This Christmas Pudding Recipe brings authentic English tradition to your holiday table with rich dried fruits, warming spices, and that magical brandy-feeding ritual that transforms a good dessert into something extraordinary. I’ve been making this festive pudding for over thirty years, and it never fails to bring wonder to Christmas Day.
The first time I made Christmas pudding, I was visiting my dear friend Margaret in Yorkshire during a chilly November. Her kitchen smelled like cinnamon and orange zest as she pulled me into her annual pudding-making tradition. She taught me that the real magic happens in those quiet weeks before Christmas, when you poke little holes in the dark cake and feed it spoonfuls of brandy, watching it transform into something deeply flavorful and utterly unforgettable. Margaret always said, “Betty, patience makes the pudding,” and she was absolutely right. The steaming pot on the stove, the careful wrapping with parchment and twine, the weekly feeding ritual – it all felt like preparing something sacred for the people you love. One year I learned my lesson about checking the water level when I got distracted wrapping gifts and nearly let the pot run dry, but that near-disaster taught me to set a timer every hour without fail. Time to get our hands floury and start a tradition that might just become your family’s favorite!
What Makes This Christmas Pudding So Special
When I first learned to make Christmas pudding, I was amazed at how this traditional English Christmas dessert could be prepared so far in advance and actually improve with time. It’s completely different from American holiday baking, where everything happens in a last-minute rush.
- Makes multiple puddings perfect for gifting to neighbors, teachers, or family members who’d love a homemade treasure
- The weekly brandy feeding ritual creates incredibly deep, complex flavors you simply can’t achieve any other way
- Frees up your Christmas Day kitchen since the hard work is done weeks ahead, leaving you time for everything else
- Creates an impressive flaming presentation that makes even the kids put down their phones to watch
- Uses pantry staples like dried fruits, spices, and breadcrumbs you likely have or can easily find
- Rewards your patience with a dessert that tastes like it came from a proper English country kitchen
I always make at least one extra pudding to give away – there’s something wonderful about handing someone a homemade Christmas pudding wrapped in cloth, knowing they’ll taste all that care you put into it.
Ingredient Spotlight
Fresh white breadcrumbs create the perfect tender, moist texture that holds all those gorgeous fruits and spices together without becoming heavy.
Mixed spice is the traditional English spice blend that gives Christmas pudding its distinctive warm flavor, though pumpkin pie spice works beautifully if that’s what you have on hand.
Dark brown sugar and granulated sugar work together to provide both deep molasses notes and sweet balance, creating that characteristic rich color.
Mixed candied peel adds little bursts of citrus sweetness throughout – I always chop mine finely so it distributes evenly.
Currants, sultanas, and raisins form the fruity foundation of this Christmas pudding recipe, each contributing slightly different textures and flavors.
Granny Smith apples add moisture and a subtle tartness that brightens all those rich dried fruits.
Fresh lemon and orange zest provide aromatic citrus oils that make the whole pudding smell absolutely heavenly.
Brandy is essential for both mixing into the batter and feeding the pudding weekly – it preserves the pudding and adds incredible depth.
Butter or suet creates that classic richness, though I prefer butter for its flavor and easier availability (suet gives a more traditional texture but can be harder to find in American stores).
Pudding basins are heatproof ceramic or glass bowls with rounded bottoms – if you can’t find traditional ones, use heatproof glass bowls that can withstand hours of steaming.
How to Make Christmas Pudding Step by Step
Step 1. In your largest stockpot, combine the breadcrumbs, flour, salt, all spices, both sugars, candied peel, all three types of dried fruit, almonds, chopped apples, and the zest and juice from your lemon and orange – I’ve learned that using your hands to mix ensures everything gets evenly distributed.
Step 2. Whisk together the eggs and brandy in a separate bowl, then pour this mixture over your dry ingredients and stir with a heavy wooden spoon until evenly moistened and fragrant.
Step 3. Add the milk and stir it in thoroughly, then add your butter and place the entire pot over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally as the butter melts and all those wonderful flavors begin melding together.
Step 4. Butter your pudding basins (heatproof bowls) generously, then divide the mixture among them, using a butter knife to smooth the tops into even layers – make sure there are no air pockets.
Step 5. Create a tri-fold pleat down the center of a large piece of parchment paper (this pleat allows the pudding to expand as it steams), place it over your basin, and secure it tightly with kitchen twine wrapped twice around the rim and tied firmly.
Step 6. Place your covered pudding basin in a large saucepan and fill it halfway up the sides with warm water, bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer and steam for 8-9 hours, checking every 30-60 minutes to add more water as it evaporates (you should hear gentle bubbling – if it goes silent, add water immediately).
Step 7. After years of making this, I learned that the pudding should look very dark when it’s properly cooked – a deep mahogany brown, almost black – carefully remove it from the saucepan and let it cool completely.
Step 8. To feed your Christmas pudding, use a small skewer to poke holes across the top surface (don’t go more than an inch deep), then brush it with 1-2 tablespoons of brandy using a pastry brush, wrap it tightly, and repeat this process weekly until Christmas – the pudding will smell more complex each week.
Step 9. When Christmas Day arrives, steam your pudding for 2-3 hours to reheat it thoroughly, or warm it in the microwave if you’re short on time.
Step 10. For the traditional flaming presentation that always makes everyone gasp, warm a few tablespoons of brandy gently (not too hot), pour it over your turned-out pudding on a heatproof plate, and carefully ignite it with a long match – keep children at a safe distance and wait for the flames to die naturally before serving (usually about 30-60 seconds).
Keeping This Christmas Pudding Fresh
Store your Christmas pudding in a cool, dry place (ideally 60-70°F) after that initial long steaming – I keep mine in my pantry cupboard, where it stays perfectly preserved thanks to all that brandy and sugar. The pudding will actually improve over the weeks as those flavors continue developing and deepening.
For the weekly feeding ritual, unwrap your pudding, poke fresh holes with a skewer across the top surface, brush with brandy (the pudding will smell richer and more complex each time), then wrap it back up tightly in its parchment paper and store it away again. I typically store mine wrapped in parchment, then in a layer of foil, and finally in an airtight container for extra protection. This traditional method keeps the pudding moist and flavorful for months.
Betty’s method works beautifully because the alcohol preserves everything while adding incredible depth – I’ve successfully kept Christmas puddings for up to six months this way, though they’re usually eaten long before then. When Christmas arrives, just steam it again for 2-3 hours or microwave individual portions, and it’ll taste like you just made it, perhaps even better.
Perfect Partners for Christmas Pudding
- Warm vanilla custard creates the classic English pairing with its smooth, creamy sweetness cutting through the rich, spiced fruit – this is how Margaret always served hers, and I’ve never found a better combination
- Freshly whipped cream lightened with just a touch of sugar provides a cool, airy contrast to the warm, dense pudding
- Brandy butter (butter whipped with sugar and brandy) melts into puddles of boozy sweetness that soak into every bite
- Brandy sauce offers a warm, pourable alternative that’s less rich than butter but equally festive and delicious (try my Yule Log Cake recipe for another brandy-enhanced dessert)
- Vanilla ice cream provides an unexpected but wonderful temperature contrast that kids especially love
- Festive Cranberry Rosemary Cocktail on the side makes the perfect adult beverage pairing for your holiday table
FAQs
Can I make Christmas pudding without alcohol? I recommend replacing the brandy with orange juice or strong brewed tea, though the pudding won’t keep as long and will lack that distinctive depth – many home cooks find success soaking the dried fruits in juice overnight before mixing.
Why does my Christmas pudding need such a long steaming time? To prevent undercooking issues, that 8-9 hour steam allows the pudding to cook all the way through while developing its characteristically dark color and deep flavor – it’s not a mistake, it’s traditional.
Can I make Christmas pudding just a week before Christmas? Betty’s solution is yes, you can, though it won’t have that incredible depth from weekly brandy feedings – steam it for the full time, feed it once or twice, and it’ll still be delicious.
What’s the best way to store leftover Christmas pudding? Many home cooks find success wrapping leftover portions tightly in plastic wrap, storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freezing for up to three months.
Can I substitute the mixed candied peel? The best approach I’ve tested is using finely chopped dried apricots or additional raisins if you can’t find candied peel, though it does change the traditional flavor slightly.
Is it safe to flame the Christmas pudding? I recommend using slightly warmed brandy (not boiling), pouring it carefully over the pudding on a heatproof surface away from anything flammable, keeping children at a safe distance, and having a pot lid nearby just in case – the flames extinguish naturally within a minute.
How do I know if I need to add water during steaming without constantly removing the lid? Listen for gentle bubbling sounds – if the saucepan goes silent, you need to add water immediately. Set a timer for every 45-60 minutes as a reminder to check.
What if my pudding basin doesn’t have a lid? That’s perfectly fine – the parchment paper cover secured with twine is the traditional method and works better than a lid because it allows some steam to escape while keeping moisture in.
Traditional Christmas Pudding
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large stockpot, combine breadcrumbs, flour, salt, all spices, both sugars, candied peel, currants, sultanas, raisins, almonds, chopped apples, and lemon and orange zest and juice. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and 5 tablespoons brandy. Pour into dry ingredients and stir with a heavy wooden spoon until evenly combined.
- Add milk and stir thoroughly. Add butter and cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and ingredients are well blended.
- Create a tri-fold pleat in center of parchment paper (this allows pudding to expand), place over basin, and secure with kitchen twine wrapped twice around rim. Tie tightly and trim excess paper.
- Place pudding basin in large saucepan. Fill halfway up sides with warm water. Bring to boil, reduce to gentle simmer, and steam for 8-9 hours. Check water level every 30-60 minutes and add more as needed (listen for gentle bubbling – if silent, add water immediately).
- Pudding should look very dark (deep mahogany brown, almost black) when done. Carefully remove from saucepan and let cool completely. Store in cool, dry place (60-70°F).
- To feed the pudding: Use a small skewer to poke holes across top surface (don’t go more than 1 inch deep). Brush with 1-2 tablespoons brandy using pastry brush. Wrap tightly. Repeat weekly until Christmas.
- When ready to serve, steam pudding for 2-3 hours to reheat, or warm in microwave.
- For flaming presentation: Turn pudding onto heatproof plate. Gently warm 2-3 tablespoons brandy (not boiling), pour over pudding, and carefully ignite with long match. Keep children at safe distance. Wait for flames to extinguish naturally (30-60 seconds) before serving.
