16 Figgy Pudding Recipes You Should Make This Christmas (2024)

We wish you a Merry Christmas; we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish…

We’re all familiar with the song, but do you remember the lyrics about bringing me some figgy pudding? What does this even mean?

Well, it is an actual Christmas dessert. It doesn’t look anything like pudding, but it’s been a popular winter dessert for many years.

I’m going to share with you multiple pudding recipes. You can decide which one you like best if you might like it at all, and which one you may even be willing to serve to your loved ones this holiday season.

At the very least, the next time you sing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ you’ll know what this pudding is.

Here are the figgy pudding recipes to choose from:

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1. Figgy Pudding Cobbler

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This recipe is one the creator made similar to her peach cobbler recipe because she loved it a great deal.

Therefore, in the place of the peaches, she added figs. If you’re new to the figgy pudding idea, this recipe may be an excellent way to get your feet wet.

2. Christmas Figgy Pudding

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I love this recipe because she walks you through the entire history of figgy pudding before giving you a traditional figgy pudding recipe.

It is a moist cake made with figs and finished off with a delicious toffee sauce. Considering I have fig trees in my yard, I’m excited to put them to use on this recipe.

3. What the Heck is Figgy Pudding?

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I’m with the title of this recipe. I wondered for years what the heck figgy pudding was. Now that I know, and I’m excited about it.

Thisrecipe is another traditional figgy pudding (cake) recipe, but instead of being finished with a sauce, they call only for whipped cream.

4. The Chocolate Figgy Pudding

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If you haven’t figured it out by now, this pudding is a moist fruit cake. It isn’t a pudding (or what most Americans would consider a pudding.)

However, this traditional pudding cake recipe calls for added chocolate to the recipe. It also says you can add nuts or even raisins for a bolder flavor.

5. Warm Sticky Figgy Pudding

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If the warm and sticky part didn’t grab your attention with a dessert, keep reading because you’re going to love this one.

This figgy pudding recipe is pretty traditional, but it’s topped with a cream and brown sugar sauce. Ice cream is added to it with fresh whipped cream and a fig. How have we not had this every Christmas of my life?

6. Crock Pot Figgy Pudding

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If you’ve been around this blog long, you know anything I can make in a crockpot instantly makes it better in my book.

Even figgy pudding can now be created in a crockpot. Not only can you have a traditional dessert, but it can be made with little effort. Does this count as a Christmas miracle?

7. Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard

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Figgy pudding is also referred to as Christmas pudding. This is a traditional Irish recipe, and they also share how to make a brandy custard to accompany the pudding.

It may be a whole new experience for you, but I say try it at least once and see if your taste buds dance.

8. The Bundt Figgy Pudding

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This pudding simplifies things when baking it because though she uses a traditional recipe, it’s baked in a bundt cake form for simplicity’s sake.

Even so, she also shares how to make a hard sauce (also known as a rum or bourbon sauce.) Plus, she shares how to flame your figgy pudding. Yes, they used to serve figgy pudding while it was on fire.

9. Genius Kitchen Figgy Pudding

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Most recipes you find with pudding are almost the same, but they have a few slight differences. This recipe calls for breadcrumbs where other recipes do not.

Still, it also goes back to tradition by serving the pudding in a bundt cake form with a hard sauce.

10. The Fruitier Figgy Pudding

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This pudding uses extra fruits the other recipes did not. It does call for dried figs, but it also uses currants, dried cranberries, and dried apricots.

If you might prefer a figgy pudding with more of a fruity flavor, you might want to give this recipe a try.

11. Brown Butter Gingerbread Figgy Pudding

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This is another spin on pudding which sounds delicious. In the place of the bread crumbs, they call for gingerbread cookie crumbs or graham cracker crumbs.

Plus, they finish the individual puddings off with a delicious brown butter glaze. It looks like Christmas on a plate.

12. Paleo Gluten and Dairy Free Figgy Pudding

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If you have food allergies or are trying to avoid certain types of foods for any reason, this recipe could help you to enjoy figgy pudding.

This recipe uses coconut flour in the place of all-purpose and also recommends subbing out the butter for ghee.

13. Steamed Fig Pudding

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In some cases, pudding is steamed, not baked. It depends on how the recipe tells you to prepare it.

In this case, the recipe calls for boiling the pudding (in a situation similar to using a double-boiler) instead of baking it. It’s an unusual cooking method but would undoubtedly be one worth trying.

14. Christmas Figgy Pudding

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I like this recipe for a figgy pudding because it looks simple and also gives you options. She walks you through the process of steaming the pudding if you prefer the traditional flavor.

However, she also shares with you how to bake the pudding as well. There’s no hard sauce included in this recipe. It’s recommended to finish the cake with powdered sugar or whipped cream.

15. Figgy Pudding Trifle with Brandy

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Thistrifle is a different twist on the traditional pudding. You begin the trifle with trifle sponges in the bottom.

From there, they’re topped with a mixture of fig, brandy, sugar, and allspice. The dish is finished with custard, lemon double cream, and a candied lemon peel.

16. Newfoundland Figgy Duff

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This recipe has nothing to do with figs. I learned through reading it; raisins were once also referred to as figs. Whether figgy pudding was initially made with raisins or figs, I’m not sure we’ll ever know.

However, this recipe is a steamed or boiled pudding recipe. If you aren’t a huge fan of the many spices in a traditional pudding, check out this one because it includes only basic ingredients such as flour, sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and a few other basics too.

You now have 16 different options for trying pudding. It’s different than many of our more modern desserts, but it’s good to bring back traditions from previous generations to avoid losing them.

I hope you’ll find this traditional Christmas dessert delicious and consider making it a part of your holidays in the future.

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16 Figgy Pudding Recipes You Should Make This Christmas (2024)

FAQs

What do the 13 ingredients in a Christmas pudding represent? ›

A Christmas pudding should have 13 ingredients – that represent Jesus and the 12 disciples. Traditionally, these ingredients include: raisins, currants, suet, brown sugar, breadcrumbs, citron, lemon peel, orange peel, flour, mixed spices, eggs, milk and brandy.

What is the difference between figgy pudding and Christmas pudding? ›

With respect to the different names, the short answer is that figgy pudding can be considered a much earlier precursor of plum pudding and they've both come to be referred to as Christmas pudding. Figgy pudding dates back to the 14th century and was a much different dish than what we refer to as figgy pudding today.

What is traditional figgy pudding made of? ›

Traditional figgy pudding is a holiday dish made with flour, suet (a type of hard animal fat), figs, and other dried fruits. Some more modern versions, like this one, are made without suet. Here's what you'll need for this top-rated figgy pudding recipe: Buttermilk.

What is figgy pudding in the Christmas song? ›

Figgy pudding is a pudding in the British sense of the word, which means it is a steamed cakelike dessert. This particular Christmas version is traditionally made with suet (which is raw beef or mutton fat), eggs, brown sugar, breadcrumbs, spices, dried fruits and, last -- but certainly not least --- brandy.

What is traditionally hidden inside a Christmas pudding 13? ›

It was common practice to include small silver coins in the pudding mixture, which could be kept by the person whose serving included them. The usual choice was a silver threepence or a sixpence.

What is the old name for Christmas pudding? ›

Christmas Pudding (also known as plum pudding or figgy pudding) is a dish as famous as it is misunderstood. In America, Christmas Pudding (also known as plum pudding or figgy pudding) is a dish as famous as it is misunderstood.

Why are there no figs in figgy pudding? ›

" 'Figgy' — certainly at some time figs would have been incorporated into Christmas pudding recipes, but today, not traditionally." It's also a pudding in the British sense, meaning dessert — not the creamy, custardy dish most Americans associate with the word. It's a steamed cake full of raisins, currants and brandy.

Does the alcohol cook out of figgy pudding? ›

Conclusion: Christmas puddings contain ethanol that does not all evaporate during the cooking process.

Why are they demanding figgy pudding? ›

As for the figgy pudding song, near the end of the 16th century, carolers began to sing the English folk song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” When poor folks stood on the doorsteps of the wealthy and sang, “Oh bring us some figgy pudding,” and “we won't go until we get some,” they probably were having a bit of fun, ...

What are the coins in figgy pudding? ›

The Christmas pudding coin

Adding silver coins into plum pudding is a fun Christmas tradition. The notion being that whoever finds the coin will have good luck. The tradition may date as far back as early as the 1300s when several small items like dried peas and chicken wishbones were added to the pudding mixture.

Is spam figgy pudding real? ›

Spam Figgy Pudding is a thing that exists now.

What country invented figgy pudding? ›

United Kingdom

What is St James Christmas pudding? ›

Handmade at every stage, our St James Christmas Pudding is filled with delicious dried fruits and a well-judged quantity of puss*r's Full-Strength Navy Rum alongside Fortnum's Cognac. Pair with our rich Cognac Butter for added spicy aromas and a delicious, boozy kick.

What is another name for figgy pudding? ›

Figgy pudding today

That's likely why the dish also goes by a number of other names including plum porridge, Christmas pudding, and steamed pudding. And whatever the name, people still eat it today. In Britain, in particular, figgy pudding is still a Christmas staple.

What is a fun fact about figgy pudding? ›

Cratchit's confectionery success, the figgy (also known as the plum or Christmas) pudding has a long history. A product of culinary evolution, this special concoction was once composed of meat, root vegetable and dried fruit, stuffed into a sheep stomach and boiled for hours, if not days. In other words, a pottage.

What does the Christmas pudding symbolize? ›

It's said that Christmas pudding needs to be prepared with 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his twelve disciples. Every family member stirs it in turn from east to west to honour their journey. Historically, Christmas pudding wasn't even considered to be a dessert.

What is the significance of Christmas pudding? ›

Each family member was supposed to stir the mixture from east to west to honour the journey of the Magi. This ritual was also thought to bring the family luck in the coming year. Originally the puddings would have been shaped into a sphere and boiled in a cloth.

Why are 13 desserts served at Christmas dinner? ›

The "big supper" (le gros souper) ends with a ritual 13 desserts, representing Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles. The desserts always number thirteen but the exact items vary by local or familial tradition. The food traditionally is set out Christmas Eve and remains on the table three days until December 27.

What is the superstition about Christmas pudding? ›

Superstitions say that Christmas pudding must be prepared with 13 ingredients, which are said to represent Jesus and his twelve disciples. It is also said that the mixture should be stirred in turn from east to west, by each family member, to honour the disciples' journey.

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