover the top with a layer of baking parchment followed by foil and secure it tightly with kitchen string.
6. Steam Your Christmas Pudding
Place an upturned saucer or small heatproof plate in the bottom of a large saucepan and sit your pudding basin on top.
Pour boiling water into the saucepan until it reaches approximately halfway up the side of the pudding basin.
Put the lid on the saucepan and gently steam the pudding for around 5–6 hours.
Check the water level periodically and top it up with boiling water when necessary. Don’t allow the saucepan to boil dry.
Once cooked, carefully remove the pudding basin and allow it to cool completely.
Can I Make Christmas Pudding in Advance?
Yes – and traditionally that’s exactly what you’re supposed to do.
Christmas puddings are often made several weeks before Christmas. The resting period allows the flavours from the fruit, spices and alcohol to develop.
Once your pudding has completely cooled, replace the cooking parchment and foil with fresh coverings and store it somewhere cool and dry.
Some people occasionally “feed” their Christmas pudding by adding a small amount of brandy during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
How Do You Reheat Christmas Pudding?
On Christmas Day, you can steam your pudding again for approximately two hours until it is piping hot throughout.
Alternatively, individual portions can usually be reheated in a microwave, which is considerably quicker when everyone is waiting for dessert.
Serve immediately.
What Do You Serve With Christmas Pudding?
Christmas pudding is rich enough to eat on its own, but where’s the fun in that?
Popular accompaniments include brandy butter, brandy sauce, custard, double cream, vanilla ice cream and clotted cream.
Warm brandy sauce or custard is particularly good if you’re serving Christmas pudding after Christmas dinner.
Can You Set Christmas Pudding on Fire?
Yes. The flaming Christmas pudding is one of the great bits of Christmas theatre.
Warm a small amount of brandy, carefully pour it over the pudding and ignite it immediately before taking the pudding to the table.
Take care when using alcohol and an open flame. Keep the pudding away from children, decorations and other flammable materials, and don’t pour alcohol directly from the bottle onto a burning pudding.
You certainly don’t have to flame your pudding – it tastes just as good without the pyrotechnics.
Don’t Want to Make One? Buy a Ready-Made Christmas Pudding
There’s something satisfying about producing your own homemade Christmas pudding, but Christmas is already a busy enough time of year.
A good ready-made Christmas pudding can be an excellent alternative. It is also useful to keep one in the cupboard as a backup, particularly if you’re feeding more people than expected.
Shop Christmas Pudding on Amazon
Complete Your Christmas Food Cupboard
The Christmas pudding might be the grand finale to Christmas dinner, but there are plenty of other festive favourites worth stocking up on for December.
| Christmas Food & Drink | Why Buy It? | Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas pudding | The easy alternative to making your own | Shop Christmas Pudding |
| Mince pies | Perfect for visitors, snacks and Christmas parties | Shop Mince Pies |
| Mulled wine | A warming drink for cold December evenings | Shop Mulled Wine |
| Brandy butter | The classic accompaniment to Christmas pudding | Shop Brandy Butter |
| Christmas chocolate | Ideal for sharing, gifting – or keeping for yourself | Shop Chocolate |
| Christmas hampers | An easy festive food gift | Shop Christmas Hampers |
Mince Pies
Christmas without mince pies would be unthinkable in many British households.
Keep a couple of boxes handy for unexpected visitors, Christmas movie nights or those occasions when you’ve somehow managed to become hungry again three hours after Christmas dinner.
Mulled Wine
A steaming mug of mulled wine is difficult to beat on a cold December evening.
You can make your own using red wine, oranges and mulling spices or take the easier route with ready-made mulled wine.
Brandy Butter
If you’re serving Christmas pudding or mince pies, brandy butter deserves a place on the Christmas shopping list.
Its combination of butter, sugar and brandy melts beautifully over a hot Christmas pudding.
Christmas Chocolates
Tins and tubs of chocolates are another Christmas essential – whether they’re genuinely being bought for guests or simply positioned within reach of the sofa.
Christmas Hampers
If you’re buying for somebody who loves festive food, a Christmas hamper can make an easy gift.
Look for hampers containing combinations of Christmas pudding, mince pies, chocolates, biscuits, preserves, tea, coffee and other festive treats.
Easy Christmas Pudding Recipe FAQ
What are the main ingredients for a Christmas pudding?
Traditional ingredients for a Christmas pudding include raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed peel, sugar, breadcrumbs, flour, suet, spices, eggs and alcohol such as brandy. Recipes vary considerably, with some also including nuts, apples, cherries and other dried fruits.
Is Christmas pudding difficult to make?
Not particularly. The preparation itself is essentially a matter of combining the ingredients. The main inconvenience is the long steaming time. Our Christmas pudding recipe is easy enough for a first attempt at making one at home.
How far ahead should I make Christmas pudding?
You can make Christmas pudding several weeks before Christmas and store it appropriately. Traditionally, puddings are made on Stir-up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent.
Can I make Christmas pudding without alcohol?
Yes. Replace the brandy with orange juice, apple juice or another suitable fruit juice. An alcohol-free pudding may not keep in the same way as a traditional alcohol-containing pudding, so take particular care over storage.
What size Christmas pudding do I need?
A pudding weighing around 800g–1kg will generally provide roughly eight servings, although portion sizes vary. Christmas pudding is extremely rich, so servings tend to be considerably smaller than those for lighter desserts.
Can you freeze homemade Christmas pudding?
Yes. A properly wrapped cooked Christmas pudding can be frozen. Allow it to cool completely before wrapping and freezing it, and thaw it thoroughly before reheating.
Make Christmas Pudding Part of the Tradition
Making a home made Xmas pudding is much easier than its old-fashioned reputation might suggest.
Once you’ve gathered the ingredients for a Christmas pudding, most of the preparation simply involves soaking, stirring and combining them. The steamer then does the hard work.
Make it several weeks ahead and it can become part of the build-up to Christmas rather than another job to squeeze into Christmas Eve.
And if you’d rather skip five hours of steaming altogether?
Buy a ready-made Christmas pudding, warm the brandy butter and accept the compliments anyway.
