Christmas Pudding Recipe

Christmas pudding is a rich, dark, steamed pudding of dried fruit, suet, spice and breadcrumbs, made ahead and reheated on the day. Below is our family recipe, the story of how it came to the British Christmas table, and exactly how to reheat one — by steam, microwave or oven — whether you made it yourself or bought it.

This is the Christmas pudding recipe we have made in our family for years. It makes two good-sized puddings that each serve six to eight people — we have one on Christmas Day and keep the second to bring out on Easter Sunday. The fruit is soaked overnight in cold tea rather than alcohol, so it plumps up beautifully and the recipe works just as well alcohol-free for a family table. It is a rich, dark, traditional pudding with no fuss and no special equipment.

We make ours on what we call Mix-up Sunday (most people call it Stir-up Sunday), when everyone in the house gets a turn to stir the mixture and make a wish. If you are not sure exactly when to start, we have a full guide to when to make your Christmas pudding — including how to get ahead over the August Bank Holiday for an even longer maturing time.

The history of Christmas pudding

Christmas pudding is the descendant of much older, and much stranger, dishes. Its usual ancestor is given as frumenty, a medieval pottage of cracked wheat boiled in milk and spiced with cinnamon — closer to a porridge than a pudding. By the seventeenth century this had become plum porridge or plum pottage, a savoury-sweet mixture of meat broth, dried fruit, breadcrumbs and spice eaten at the start of a Christmas meal. Over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the meat fell away, the mixture thickened, and it moved to the end of the meal as the dense, dark pudding we know now.

The Victorians fixed it as a Christmas fixture. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert helped popularise a grand, ceremonial Christmas, and a flaming pudding carried to the table became part of the picture — not least through Dickens, whose Cratchit family in A Christmas Carol (1843) treat their small, hard pudding as a triumph, which for them it is.

Why is it called plum pudding?

There are no plums in it. Before the Victorian era, “plums” was a general word for dried fruit, raisins especially, and the name stuck long after the usage faded. You will still see “plum pudding” and “Christmas pudding” used for the same thing, with “figgy pudding” — as in the carol — a close regional cousin.

Stir-up Sunday: where the name comes from

Stir-up Sunday falls on the last Sunday before Advent — Sunday 22 November in 2026. The name is widely said to come not from stirring the pudding but from the Book of Common Prayer: the collect read in church that day opens, “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people.” The link between that line and a day for making the pudding is part of the folklore around the date, and the custom of the family gathering to stir is generally traced to the Victorians rather than to any earlier rule. We have a fuller guide to Stir-up Sunday and what it means if you would like the background.

The traditions: the coin, the holly and the wish

By tradition a Christmas pudding carries a few small customs, and you can take up as many or as few as you like. A silver coin — once a sixpence, sometimes one of a set of charms — is hidden in the mixture and said to bring luck to whoever finds it. The pudding is often stirred from east to west, said to honour the journey of the Wise Men, with each person making a wish. A sprig of holly on top is sometimes read as a nod to the crown of thorns. These are charming rather than compulsory, and the symbolism varies in the telling; treat them as tradition, not rule.

There are no plums in plum pudding — “plums” meant only dried fruit.

Recipe at a glance

Ingredients

Fruit

• 340g sultanas
• 340g raisins
• 225g currants
• 110g candied peel, chopped

Other ingredients

• 225g golden caster sugar
• 225g vegetarian suet
• 110g plain flour
• 110g white breadcrumbs
• 55g flaked almonds (optional — if you leave these out, just add a little more fruit)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 5 medium free-range eggs, beaten
• 1 level tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 level tsp mixed spice
• 1 level tsp (about 5g) freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 150ml brandy or rum (optional — see the alcohol-free note below)

A note on the ingredients

Vegetarian suet keeps the pudding suitable for everyone at the table and behaves exactly like the traditional sort. Golden caster sugar gives a softer colour and flavour than white; soft dark brown sugar works too if you want a deeper, treaclier result. Use the freshest dried fruit you can — older, drier fruit will soak up more liquid, so keep a little extra flour to hand to balance the mixture.

Method

The night before: soak the fruit

1. Carefully sort the fruit. You may be surprised how much stalk and grit hides in dried fruit, so tip it from one bowl into another a handful at a time, picking out anything you would not want to eat.
2. To make the pudding rich and dark, soak the sultanas and raisins overnight in strong, cold tea. This really plumps up the fruit. Just cover the fruit with cold tea, lay a tea towel over the bowl, and leave it somewhere cool and dry for 12 to 24 hours.

On Mix-up Sunday: make the puddings

1. Drain the soaked fruit in a colander for about 30 minutes — you do not want excess tea making its way into the mixture — while you weigh out everything else.
2. Grease two 1.2 litre (2 pint) pudding basins with a little butter.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. Stir in the beaten eggs and the brandy or rum (or the alcohol-free liquid below) and mix well. Now is the moment to gather everyone round for a stir and a wish.
5. The mixture should be rich and sticky. If it seems wet or runny — usually because the fruit held on to a little tea — stir in a little more plain flour a tablespoon at a time until it comes back to a thick, dropping consistency.
6. Spoon the mixture into the basins. Top each with a circle of greaseproof paper and a layer of foil, pleated across the middle to allow for expansion, and tie securely with string. Make a string handle across the top so you can lift the hot basin out of the pan.
7. Sit each basin on an inverted saucer (not a good one — the long steam can damage the glaze) in a large pan. Pour in boiling water to come a third of the way up the basin, cover, and steam for 6 to 7 hours. Check the water level every hour or so and top up with boiling water so it never boils dry.
8. Let the puddings cool. The long steam has killed any bacteria, so we do not replace the paper and foil — opening a sterile pudding only risks letting bacteria back in.
9. Store the cooled puddings somewhere genuinely cool and dry until Christmas. Avoid any cupboard near the cooker, kettle, toaster or a radiator, where warmth or steam could spoil them.

What the mixture should look like

This is the step that worries first-timers, so here is the test: before it goes in the basins, the raw mixture should be thick, glossy and sticky — it should drop reluctantly from the spoon rather than pour. Too wet and it will struggle to set during steaming, so add flour. Too stiff and dry to combine and it can cook heavy, so loosen it with a splash of milk or a little more of your soaking liquid. After steaming, a finished pudding is dark, firm to a gentle press and pulling very slightly away from the sides of the basin.

Feeding and storing your Christmas pudding

A Christmas pudding is built to keep. The combination of sugar, dried fruit and (if you use it) alcohol makes it slow to spoil, which is the whole reason it can be made weeks or months ahead. Store the cooled, wrapped puddings somewhere genuinely cool, dark and dry — a cellar, garage or unheated cupboard is ideal, away from the warmth and steam of the kitchen.

How long does Christmas pudding last?

A traditional pudding made with alcohol keeps for several months in a cool cupboard, and a well-fed, very boozy one can last considerably longer — some keep a pudding from one year to the next. An alcohol-free pudding has no spirit to preserve it, so make that one closer to Christmas and use it within four to six weeks, or freeze the spare (it freezes well for up to a year).

Feeding the pudding

“Feeding” means topping the pudding up with a little alcohol as it matures, which keeps it moist and deepens the flavour. If you would like to feed yours, unwrap it every week or two, spoon 1–2 tablespoons of brandy, rum or sherry over the top, let it soak in, and reseal with fresh greaseproof paper and foil. Four to six weeks of feeding before Christmas is plenty. Skip this step entirely for an alcohol-free pudding — it is not needed, and the cold-tea soak has already done the work.

How to reheat a Christmas pudding

The best way to reheat a Christmas pudding is to steam it for at least 2 hours, exactly as it was first cooked — it keeps the pudding moist and you genuinely cannot overcook it this way. The oven is a slower but reliable alternative. The microwave is the quickest option, but in all honesty it is the one we would steer you away from: it heats unevenly and the texture suffers, which is a shame after the hours that go into a pudding. Keep it for a single slice when time is truly short. Whichever you choose, the rule is the same: heat it until piping hot all the way through — about 70°C in the centre — and reheat it only once. This applies whether you made the pudding or bought it; always follow a shop-bought pudding’s own packet timings, as basin sizes vary.

Steam (best texture)

1. Sit the basin on an inverted saucer in a large pan, pour in boiling water to a third of the way up, cover, and steam for at least 2 hours for a 1.2 litre pudding (a little longer for a larger one).
2. Top up with boiling water every so often so the pan never boils dry.
3. We put ours on to steam at the same time as the turkey goes in, so it looks after itself while the main course cooks.

Microwave (quick, but not recommended)

We would not reheat a whole pudding this way: the microwave heats unevenly and the texture turns dense and disappointing after all the work of making one. Steam it instead. If you are reheating a single slice in a hurry it will do — turn the pudding out onto a microwave-safe plate, never microwave foil, and loosen any lid.

• A single slice or portion: cover loosely and heat on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, checking that it is piping hot through the middle.
• A whole small pudding: cover loosely and heat on medium (around 50% power) in short bursts — roughly 4 to 6 minutes for a 1.2 litre pudding — standing for a couple of minutes between bursts so the heat spreads evenly. Times vary with wattage, so check the centre is hot before serving.

Oven

Wrap the turned-out pudding (or the covered basin) in foil and heat in a low oven, about 150°C (130°C fan), for around 1 hour, until hot right through. A splash of water in the foil parcel helps keep it moist.

Method	Time (1.2L pudding)	Best for	Watch out for
Steam	At least 2 hours	Best texture; whole pudding	Top up the water so it never boils dry
Microwave	Slice 1–2 min; whole ~4–6 min on medium	A single slice in a hurry — not for a whole pudding	Heats unevenly, texture suffers; no foil; check the centre
Oven	About 1 hour at 150°C	When the hob is full	Wrap in foil with a splash of water to keep it moist

Serving and flaming on the day

1. When you are about to serve the main course, take the reheated pudding off the heat and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes, then turn it out onto a warm plate.
2. To flame it, gently warm 2–3 tablespoons of brandy in a small pan (do not let it boil), pour it over the pudding, and light it carefully at arm’s length with a long match. Keep it well away from curtains and trailing sleeves, and never add more spirit to a lit pudding. Take it to the table while the flames are still dancing.
3. Traditionally Christmas pudding is served with brandy butter or custard. We usually offer a choice of custard or a good vanilla ice cream, which gives a lovely cool, light contrast to the richness.

Make it your own

Alcohol-free

Because we soak the fruit in cold tea, this recipe is alcohol-free at heart, and a properly festive pudding without a drop of spirit is no compromise at all. Leave out the brandy or rum and replace it with the same volume (150ml) of cold tea, orange juice or apple juice when you mix. Skip the feeding and the flaming, and serve with custard or ice cream. An alcohol-free pudding does not keep as long as a boozy one, so make it a little closer to Christmas — four to six weeks ahead is plenty.

Vegetarian and vegan

The recipe is already vegetarian thanks to the vegetarian suet. To make it vegan, use a vegetable suet, swap the five eggs for a binding alternative (around 100g of unsweetened apple purée plus an extra teaspoon of baking-friendly flour works well), and check your breadcrumbs and candied peel are vegan.

Gluten-free

Use a plain gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free breadcrumbs. If you would rather follow a recipe written for it from the start, we have a tried-and-tested gluten-free Christmas pudding as well.

One for Christmas, one for Easter

The reason this recipe makes two puddings is not just generosity — it is our favourite small tradition. A well-made, alcohol-rich pudding keeps for months in a cool cupboard, so we eat one on Christmas Day and tuck the second away to bring out on Easter Sunday, when a slice of dark, fruity pudding feels like a happy surprise rather than a repeat. If you are going alcohol-free, eat both within a couple of months instead, or freeze the second pudding (it freezes well for up to a year) and steam it from frozen when the day comes.

Homemade versus shop-bought: is it worth it?

A good-quality shop-bought Christmas pudding for six to eight people typically costs somewhere between £6 and £15. This recipe makes two of that size for roughly the cost of the ingredients — the fruit, suet, sugar and spices come to around £10–£14 all in, depending on where you shop, so you are making two puddings for the price of one. You also get to control exactly what goes in, keep it vegetarian and alcohol-free if you wish, and gain the afternoon round the mixing bowl, which is rather the point. And if you would rather buy one and reheat it well, that is no failing at all — the reheating guide above works just the same for a shop pudding.

Using up leftovers

Leftover Christmas pudding is a gift. Fry thick slices in a little butter until the edges caramelise, crumble it through vanilla ice cream, or stir chunks into a bread-and-butter pudding. It will keep, covered, in the fridge for several days, or freeze portions for an easy pudding well into the new year. Remember to reheat each portion only once.

The lucky sixpence

If you would like to follow the old tradition, you can hide a clean silver sixpence (or a foil-wrapped coin) in the mixture before steaming — whoever finds it in their portion is, by tradition, promised luck for the year. Always tell your guests it is there so nobody bites down on a surprise, and take care with very young children.

How our recipe compares: other Christmas puddings to try

Our family recipe above is a traditional, make-ahead Christmas pudding (sometimes still called plum pudding). If you would like to compare it with other well-loved versions, here are some of the best-known ones worth a look.

Jamie Oliver’s Christmas pudding

Jamie Oliver’s Christmas pudding is a lighter, fruity take on the classic. You can follow Jamie Oliver’s Christmas pudding recipe on his site, and he also has a popular gluten-free version (see below).

Nigella Lawson’s Ultimate Christmas Pudding

Nigella’s Ultimate Christmas Pudding soaks the dried fruit in sherry for a moist, rich, dark result, and there is a slow-cooker method too. See Nigella’s Ultimate Christmas Pudding recipe.

Nigel Slater and River Cottage

If you fancy something a little different, Nigel Slater and River Cottage both have well-regarded Christmas pudding recipes that are popular each year.

The National Trust 1950s Christmas pudding

The National Trust’s 1950s Christmas pudding is a traditional family recipe that bakes a little lighter in colour than a classic dark pudding.

Frequently asked questions

What is Christmas pudding made of?

Christmas pudding is a steamed pudding of dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants and candied peel), suet, sugar, eggs, flour, breadcrumbs and warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice, usually with a little brandy or rum. It is made ahead, matured, and reheated on Christmas Day.

Why is it called plum pudding if there are no plums?

Before the Victorian era, “plums” was a general word for dried fruit, raisins in particular. The name stuck even though the pudding contains no actual plums.

When is Stir-up Sunday?

Stir-up Sunday is the last Sunday before Advent. In 2026 it falls on Sunday 22 November. The name is widely traced to the Book of Common Prayer collect for that day rather than to stirring the pudding itself.

How do I reheat a Christmas pudding?

Steaming for at least 2 hours gives the best texture and is what we recommend. The oven is a fair alternative: wrap the pudding in foil and warm it in a low oven at about 150°C for around an hour. The microwave will do a single slice in a pinch, but it heats unevenly and the result disappoints, so we would not use it for a whole pudding. Whichever you choose, heat it until piping hot — 70°C in the centre — and reheat only once.

Can I reheat Christmas pudding in the microwave?

You can, but we honestly would not recommend it: the microwave heats unevenly and the texture turns disappointing after all the effort of making a pudding. If you must — for a single slice in a hurry — cover it loosely (never with foil) and heat on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, checking the centre is piping hot. For a whole pudding, steam it instead.

How far in advance can I make Christmas pudding?

A traditional pudding made with alcohol keeps happily for several months in a cool, dry cupboard, so Stir-up Sunday in late November — or even the August Bank Holiday for a longer maturing — is ideal. An alcohol-free pudding keeps around four to six weeks, so make that one closer to the day.

Do I need to feed a Christmas pudding?

Feeding is optional. For a boozy pudding, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of brandy, rum or sherry over it every week or two and reseal with fresh paper and foil; four to six weeks is plenty. An alcohol-free pudding does not need feeding.

Can I make this Christmas pudding without alcohol?

Yes. The fruit is soaked in cold tea, not alcohol, so replace the 150ml of brandy or rum with cold tea, orange juice or apple juice, and skip the feeding and flaming. It is a genuinely family-friendly pudding.

How long do I steam a Christmas pudding?

Steam for 6 to 7 hours on the day you make it, then for at least a further 2 hours to reheat on Christmas Day. Keep the pan topped up with boiling water so it never boils dry.

Can I freeze Christmas pudding?

Yes — a cooked, cooled pudding freezes well for up to a year. Steam it from frozen on the day, allowing a little extra time.

How do I light a Christmas pudding safely?

Gently warm 2 to 3 tablespoons of brandy without letting it boil, pour it over the turned-out pudding, and light it at arm’s length with a long match. Keep it away from curtains and trailing sleeves, and never add more spirit to a lit pudding.

Is this recipe suitable for vegetarians?

Yes — it uses vegetarian suet. Vegan and gluten-free versions are described in the “Make it your own” section above.

Why do you soak the fruit in tea?

Cold, strong tea plumps the dried fruit and gives the pudding a deep richness without committing the whole recipe to alcohol. It is the small step that makes the biggest difference.

Related reading

• Stir-up Sunday 2026: when it is and what it means
• When to make your Christmas pudding (and how to get ahead)
• Four more Christmas pudding recipes for Stir-up Sunday
• Gluten-free Christmas pudding
• How to cook a perfect roast turkey
• December Christmas to-do list

Recipe and words by Linda Garrould for Christmas Countdown. Last updated 14 June 2026. We have made this pudding in our family for years, and the timings reflect how we actually cook it. The history and traditions draw on published accounts; where the folklore is contested we have said so. © ChristmasCountdown.co.uk, a division of Garrould Ltd.