This traditional Christmas pudding recipe delivers everything your festive table deserves: rich brandy-soaked fruit, warm spices, and that unmistakably moist, dense texture that makes Christmas Day complete.
Whether you’re continuing a family tradition or starting your own, this recipe guides you through every step of the classic steaming method.
Ingredients
Method
Christmas pudding
To make fruit mixture: combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. Cover tightly. Store mixture in a cool, dark place at least overnight or for up to a month, stirring occasionally.
Grease a 2-litre (8-cup) pudding basin; line the base with a round of baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, rind and sugar in a medium bowl, until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined between additions. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl; stir in sifted flour and spices, then remaining ingredients.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin. Place a sheet of foil on bench, top with a sheet of baking paper. Fold a 5cm pleat crossways through both layers. Place the sheets, baking paper-side down, over basin; secure around the basin with string or lid. Make a handle using excess string tied across the top. Trim away the excess foil and paper, leaving about 4cm. Crush remaining foil around string or lid to help form a good seal.
Place the pudding basin in a large pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up side of basin. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid; steam for 6 hours. Replenish with boiling water as needed to maintain boil and water level during cooking.
Stand Christmas pudding 10 minutes before turning out.
You’ll need these…
Christmas pudding recipe FAQs
How to store and freeze Christmas pudding
Store in the fridge for up to 2 months or freeze for up to 12 months.
To freeze pudding, cool the pudding to room temperature then wrap in plastic wrap and seal tightly in a freezer bag (or place in an airtight container, or return to the cleaned steamer).
What alcohol works best in Christmas pudding?
Brandy is traditional for our Christmas pudding recipe, but rum, whisky, sherry or Grand Marnier all work beautifully. Each brings a slightly different flavour profile. Choose based on what you enjoy drinking.
How do I know when my Christmas pudding is cooked?
After 6 hours of steaming, insert a skewer into the centre. It should come out clean. The pudding should feel firm when lightly pressed and have pulled away slightly from the basin sides.
How to thaw and reheat Christmas pudding
Thaw frozen puddings in the fridge for 3 days. Remove from the fridge 12 hours before reheating.
To reheat the thawed pudding, return the pudding to the steamer; steam for 2 hours following the recipe instructions.
To reheat individual serves of Christmas pudding in a microwave, cover slices with plastic wrap; microwave on MEDIUM (55%) until hot.
How to cover a steamed pudding
Grease the pudding steamer. Trace base of steamer onto baking paper; cut out paper slightly inside marked circle. Place in steamer to cover base. Place a sheet of foil and baking paper on the bench.
Fold a 5cm pleat through centre of both sheets; this allows for expansion during steaming. Place pudding mixture into steamer, cover with the pleated foil and baking paper; secure with kitchen string under the rim of the steamer, and/or a tight-fitting lid.
How to steam a Christmas pudding
Place the pudding in a larger boiler or stock pot with enough boiling water to come halfway up side of pudding steamer. Cover boiler with a tight-fitting lid; weight lid down with a brick or something heavy, to reduce water evaporation.
Set a kitchen timer to periodically check the water level and top with more boiling water.
Is Christmas pudding the same as Christmas fruit cake?
While both feature dried fruit, nuts and spices, Christmas pudding differs in two key ways. It’s steamed (not baked) and has a richer, denser, more moist texture.
Fruit cake is baked in the oven and tends to be firmer with a drier crumb. Christmas puddings also traditionally contain more alcohol and are served warm with custard or cream, while fruit cake is typically served at room temperature.
What’s the best way to serve Christmas pudding?
Traditional options to serve with this classic Christmas pudding recipe include brandy custard and brandy butter, vanilla custard, thick cream, or vanilla ice cream.
Watch how to make the Royal Family’s Christmas pudding (video)
