Alcohol-free Christmas pudding

This is a deliciously fruity, fragrant, alcohol-free Christmas pudding. Kids will love the lighter, fruitier flavour and texture compared with the dark richness of traditional Christmas pud.

The mix for this Christmas pudding is a breeze to make in a single bowl.

And since it's a simpler pudding, it doesn't need to be made weeks in advance. In fact, you could whip it up on Christmas Eve!

Here's what to do.

Instructions

Put the mixed fruit and squash in a large bowl and give it a mix. Pop in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir.

Add the orange juice and the lemon zest and juice. Give it another mix.

Add the grated apple and egg.

Mix well.

Add the flour, sugar, suet, breadcrumbs, mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking powder.

Fold together to give a wet, loose batter.

Cover the bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour - or overnight if you have time. The mixture will firm up a little once chilled.

Transfer the mixture into a greased 1-pint pudding basins.

Fit the lid.

Place the pudding basin in a saucepan and add boiling water one third of the way up the pudding basin.

Place the lid on the saucepan and simmer for 3 hours. Check the water level occasionally and top it up if it looks like it might boil dry.

Carefully remove the pudding from the saucepan and leave to cool with the lids off. Once cold, place the lid back on the basin and store the pudding in the refrigerator. Note: Due to the lack of alcohol in this pudding, it cannot be stored long-term

On Christmas Day, steam the puddings the same way for an hour.

Serve on its own, or with pouring cream, ice cream or custard! Delicious!

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect alcohol-free Christmas pudding

Is alcohol-free Christmas pudding easy to make?

This recipe is super simple and easy to bring together in just one bowl. With all the fruit and festive spice of regular Christmas pudding without the dense alcohol richness that can be a bit much for kids to enjoy.

It does take a bit of time to steam so needs a little planning, but you can have it steaming away on Christmas eve filling the kitchen with beautiful festive smells. 

Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?

You should be able to find everything you need in the average kitchen. I’ve used a pudding bowl with a lid for ease, but you can make a lid with greaseproof paper if your bowl doesn’t have a lid, see note below on how to do this. 

You’ll also need a microwave-safe mixing bowl, weighing scales, and measuring spoons. A large pan with a lid to steam the pudding in. 

Where can I buy shredded suet?

Shredded suet should be fairly easily available in most supermarkets. It will be in the baking section, traditionally made with animal fat, you can now get a vegetarian alternative if you prefer. 

Is alcohol-free Christmas pudding suitable for vegetarians?

If you want to make this recipe vegetarian make sure to use vegetarian suet. All the other ingredients are suitable for vegetarians. 

Is alcohol-free Christmas pudding suitable for vegans?

As it is, no this recipe is not suitable for vegans because it contains egg, and shredded suet. 

Most vegetable based shredded suet doesn’t state it is suitable for vegans, having contacted Atora one of the biggest manufacturers of suet in the UK, they advised they can not yet claim vegan status as they haven’t had accreditation so it's up to you whether you're comfortable using it. 

An alternative to shredded suet could be to grate a block of vegetable cooking fat like Trex, put the block in the freezer for a few hours before you grate it, a light dusting of flour can help separate the gratings too. 

You will also need to use an egg replacer, I haven’t tried this recipe egg-free yet but you could give one of these options a go and see how you get on (each = 1 egg, so multiply as needed for any given recipe).

• 1 tablespoon of crushed chia seeds or flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (the water you get in a tin of chickpeas).
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce (bear in mind this will add sweetness).

Make sure any icecreams or custards you choose to serve this with are also suitable for vegans, give my vegan custard a go it’s yummy!

Is alcohol-free Christmas pudding gluten-free?

For this recipe, I’ve used fresh white breadcrumbs which are made with wheat-based flour and it contains wheat-based plain flour in the mix too. Shredded suet is also not gluten-free as it is coated in wheat flour to stop it from sticking together.

I haven't tried this recipe gluten-free yet but you could give it a go if you like. Make your own breadcrumbs with some gluten-free bread and use gluten-free plain flour. For the suet, you can buy fresh suet from the butchers and grate yourself, or use a vegetable cooking fat like Trex. 

Is alcohol-free Christmas pudding safe to eat while pregnant?

There is nothing in this recipe that would normally pose a risk to a pregnant woman, as long as all the ingredients are in good condition, and the pudding is prepared and cooked hygienically. This is a fantastic option if you’re avoiding alcohol too. 

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice, please speak to a health professional if you have any worries or questions. 

Is alcohol-free Christmas pudding suitable for babies and toddlers?

The NHS recommends not giving sugar to babies or young children, this is still quite a high sugar dessert so it's probably best to avoid giving it to little ones. 

Can I make this recipe without apple and blackcurrant squash?

If you don’t have any apple and blackcurrant squash you could use a similar flavour, or just use plain water to plump up the mixed fruits. 

I haven’t got fresh breadcrumbs, can I use packet ones?

For recipes like this, I prefer to use fresh breadcrumbs as I find the packet ones are often too fine and better kept for coatings and toppings.

You can easily make bread crumbs yourself by drying out a few slices of bread in a low oven and once cooled, pulsing them in a food processor until you have a coarse crumb. 

Can I add extra fruit to this alcohol-free Christmas pudding?

This recipe is well balanced with the amount of dried fruit and apple in the mixture, if you try and add more fruit it will overwhelm the other ingredients and the pudding won’t come together properly.

How should I store alcohol-free Christmas pudding?

Once cooled this Christmas pudding should be kept in the fridge to keep it at its best. Pop any leftovers into a suitable container or just pop it back in the pudding bowl with the lid on. 

How long does alcohol-free Christmas pudding keep?

As this recipe is alcohol-free it won’t keep anywhere near as long as traditional recipes. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bear in mind that if you make this a few days ahead to count the 5 days from the day you first steam the pudding.

Can I leave alcohol-free Christmas pudding out on the counter?

No, other than for serving this Christmas pud should be kept in the fridge, this helps reduce the risk of bacteria spreading on the food. 

Can I make this alcohol-free Christmas pudding ahead?

Yes, you can make this recipe a day or two ahead, get your pudding to step 10 in the recipe, after the pudding has been steamed for the first 3 hours. At this point cool the pudding and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to steam again on Christmas day. 

If you wanted to be really organised you could do the initial making and steaming up to step 10 well in advance and keep the pudding in the freezer for up to a month before the final steam and serving. Defrost in the fridge the night before you wish to serve your pudding. 

Can I freeze this alcohol-free Christmas pudding?

I haven’t tried freezing this recipe yet but puddings like this usually freeze well.

Make sure to wrap the pudding well to help protect it from freezer burn. It will keep in the freezer for up to a month, once thawed, consumed within 24 hours. 

What is the best way to reheat alcohol-free Christmas pudding?

I find the best way to reheat Christmas pudding is in the microwave. Put the pudding into a microwave-safe bowl, with a loose-fitting lid, and heat of full for 2-3 minutes until steaming hot.

Can I make this alcohol-free Christmas pudding in a different quantity?

When making this in a different quantity keep in mind you might need a different size pudding bowl, and larger pan for steaming, or you could make two.

To adjust the ingredients head down to the recipe card below where you’ll see the servings is set to 8, which makes enough for a 1-pint pudding bowl.

Click on the number of servings and a slider will pop up that you can move to get the number of servings you wish to make. 

My pudding bowl doesn’t have a lid, can I make one?

The lid is important when steaming any pudding as it taps the steam from the wet ingredients inside the bowl and helps the pudding rise and cook.

If your pudding bowl doesn't have a lid you can easily make one with some greaseproof or parchment paper, and a bit of string.

Cut a circle larger than the top of the pudding bowl, you want it to come down the sides a bit so you can secure it on.

Grease one side of the circle really well with margarine or spray oil, this will become the underside, nearest the pudding. Put your greased paper, grease side down on top of the pudding bowl, and secure around the edge with string, now you're ready to steam. 

Can I make this recipe in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

I prefer to mix this recipe by hand as it doesn’t require any strong beating of sugar and butter. If you find it easier to use the stand mixer then go right ahead.

I’d recommend using the paddle attachment and mix on slow to start with, gradually increasing the speed up to medium. You might need to scrape the sides of the bowl down with a spatular as you add the ingredients, to make sure everything is well incorporated. 

Can I make this alcohol-free Christmas pudding in the slow cooker or instant pot?

You can use slow cookers and instant pots to steam puddings, I haven’t tried this recipe in a slow cooker or instant pot yet. Please check the instructions for your particular model, this should give you a guide for settings and timings. 

How can I make sure this recipe is perfectly cooked?

This recipe is simple, but time is important to make sure to give the pudding at least an hour in the fridge before the first steam. As you're doing the initial 3-hour steam make sure to keep the pan topped up with water so it doesn't dry out and burn.

You'll know your pudding is ready when it has risen slightly and come away from the sides of the bowl slightly.

Why did my pudding stick to the bowl?

It’s really important to grease the pudding bowl really well to stop this from happening. As the pudding steams, it will shrink a bit and hopefully come away from the bowl.

If your pudding is being a little stubborn you can carefully run a knife around the edge to loosen it, being careful as the bowl will be very hot, and steam might escape around the edge. 

Why did my pudding turn out wet and undercooked?

This pudding is steamed for so long it shouldn’t turn out wet. It's a good idea to get the pan you use to steam hot before you put the pudding in, and make sure to check on it every now and then in case the water needs topping up. 

How can I add/change the flavours in this dish?

You can play around with the dried fruit element of this recipe, I’m using mixed dried fruit, a festive combination of raisins currants, and mixed peel.

Make sure to keep the amounts the same, so 150g or dried fruit for a 1-pint pudding. How about using dried cherries and raisins or figs and sultans, any large fruits should be chopped into smaller pieces.

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