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Hi Bold Bakers!
Nothing says Christmas in Ireland like Christmas Pudding! It’s a steamed pudding rich with fruit, spices, booze, and a little love… but mostly booze. It is the perfect way to cap off your Christmas dinner with some softly whipped cream or Traditional Irish Brandy Butter on top.
Now, normally a traditional pudding would have a long list of ingredients but my version is made much simpler because one of the main ingredients is my traditional mincemeat recipe that we made already. Mixed with a handful of pantry staples and you have yourself a delicious homemade Christmas pudding — simplified.
[ Even faster yet? My Microwave Christmas Pudding! ]
This recipe is also a part of my Bold Baking Holidays Worldwide series — where I’m bringing you lovely holiday recipes from around the world. Check my Holiday Baking Headquarters for the full list!
What Is Mincemeat Christmas Pudding?
It is what it sounds like… It is a Christmas Pudding, but instead of adding a lengthy list of spices, fruit, and sugars you are just adding in Mincemeat. Mincemeat, in turn, is actually made up of spices, fruit, and sugars and that is why it is a great ‘substitute’ in this recipe and a fantastically easy way to make this traditional dessert.
The Alcohol Best For A Christmas Pudding
Luckily this recipe is quite forgiving, and if you are like me and don’t have a lot of dark liquors around, you can use either Whiskey, Brandy, or Cognac. I have made this pudding with these different alcohols and it turns out great every time.
What You Need To Make A Cheat’s Mincemeat Christmas Pudding
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- 1.4-Liter pudding basin or medium glass or plastic mixing bowl
- A Circle of Parchment Paper
- Aluminum foil
- Bakers twine
- Medium saucepan
- Steamer or an upturned plate
How To Make A Cheat’s Mincemeat Christmas Pudding
Check out how easy and simplified this method is — you’ll be making Christmas Pudding with all the flavors you love in no time. Here’s how you do it (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below):
- Butter a large 1.4-liter pudding basin or medium round glass or plastic bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the mincemeat (link), marmalade, brown sugar, and treacle.
- Whisk in the beaten eggs one at a time followed by the whiskey.
- Using a box grater, grate in the frozen butter so that it is in little pieces. Stir to combine.
- Lastly, fold in the flour and baking powder.
- Pour the batter into the prepared basin and cover with parchment paper and foil. Cook in a steamer for roughly 2- 2½ hours on medium/low heat. If you do not have a steamer you can turn a plate upside down and use it as a trivet. Note: Make sure to top up the pot with boiling water as it will evaporate off while cooking.
- Once your pudding is firm and has risen well, remove from the pot and allow it to cool. Either serve straight away brandy butter or ice-cream or cover it with a clean piece of parchment and foil and store at room temperature for a couple of months or until ready to enjoy.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips To Cheating A Christmas Pudding
- Use my Traditional Mincemeat recipe or you can use store-bought mincemeat.
- Dark brown sugar is best for a deeper, richer flavor.
- Use brandy or cognac if you don’t have whiskey.
- Make in October and allow it to develop flavor and mature over time.
- Cover the pudding with parchment paper and foil by following my instructions on ‘How to Steam a Christmas Pudding’.
- If you do not have a steamer, you can turn a plate upside down and use it as a trivet.
- Make sure to top up the pot with boiling water as it will evaporate off while cooking.
Make More Pudding Recipes!
- Last Minute Christmas Pudding
- Microwave Christmas Pudding
- Classic Steamed Treacle Pudding
- Perfectly Steamed Marmalade Pudding
- Gingerbread Pudding
And don’t forget to buy my new Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Watch The Recipe Video!
Simplified Mincemeat Christmas Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 generous cup (7oz/300g) mincemeat
- ¾ cup (5oz/142g) orange marmalade
- 1 ¼ cups (7 ½ oz/213g) dark brown sugar (or demerara sugar)
- ¼ cup (2 ½ oz/71g) molasses (or treacle)
- 3 large eggs beaten
- ¼ cup (2floz/57ml) whiskey
- 1 stick (4oz/115g) butter frozen
- 1 ½ cups (7 ½ oz/213g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Butter a large 1.4-liter pudding basin or medium round glass or plastic bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the mincemeat, marmalade, brown sugar, and treacle.
- Slowly incorporate the beaten eggs one at a time followed by the whiskey.
- Using a box grater, grate in the frozen butter using the butter paper to protect your fingers. Stir to combine.
- Lastly, fold in the flour and baking powder until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared basin and cover with parchment paper and foil by following my instructions on 'How to Steam a Christmas Pudding'. Cook in a steamer for roughly 2- 2½ hours on medium/low heat. If you do not have a steamer you can turn a plate upside down and use it as a trivet. Note: Make sure to top up the pot with boiling water as it will evaporate off while cooking.
- Once your pudding is firm and has risen well, remove from the pot and allow it to cool. Either serve straight away brandy butter or ice-cream or cover it with a clean piece of parchment and foil and store at room temperature for a couple of months or until ready to enjoy.
Hey Gemma! This recipe looks great! What can you use instead of whiskey in this recipe if you don’t do alcoholic beverages?
Hi Gemma, do you think you could steam your pudding in the instant pot?
Made your recipe yesterday ready for Christmas, when it was cooked skimmed a taster of the top???? absolutely delicious????roll on Christmas????????????
Hi Gemma, Do you know where I could get a set of smaller pudding bowls (plastic with lid) as I love Christmas pudding, but I’m the only one who eats it and was thinking of making a few smaller puddings that I could freeze, rather than the one large one. (If I made one large one, I’d just eat it all until it was gone – and that would not be good.) I know I could put some of it in the freezer, but I have no self control when it comes to pudding. Living in the US – it’s… Read more »
Hi, Gemma. Wanted to make this pudding at the end of October, but circumstances didn’t make that possible. Did just make it (Wednesday) for a family gathering this Saturday. Smells delicious and can’t wait to try it! My question is…..if I had made it earlier, how do I “feed” it? Do I use your Christmas Cake feeding process? How much alcohol do I use? Do I just pour it onto the pudding or brush it on? I’m hoping to be able to do this next year. And we had to steam it for 3 hours. I’m assuming it was because… Read more »
Hello Gemma..seasons greetings from New Ross..is it possible to make this with gluten free flour? Would I need to use xanthan gum? And could I used a spirit like brandy instead of whiskey? Love all your recipes and looking forward to trying this one.
Hi Gemma. Most puddings have the addition of fresh breadcrumbs to lighten the mixture. What’s your reasoning for the omission.?
Hi Gemma! I want to give this a try but I’m old (67) and lazy. Can I use Cross & Blackwell pre-made Mincemeat Pie Filling and Topping? If I can, what needs to be adjusted in the recipe? Thanks
Hi Gemma,
,would it be ok to add extra spices(cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg) to the batter, before adding the mincemeat? I would like a darker, spicier pudding.
Hi Gemma, I have just opened a Christmas pudding that I have left over from Christmas, we are going to have some later this evening, it’s quite a big one and as there is only 2 of us in the house that will eat it I’m just wondering what’s the best way to store the rest of it, we will probably keep it until Easter and have it as a dessert, I’m just wondering is it possible to portion it up and freeze it at all or would that just ruin it?, any advice at all would be appreciated, thanks… Read more »