Decadent Vegan Chocolate Christmas Pudding: A Rich and Festive Steamed Delight

Embrace the spirit of the festive season with this incredible Vegan Chocolate Christmas Pudding. This innovative twist on the beloved British classic is a celebration of rich flavours, combining the traditional boozy fruitiness with luxurious chocolate notes. It’s wonderfully moist, deeply chocolatey, and packed with an abundance of dried fruits, yet surprisingly light and never overly dense. Perfect for your plant-based holiday table, this pudding offers all the indulgence without the heaviness often associated with its conventional counterpart.

Making this festive dessert is simpler than you might imagine, and its flexibility is a huge advantage during busy holiday preparations. You can prepare it well in advance, allowing its complex flavours to mature over several months, or opt for a quicker timeline and enjoy it just a couple of days after cooking. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Christmas pudding or new to its charm, this vegan chocolate rendition promises to be a showstopper that will delight everyone at your table.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Chocolate Christmas Pudding

Christmas pudding can often be a polarizing dessert. Some adore its deeply traditional, rich, and intensely fruity character, while others find its dense texture and strong flavours a bit overwhelming. If you typically fall into the latter camp, this vegan chocolate Christmas pudding recipe might just change your mind. We’ve taken everything wonderful about a classic festive pudding – its moist crumb, intoxicating booziness, and abundant dried fruits – and elevated it with the irresistible addition of chocolate.

Incorporating both cocoa powder and rich chocolate chips, this version achieves an extra layer of decadence that truly sets it apart. The chocolate not only enhances the flavour profile but also contributes to a slightly lighter, more palatable texture compared to very heavy traditional puddings. It retains all the celebratory charm of a Christmas pudding, making it a perfect centrepiece for your holiday feast, appealing to both traditionalists and those seeking a modern, plant-based twist.

Is Making Christmas Pudding Complicated? Not At All!

Many people shy away from making Christmas pudding from scratch, assuming it’s an arduous task reserved for seasoned bakers. However, the reality is quite different! While it does require a significant cooking time of about five hours for steaming, this process is almost entirely hands-off. Once assembled and placed in the steamer, your work is done for the most part, leaving you free to attend to other holiday preparations or simply relax.

The beauty of this steamed chocolate pudding lies in its ability to be prepared far in advance. You can make it up to six months before Christmas, allowing the flavours to deepen and meld beautifully over time. If you’re a last-minute planner, don’t worry – it’s equally delicious made just a couple of days before serving. On the big day, it simply needs a quick re-steam for about an hour to warm through, ensuring a moist and perfectly tender pudding every time. This flexibility makes it an ideal addition to your holiday cooking repertoire.

Key Ingredients for Your Vegan Chocolate Christmas Pudding

Crafting the perfect plant-based Christmas pudding relies on a thoughtful selection of quality ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is important:

• Mixed Dried Fruit: This forms the heart of any Christmas pudding. I typically use a pre-mixed blend of raisins, sultanas, currants, and candied peel, complemented by additional chopped dates for extra sweetness and texture. Feel free to customize your mix; just ensure you maintain the overall weight. Consider adding dried cranberries for a tart counterpoint, chopped dried apricots for a chewy sweetness, or even figs for a richer flavour profile.
• Vegan Block Butter: For optimal baking results, specifically choose a solid vegan block butter, not the softer, spreadable varieties. Spreadable margarines contain a higher water content, which can negatively impact the pudding’s texture and richness. Brands like Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Butter are excellent choices due to their similar composition to dairy butter.
• Cocoa Powder: To achieve that deep, rich chocolate flavour and colour, opt for Dutch-processed cocoa powder. If you’re in the UK, this is typically labeled as “regular cocoa powder.” Dutch-processed cocoa has been treated to reduce its acidity, resulting in a smoother, less bitter chocolate taste that complements the pudding’s other flavours beautifully.
• Alcohol: A crucial ingredient for both flavour and preservation in traditional Christmas puddings. You’ll use alcohol to soak the dried fruits, allowing them to plump up and absorb the rich spirits, and also to “feed” the pudding during maturation. Popular choices include dark rum, whisky, brandy, amaretto, Tia Maria, port, or sherry. For an extra citrusy kick, Cointreau or triple sec can be wonderful additions.
• Oranges: Fresh orange zest and juice are indispensable for brightening the overall flavour and adding a quintessential festive aroma. The citrus cuts through the richness, creating a more balanced taste. A touch of orange extract can further intensify this delightful note, though vanilla extract makes a perfectly good substitute if preferred.
• Plain Flour (All-Purpose Flour): This recipe has been developed using plain flour. For those requiring a gluten-free option, a high-quality plain gluten-free flour blend is likely to work well, though results may vary slightly depending on the specific blend.
• Fresh Breadcrumbs: Don’t reach for the dry, store-bought variety here. Fresh breadcrumbs are essential for the pudding’s unique texture, contributing to its moisture and structure without making it heavy. To make them, simply remove the crusts from a couple of slices of slightly stale white bread, weigh out 75g, and pulse them in a food processor until finely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor, finely crumble them by hand. For a gluten-free pudding, use gluten-free bread.
• Cooking Apple: Grated cooking apple, particularly a Bramley or a sharp variety like Granny Smith, is a secret weapon for maintaining the pudding’s moisture. It breaks down during steaming, adding natural sweetness and keeping the pudding from drying out.
• Baking Powder: This leavening agent helps give the pudding a slightly lighter texture. Ensure you use baking powder, not baking soda, as they react differently and are not interchangeable in this recipe.
• Brown Sugar: Either light or dark brown soft sugar or muscovado sugar will work wonderfully. These sugars contribute a deep caramel-like sweetness and an additional layer of moisture, enhancing the overall richness of the pudding.
• Mixed Spice: For those unfamiliar with British baking, mixed spice is a fragrant blend of sweet spices commonly used in festive treats. It shares similarities with pumpkin spice but often features a different balance, typically being less cinnamon-heavy. You can use any sweet spice blend you prefer, such as pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice, as a suitable alternative.
• Chocolate Chips: This is a chocolate Christmas pudding, after all! Chocolate chips melt beautifully into the pudding, providing pockets of gooey indulgence. Alternatively, you can use roughly chopped dark chocolate for a more intense chocolate hit.

How To Make Your Festive Vegan Chocolate Christmas Pudding

(For precise measurements and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card located at the bottom of this page.)

Making this incredible dairy-free Christmas pudding is a rewarding process. Follow these straightforward steps to create a truly memorable festive treat:

Step 1: Infuse the Fruits. In a large mixing bowl, combine your mixed dried fruits, chopped dried dates, your chosen alcohol (rum, brandy, sherry, etc.), fresh orange zest, and orange juice. Stir everything together thoroughly, ensuring all the fruit is coated. Cover the bowl and allow the fruit to soak overnight. This crucial step allows the fruits to plump up and absorb the rich flavours, making the pudding extra moist and delicious. Give it an occasional stir to ensure even saturation.

Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients. The following day, stir the grated cooking apple, melted vegan block butter, brown sugar, and orange extract (or vanilla extract) into the fruit mixture. Mix well until all these ingredients are evenly incorporated. The apple adds vital moisture, while the sugar and butter contribute to the pudding’s rich texture.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients. Sift the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and mixed spice directly into the fruit mixture. Add the fresh breadcrumbs and chocolate chips. Gently fold all the ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tougher pudding.

Step 4: Prepare the Pudding Basin. Grease a 1.2 to 1.4-litre pudding basin generously. Place a disc of baking parchment at the bottom of the basin to prevent the pudding from sticking when inverted. Transfer the pudding batter into the prepared basin, packing it down firmly with the back of a spoon to eliminate any air pockets and ensure an even texture. Level the top. It’s perfectly fine for the mixture to come quite close to the top, but leave at least a centimetre gap for any minimal rise.

Step 5: Create a Pleat. Take a large square of baking parchment and an equally large square of tin foil. Fold a pleat in the centre of both the parchment and the foil. This pleat is vital as it provides room for the pudding to expand slightly during steaming without the cover becoming too taut and potentially ripping. (If your pudding basin comes with its own tightly fitting lid, you can skip this pleat creation step).

Step 6: Seal the Basin. First, place the pleated baking parchment directly over the pudding basin, ensuring the pleat is in the middle. Then, layer the pleated tin foil on top of the parchment. Press the foil securely around the rim of the pudding basin. Next, take a length of kitchen string and tie it very tightly several times around the foil, just under the lip of the pudding basin. This creates a secure seal. Finally, tie another length of string across the top to form a handle, which makes lifting the hot basin much easier. Trim any excess foil and parchment, leaving at least a centimetre below the string for a good seal.

Step 7: The Steaming Process. Place an upside-down saucer or a heatproof trivet at the bottom of a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. This prevents the pudding basin from direct contact with the pan base and ensures even steaming. Carefully place the prepared pudding basin on top of the saucer. Pour boiling water into the saucepan, ensuring it comes about halfway up the sides of the pudding basin. Crucially, do not let the water touch the foil or parchment cover, as this could make your pudding soggy. Place the lid on the saucepan, bring the water to a gentle simmer, and maintain this low heat for five hours. Check the water level halfway through and top up with more boiling water if needed, but try to avoid lifting the lid too often.

Step 8: Check for Doneness. After five hours, your pudding should have transformed into a deep, rich brown colour. It should feel firm to the touch but still have a slight spring or bounce. To confirm it’s fully cooked, insert a thin skewer into the centre, taking care to avoid any chocolate chips. The skewer should emerge clean or with only moist crumbs attached, indicating no wet batter remains. If it seems too wet, continue steaming for a little longer.

Expert Tips for Pudding Perfection

Achieving a perfect vegan Christmas pudding is easier with these handy tips:

• Customizing Dried Fruit: Don’t be afraid to get creative with your dried fruit mix! While the classic assortment is wonderful, you can swap out fruits to your preference, as long as you maintain the total weight of 450g. Dried cranberries, juicy cherries, plump blueberries, or even chopped dried figs can add fantastic flavour and texture variations to your festive steamed pudding.
• Quick Fruit Soaking Option: If you’re short on time and can’t soak the fruit overnight, there’s a quicker method. Combine the dried fruit and alcohol in a saucepan and gently heat until it begins to steam. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 30-60 minutes, or until it cools to room temperature. This accelerates the plumping and flavour infusion process.
• The Tradition of Stir Up Sunday: Traditionally, Christmas puddings are made on ‘Stir Up Sunday,’ the last Sunday before Advent. This allows ample time for the flavours to develop and mature. However, this robust pudding can be made anywhere from six months in advance to just a couple of days before Christmas. The longer it matures (with regular feeding), the deeper and richer its flavour will become.
• Making a Wish: It’s a cherished tradition for every member of the household to take a turn stirring the pudding mixture and make a special wish for the year ahead. It adds a lovely, personal touch to the preparation.
• Homemade Breadcrumbs are Key: This recipe specifically calls for fresh breadcrumbs, which are crucial for the pudding’s texture and moisture. To prepare them, simply remove the crusts from a few slices of slightly stale white bread, weigh out 75g, and process them into fine crumbs in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely crumble them by hand. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free bread.
• Pudding Basin with a Lid: If you’re lucky enough to own a pudding basin that comes with its own tight-fitting lid, you can completely skip the steps of covering it with baking parchment and tin foil. Simply secure the lid and proceed with steaming.
• Storing Leftovers: Any leftover vegan chocolate Christmas pudding will keep beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. It can be easily reheated in the microwave or re-steamed. For longer storage, the pudding can be frozen for up to one year if wrapped exceptionally well. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and serving.

Storing and Maturing Your Vegan Christmas Pudding

One of the most magical aspects of a Christmas pudding is its ability to mature and develop deeper, more complex flavours over time. This vegan chocolate Christmas pudding can be stored for up to six months, provided you make it with alcohol and continue to “feed” it periodically.

Once your pudding has finished its initial steaming and cooled completely, carefully remove the old tin foil and baking parchment. Replace them with fresh layers of parchment and foil, ensuring a tight seal. Store the pudding in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or cupboard. To encourage maturation and keep it wonderfully moist, every two weeks, unwrap the pudding, drizzle about a tablespoon of your chosen alcohol (rum or brandy are traditional favourites) over the top, and then rewrap it securely. The pudding will gradually absorb the alcohol, becoming richer, more flavourful, and exceptionally moist by Christmas Day. If you choose to make the pudding without alcohol, it will not have the same preservative qualities and should be consumed within a couple of weeks. For long-term storage without alcohol, freezing is your best option. It can be frozen for up to a year; simply thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before its final steaming.

How To Flame A Christmas Pudding: A Spectacular Tradition

For a truly show-stopping presentation, flaming your Christmas pudding with brandy is a wonderful tradition that adds a touch of theatre to your holiday meal. While entirely optional, it’s a sight that always garners gasps of delight!

Here’s how to do it safely and effectively:

1. After its final steaming and just before serving, turn the pudding out onto a wide serving plate with a distinct lip. This is crucial to prevent any flaming alcohol from spilling over the edge and onto your table.
2. Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of brandy, rum, or vodka into a metal ladle.
3. Carefully heat the alcohol in the ladle. You can do this by holding the bottom of the ladle over a candle, a tealight, or a gas hob burner for a few seconds. The goal is to warm the alcohol without boiling it.
4. Once warmed, gently tilt the ladle slightly sideways until the alcohol catches fire. Alternatively, you can carefully use a long match or lighter to ignite it.
5. With the alcohol aflame in the ladle, slowly and carefully pour the flaming liquid over the Christmas pudding on the serving plate.
6. For the full dramatic effect, dim the lights in the room so everyone can fully appreciate the beautiful, dancing flames! Serve immediately once the flames have subsided.

What To Serve With Your Vegan Chocolate Christmas Pudding

No Christmas pudding is complete without a delicious accompaniment! Traditionally, Christmas pudding is served with rich brandy sauce or a decadent brandy butter. However, this vegan chocolate Christmas pudding is incredibly versatile and pairs wonderfully with a variety of plant-based options:

• Vegan Brandy Sauce: To make a delightful vegan brandy sauce, whisk 3 tablespoons of cornflour (cornstarch) into 400ml of your favourite non-dairy milk (soy or oat milk work best for richness) in a saucepan. Stir in 75g of caster sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of brandy (or rum), the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste), and 100ml of plant-based cream (again, soy or oat cream are excellent choices). Serve this warm, velvety sauce generously alongside your pudding.
• Vegan Brandy Butter: A rich and creamy vegan brandy butter can be made by creaming vegan block butter with icing sugar and a generous splash of brandy until light and fluffy.
• Vegan Ice Cream: A scoop of creamy vegan vanilla or even chocolate ice cream provides a delightful temperature contrast and cuts through the richness of the pudding.
• Vegan Custard: Warm vegan custard, whether homemade or store-bought, is a comforting and classic pairing.
• Vegan Cream: A dollop of whipped plant-based cream adds a lovely lightness.
• Chocolate Sauce: For an extra layer of chocolatey indulgence, drizzle your pudding with a warm vegan chocolate sauce.

More Festive Vegan Desserts You’ll Love:

• Classic vegan Christmas pudding
• Steamed chocolate pudding
• Vegan mincemeat frangipane tart
• Berry and coconut steamed puddings
• Vegan chocolate raspberry mousse cake
• Vegan viennese whirl mince pies
• No-bake chocolate ginger tart
• Vegan tiramisu
• Vegan chocolate orange pots
• Vegan chocolate mousse
• Vegan steamed maple syrup pudding

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