This Christmas pudding is a deeply dark, fruit-laden steamed dessert with a dense, moist crumb that holds its shape when turned out. The surface takes on a rich, mahogany colour during cooking, and the scent of warm spice, brandy-soaked fruit, and black treacle fills the kitchen from the first hour of steaming. It is a pudding that slices cleanly and stays tender for days.

This version of the Mary Berry Christmas pudding recipe keeps the method manageable and the ingredient list approachable, making it well suited to first-time pudding makers and experienced bakers alike. It benefits from being made ahead, which is genuinely useful during the busy Christmas period. From start to finish, including steaming time, allow around 6 hours on the day of making.

Ingredients

For the pudding

100g plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
half tsp ground cinnamon
quarter tsp ground nutmeg
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
100g dark muscovado sugar
100g unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp black treacle
2 tbsp brandy, plus extra for flaming
50ml stout or dark ale
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the dried fruit mix

150g raisins
100g sultanas
75g dried cranberries
50g mixed peel, finely chopped
50g dried prunes, roughly chopped
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon

To finish

a little brandy or rum, for feeding and flaming
butter, for greasing the basin

How to Make Mary Berry Christmas Pudding Recipe

Soak the fruit: Combine the raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries, mixed peel, and chopped prunes in a large bowl. Add the orange and lemon zest, pour over the brandy, and stir well. Cover and leave to soak for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight if time allows. Soaking overnight allows the fruit to absorb the liquid fully, which gives the pudding its characteristically moist texture.
Prepare the basin: Grease a 1-litre pudding basin generously with butter, making sure to coat the sides and base evenly. Cut a circle of baking parchment to fit the base and press it in. This step ensures the pudding releases cleanly when turned out.
Mix the dry ingredients: Sift the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the breadcrumbs and dark muscovado sugar, then add the softened butter pieces. Rub the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse, damp crumbs.
Combine the wet ingredients: Add the beaten eggs, black treacle, stout, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Stir everything together until a thick, dark batter forms. The mixture will look quite heavy and dense at this stage, which is exactly right.
Fold in the soaked fruit: Tip the soaked fruit and any remaining liquid into the batter. Fold everything together thoroughly using a large spoon, making sure the fruit is evenly distributed throughout. This prevents pockets of plain sponge in the finished pudding.
Fill and cover the basin: Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin, pressing it down gently to remove air pockets. The mixture should sit about 2cm below the rim to allow for expansion. Cut a double layer of baking parchment and a layer of foil, both large enough to overhang the basin by 5cm. Make a pleat across the centre of the parchment, lay the foil over the top, and secure tightly under the basin rim with kitchen string.
Steam the pudding: Place the basin in a large saucepan and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and steam over a low, steady simmer for 5 hours. Check the water level every 45 minutes and top up with boiling water as needed to prevent the pan from running dry.
Cool and store: Once steamed, lift the basin out of the pan carefully and leave it to cool completely at room temperature. Replace the covering with fresh parchment and foil, then store in a cool, dark place until Christmas Day. Every week or two, unwrap the pudding and spoon over a tablespoon of brandy to feed it, which deepens the flavour and keeps the crumb moist.
Reheat and serve: On the day of serving, steam the pudding again for 2 hours using the same method. To flame the pudding, warm 3 tablespoons of brandy in a small saucepan until just hot, pour it over the unmoulded pudding, and ignite carefully with a long match. Carry it to the table while the blue flame burns.

Tips for the Best Mary Berry Christmas Pudding Recipe

Why is my Christmas pudding dry and crumbly after steaming?

The most common cause is insufficient water in the pan during steaming, which creates a dry heat rather than moist steam. Always ensure the water sits halfway up the basin sides throughout the full 5 hours, topping up with boiling water whenever it drops below that level.

Why did my pudding stick to the basin when I turned it out?

The basin was not greased thoroughly enough before filling. Butter the basin right to the rim and press a circle of baking parchment firmly onto the base before adding the mixture. This creates a barrier between the dark, sticky sponge and the basin wall.

Why does my Christmas pudding taste flat even though I used all the spices?

Pre-ground spices lose their potency quickly once opened. Check the use-by date on your jars and, if they are more than a year old, replace them before making the pudding. Freshly ground nutmeg makes a noticeable difference compared to ready-ground.

How do I stop the foil cover from letting steam escape during cooking?

Tie the kitchen string firmly around the basin rim directly under the overhang before pressing the foil edges down. If using a basin without a lip, wrap the string twice and knot it securely. A loose cover allows steam to escape and moisture to be lost from the pudding.

Why is the top of my pudding pale rather than dark when turned out?

The base of the basin, which becomes the top when turned out, needs direct contact with the greased parchment to colour properly. Pale results often come from too much butter pooling under the parchment circle, which steams the base rather than allowing it to cook against the hot basin. Use only a thin, even layer of butter.

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm with a generous pour of cold double cream, which contrasts the heat of the pudding and softens the intense dark flavour.
Spoon brandy butter alongside each portion for a traditional Christmas Day finish, letting it melt slowly over the warm pudding.
Add a small scoop of good-quality clotted cream vanilla ice cream for a dinner party dessert where the temperature contrast is part of the appeal.
Pair with a glass of Pedro Ximenez sherry, whose dried fig and raisin character mirrors the fruit notes in the pudding itself.
Serve with warm custard made from whole milk and egg yolks, poured at the table so guests can see the glossy yellow sauce meeting the dark sponge.

Storage

Room Temperature

Once cooled, the pudding will keep well wrapped in fresh baking parchment and foil in a cool, dark cupboard for up to 3 months, provided it is fed with brandy every fortnight.

Refrigerator

If kitchen temperatures are warm or you prefer refrigerator storage, wrap the pudding securely in parchment and foil and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 months. Allow the pudding to come fully to room temperature before resteaming on Christmas Day, as a cold basin may crack with sudden heat exposure.

Freezing

Wrap the cooled pudding tightly in two layers of cling film followed by a layer of foil, then freeze for up to 12 months. To defrost, transfer to the refrigerator 24 hours before needed and bring to room temperature before resteaming for 2 hours as normal.

Nutrition

Calories: 320 kcal
Carbohydrates: 52g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Sodium: 115mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on the specific ingredients used and exact serving size.

FAQs

Can I make this Christmas pudding without alcohol?

Yes. Replace the brandy with the same quantity of cold black tea, apple juice, or orange juice for soaking the fruit. Use the same liquid in place of the stout too. The pudding will still have good depth of flavour from the treacle, spices, and dried fruit, though the finish will be slightly lighter.

Can I make this pudding ahead and how far in advance?

This pudding is actually better made ahead. It can be prepared up to 3 months before Christmas and stored in a cool, dark place, fed with a tablespoon of brandy every couple of weeks. The maturing time allows the fruit flavours to meld and the sponge to deepen in colour and richness.

Can I use a different size pudding basin for this recipe?

This recipe is written for a 1-litre basin, which gives 6 generous portions. A 600ml basin will work with slightly reduced quantities across the board, and the initial steaming time can be reduced to about 3.5 hours. Always check the mixture fills the basin to about 2cm below the rim.

Is this Christmas pudding suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, this pudding contains no meat-based suet. The recipe uses butter in place of suet, which gives a slightly softer, less dense crumb compared to traditional versions. It is suitable for vegetarians provided the other ingredients, including the stout, are checked for isinglass-free labelling if that is a concern.

Can I double this recipe to make two puddings at once?

Doubling the recipe works well. Simply mix the full doubled quantity together and divide it evenly between two prepared basins. Both puddings can steam in the same large pan provided there is enough room for water to circulate freely around them. The steaming time remains the same at 5 hours.

Conclusion

This Mary Berry Christmas pudding recipe produces a proper, darkly spiced steamed pudding with a dense, fruit-packed crumb and a flavour that only improves with time. It steams for 5 hours, rewards patience, and delivers a pudding that turns out cleanly, holds its shape beautifully on the plate, and flames with a satisfying blue flicker at the table. Made well in advance, it removes one of the biggest pressures of Christmas Day cooking entirely.

This recipe yields approximately 6 generous portions from a 1-litre basin. Whether it is your first attempt at a traditional pudding or a reliable recipe to return to each year, the method is steady and the results consistent. If this recipe was useful, share it with someone planning their Christmas baking, or leave a comment below with how yours turned out. If you enjoyed this, you might also like the Mary Berry Meat and Potato Pie Recipe for another satisfying, classic dish from the same trusted style of cooking.