Recipe · 27 October 2026
Traditional Christmas Pudding
A rich, dark, properly old-fashioned Christmas pudding that you make weeks ahead, feed with brandy and steam again on the day.
- Serves 8
- Prep 40 min
- Cook 360 min
- Total 400 min
- Dessert
- British
Suits
- Vegetarian with vegetable suet
To soak the fruit
- 150g raisins
- 150g sultanas
- 100g currants
- 50g chopped mixed peel
- 50g glacé cherries, halved
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- 100ml brandy or dark rum (or more orange juice)
For the pudding
- Butter, for greasing
- 100g plain flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 100g shredded suet (beef or vegetable)
- 125g dark muscovado sugar
- 75g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 50g blanched almonds, chopped
- 1 eating apple, peeled and coarsely grated
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tbsp black treacle
To finish
- 2 tbsp brandy, for feeding (optional)
- 3 to 4 tbsp brandy, for flaming (optional)
- Brandy butter, custard or cream, to serve
A good Christmas pudding is mostly patience. The fruit soaks overnight, the pudding steams for hours, and then it sits quietly in a cool cupboard for weeks while the flavours deepen. Many families make theirs on Stir-up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent, which falls on 22 November in 2026, but any time from late October to mid December works. This recipe makes one large pudding for eight, in a 1.2 litre basin. It uses suet for the classic texture, dark muscovado and black treacle for colour, and grated apple to keep it moist. On Christmas Day it needs only a second steam while you eat your main course.
Method
- 1
The day before, put the raisins, sultanas, currants, peel, cherries, orange zest, orange juice and brandy in a large bowl. Stir well, cover and leave overnight at room temperature so the fruit plumps up and absorbs the liquid.
Dried fruit soaking overnight in brandy and orange juice - 2
Butter a 1.2 litre pudding basin generously and put a small disc of baking paper in the bottom.
- 3
Sift the flour and spices into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the suet, sugar, breadcrumbs and almonds, breaking up any lumps of sugar with your fingers.
- 4
Add the soaked fruit and any liquid left in the bowl, the grated apple, the beaten eggs and the treacle. Mix thoroughly. This is the traditional moment for everyone in the house to have a stir and make a wish.
Stirring the pudding mixture - 5
Spoon the mixture into the basin and press it down lightly. It should come to about 2cm below the rim to leave room for it to rise.
- 6
Cover with a double sheet of baking paper and a sheet of foil, folded together with a pleat across the middle so the pudding can expand. Tie tightly under the rim with string, then make a string handle over the top so you can lift it out of the pan.
The basin covered with pleated paper and foil and tied with string - 7
Put an upturned saucer or a folded tea towel in the bottom of a large, deep saucepan and stand the basin on it. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up the side of the basin. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 6 hours, topping up with boiling water from the kettle every hour or so. Never let the pan boil dry.
- 8
Lift the pudding out and leave it to cool completely. Remove the foil and paper, prick the top a few times with a skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp brandy if you like. Re-cover with fresh baking paper and foil, tie again and store in a cool, dark cupboard until Christmas.
- 9
On the day, steam the pudding in the same way for 2 hours, until it is hot all the way through. Turn it out onto a warm plate.
- 10
To flame it, warm 3 to 4 tbsp brandy in a small pan, pour it over the pudding and light it carefully with a long match, standing well back. Turn the lights down, carry it to the table and serve once the flames have died away.
Flaming the pudding with warm brandy
Tips
Make it ahead. The flavour improves with time, so try to make it at least four weeks before Christmas. Stored well wrapped in a cool, dark place, it will keep until the day. You can feed it with a couple of spoonfuls of brandy every week or two, but it doesn't need it. Vegetarian pudding. Use vegetable suet, which is widely available, and check the label on your mixed peel and cherries. No alcohol. Soak the fruit in orange juice or cold black tea instead, skip the feeding and flaming, and keep the pudding in the fridge, as it won't keep as long without alcohol. A smaller pudding. Halve the recipe for a 600ml basin and steam for 3 to 4 hours, then 1 hour to reheat. Safety when flaming. Use a long match, keep the brandy bottle well away from the flame, and check that nothing hangs above the pudding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I make a Christmas pudding?
Ideally four to eight weeks ahead, which is why many people make theirs on Stir-up Sunday in late November. A pudding made with brandy and stored well wrapped in a cool, dark place keeps happily until Christmas.
Can I make Christmas pudding without suet?
Yes. Grated frozen butter works in the same quantity, though the texture is a little denser. Vegetable suet gives the closest result to beef suet and makes the pudding suitable for vegetarians.
How do I reheat a Christmas pudding?
Steam it in a covered pan of simmering water for about 2 hours for a large pudding. For a quicker option, individual slices can be warmed in a microwave, covered, in short bursts until hot right through.
Can I freeze Christmas pudding?
Yes. Once cooked and cooled, wrap it well and freeze it for up to a year. Defrost overnight in the fridge before steaming it on the day.
Why is my Christmas pudding pale?
Colour comes from dark sugar, treacle and long, slow steaming. Use dark muscovado rather than light brown sugar and make sure it gets the full steaming time, as it darkens the longer it cooks.
Let a chef cook it for you
If you'd rather someone else did the cooking, browse private chefs near you and contact them directly.