Figgy Pudding (2024)

Never had figgy pudding? This is your year. The sweet treat is a deliciously traditional way to make the most of the holiday season. This festive recipe will have everyone demanding "now bring us some figgy pudding!"

What Is Figgy Pudding?

The British and American definitions of "pudding" are quite different. If you're from the U.S., you probably associate the word with a sweet, creamy, unformed dessert. People from the U.K, however, will likely think of a sweet or savory dish that may contain meat or animal fat.

There are plenty of variations of figgy pudding out there and they all involve fresh or dried figs.

Traditional versions of figgy pudding are steamed or boiled, but many modern recipes (including this one) are baked.

What Is 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
Dried figs
Whole-wheat flour
Sugar
Baking powder
Spices and seasonings (cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt)
Eggs
Bread crumbs
Butter
Almonds
Orange marmalade
Orange zest
Orange-vanilla flavoring

Cook’s Note

Fiori di Sicilia is a floral orange flavoring used in Italian pandoro. Although not absolutely necessary for this recipe, I thought it added an exotic flavor to the dessert.

How to Make Figgy Pudding

Figgy pudding might sound fancy, but it's actually quite easy to make. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this figgy pudding recipe:

Heat the figs and buttermilk on the stove until the figs are soft.
Sift the dry ingredients together.
Beat the eggs, then stir in the cooled buttermilk mixture and the remaining ingredients.
Gradually mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Stir until incorporated.
Spoon the batter into a prepared tube pan.
Bake until firm.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"I followed the recipe exactly," says Karen Norris. "My family loved it. I flavored the heavy whipped cream with amaretto. This will definitely be a Christmas tradition from now on!"

"I will make it again at Christmas time," according to Wagner Teresa. "We did a test run yesterday and it was lovely. I made a brown sugar/butter/cream sauce to pour over a slice and it was a perfect match. A big glass of cold milk and you can not go wrong."

"So good," raves Catb. "Couldn't find orange oil so I just added more marmalade. Was devoured on Christmas Day, will definitely make it again and likely before Christmas!"

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams