As requested to add to the festive recipes, this gluten-free and dairy-free Christmas Pudding is a real show stopper. It has all of the flavours of Christmas packed into a moist, juicy pudding. Like any Christmas pudding, there is soaking and slowly cooking, but it’s very easy to make! The result is a dense, fruity pudding that is so iconic on a festive dinner table!
I’ve pushed the sugar down, however the sugar and brandy are what preserves the pudding so I could only go so low. Having said that, this pudding probably won’t keep for months as high sugar pudding do (due to the lower sugar, and the addition of fresh carrot and apple). I make mine about 2 weeks ahead.
Whether you’re celebrating a holiday or just want a comforting dessert, this pudding is sure to impress.
Health benefits
This pudding offers natural sweetness from dried fruits and a boost of fibre from the grated apple and carrot. Almond meal and macadamia nuts add healthy fats and protein, while ginger and spices provide anti-inflammatory benefits.
Ingredients
The recipe combines a variety of dried fruits, citrus zest and juice, warming spices, and almond meal (ground almonds) to create a rich and moist pudding. Optional variations make it adaptable for nut-free diets or different flours.
How to make this gluten-free Christmas Pudding
Soak the dried fruits with citrus zest, lemon and orange juice, and brandy for 24–48 hours for a deep, rich flavour. Mix the soaked fruits with coconut sugar, grated apple and carrot, and combine with the dry ingredients. Transfer the pudding batter to a pudding tin, cover securely, and steam gently for 5 hours. Serve warm with cream, ice cream, custard or brandy sauce for a truly festive treat.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve this Christmas pudding with your favourite accompaniments—cream, ice cream, custard or a classic brandy sauce. Wrap leftovers in baking paper and foil, and store in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze for up to three months.
Vary the Christmas pudding to suit your dietary needs
For a nut-free plum pudding, substitute almond meal and tapioca with white spelt flour and omit the macadamias. This recipe can also be customised by swapping dried fruits (like raisins) or using maple syrup if you don’t like molasses. I’m personally not a fan of peel in puddings, but feel free to add it if you like.
Try our Christmas Cake or Cherry Chocolate Pudding
Have you tried our Christmas Cake? It’s sensational too. The new Cherry Chocolate Christmas Pudding is a real hit too!
Ingredients
- 100 g currants
- 100 g sultanas
- 100 g dried cranberries
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ lemon/s – juice and zest
- ½ orange/s – juice and zest
- 100 ml brandy – or cognac
- 180 g coconut sugar or rapadura
- 1 Granny Smith apple/s – peeled and grated
- 1 carrot/s – grated
- 250 g almond meal
- 100 g macadamia nuts – finely chopped
- 100 g crystalised ginger – finely chopped
- 50 g tapioca flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 egg/s
- 50 ml olive oil
- 1 tbsp organic molasses
Serve
- cream – or ice-cream
- Brandy Sauce
Method
- In a large bowl, combine all the dried fruit, citrus zests and juices, the spices and alcohol. Cover and leave to soak for 24 to 48 hours.
- Next, mix in the coconut sugar, grated apple and carrot with a wooden spoon in a medium mixing bowl until well combined.
- In another medium mixing bowl, combine the almond meal, macadamia nuts, ginger, tapioca flour and baking powder with a pinch of salt. Mix well then combine with the coconut sugar/grated fruit mix.
- In a jug, beat the eggs, olive oil and molasses then mix into the soaked fruit mixture. Add to the almond meal/apple mixture and stir until everything is well combined into a thick batter.
- Cut a disc of baking paper for the base and top of the pudding. I just draw around the base and top of the pudding tin onto the paper then cut.
- Generously grease a 2 litre pudding basin and place the smaller cut disc of baking paper to line the bottom of the basin and press down into it. Spoon the pudding mixture in, the basin should be about two thirds full. Place the second disc of baking paper on top of the pudding mix.
- If you have a pudding tin with a lid, securely fit the lid.
- If you don’t have a lid for your pudding tin, cover the top of the basin with a large sheet of pleated baking paper and a large sheet of pleated foil, tying tightly with a string to keep in firmly place. Click HERE for a simple demonstration of covering and making a handle to lift the pudding.
- Once you’ve covered the basin well, place it in a large deep lidded pot big enough to comfortably hold the pudding. Then pour boiling water into the pan (not over the pudding basin, just down the side) so it comes about halfway up the pudding tin. Put the lid onto the saucepan or pot and heat over a low-medium heat so that it simmers gently for 5 hours, checking the water level every hour or two topping up with boiled water when it drops below quarter way. It’s important not to let it simmer dry.
- Once the pudding has steamed, remove from pot of boiling water and allow to rest for 15 minutes or so.
- Once cool enough to handle, remove the pudding from the the pan by removing the lid (or foil) and placing a serving plate on top, then flip to invert it.
Serve
- With cream, ice cream or brandy creme.
Store
- Wrap in baking paper and then tightly in foil. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks or until ready to serve. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months (airtight).
Reheat
- You can place it back into the pudding tin, cover and re-steam it for 30 mins.
- Or place (wrapped tightly) in the oven 150°C/300°F (fan-forced) for an hour. If you have a steam oven you can definitely reheat it there too.
Variations
Nut-free
Replace the almond meal and tapioca with 250g white spelt flour. Omit the macadamia nuts.What did you think of this delicious gluten-free and dairy-free Christmas Pudding..let me know below…
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Angela Jordan says
Georgia – thank you for this recipe. I am fructose intolerant – what can I use to replace the apple? I’m ok with a small amount of dried cranberries.
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Angela, that would work fine to leave it out or sub with dried cranberries 😊
Nicole Barrett says
This Christmas Pudding is incredible!! I love the addition of the macadamias!! It was so easy to make which was a relief. I made the brandy custard too which was so good paired with it. This will the pudding I make every Christmas now!!
Well Nourished Team says
So happy to hear you loved this recipe Nicole 😊
[email protected] says
Loved this recipe as have tried converting several old recipes to G&D free with very little success. This recipe was a hit even for the non celiac members of the family! Thank you for returning delicious Christmas Pudding to my Christmas menu.
Well Nourished Team says
So good to hear your whole family loved this recipe 😊