The Guide to Harrods Christmas Puddings

Words by Bridie Newman

Ah, the Christmas pudding. There’s a sliding scale of appreciation for this British classic, whether you relish its fruity flavours or treat it as a ceremonious festive staple – beloved, but only nibbled at, much like its divisive sibling, Brussels sprouts.

Wherever you stand, one thing is certain: a Christmas food spread isn’t complete without pudding. That said, tastes vary, which is why we’ve created six distinct versions, all offering a delicious take on this much-loved tradition.

Each is made in the heart of Derbyshire by a family-run business dating back to 1899. Using traditional ingredients and cooking methods, the fruit is gently steamed to plump perfection and the flavours remain as sweet, rich and syrupy as ever.

Cherry and Almond Showstopper Christmas Pudding

New to the range, this limited-edition nine-month matured fruited pudding will be the crown jewel of your Christmas table. Revealed from its Portuguese ceramic basin, the top glistens with black, yellow and red glacé cherries and whole almonds drizzled in golden syrup.

Meanwhile, the pudding is packed with juicy vine fruits, nibbed almonds and festive spices and soaked in amaretto, brandy, cider and sherry. Together, the flavours are reminiscent of cherry Bakewell – perfect for those who prefer a sweeter take on the classic.

Serve with Harrods amaretto butter (available in the Roastery & Bake Hall) to enhance the almond notes, or a dollop of crème fraiche to balance the sweetness.

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Figgy Pudding

"Now bring us some figgy pudding,” will sing the crowd as syrupy aromas waft from the kitchen. Historically, figgy and Christmas puddings were one and the same, but here it’s the figs and butterscotch sauce that set it apart from our Ultimate Christmas Pudding.

Packed with sultanas, raisins, diced figs and pitted plums, it comes with a silky butterscotch sauce for pouring. Know a fig lover? Pair this pudding with our new chocolate-coated figs for a themed gift.

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Ultimate Christmas Pudding

The authentic flavour of Christmas shines in this classic festive pudding. Since its recipe was refined in 2023, it’s been packed with Chilean flame raisins and Vostizza currants, crunchy whole almonds and cherries, and soaked in Pedro Ximenez Sherry for a rich, jammy flavour and syrupy texture. A touch of panettone crumb adds a delicate baked flavour, while demerara sugar replaces granulated for extra depth of sweetness – and beef suet is gone.

Generously spoon over our brandy butter – found in our Sweet Preserves Trio, or on its own in the Roastery & Bake Hall. The popular pud also features in many of our hampers, including The Knightsbridge, The Grosvenor and The Christmas Gift hampers.

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Sicilian Orange Sponge Pudding

Dried fruit naysayers, this one’s for you. Our new Sicilian orange sponge offers a lighter, fresher alternative to the traditional pudding – often welcome after a hearty Christmas dinner.

Made with a fluffy, all-butter, citrus sponge, studded with candied citrus peel and finished with a Sicilian orange marmalade sauce, it comes with freeze-dried orange pieces and edible gold glitter, so it shimmers magically when served.

It’s a favourite among our food product developers – find it in our experts’ picks of The Food Halls – who suggest serving it with lashings of cold single cream.

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Alcohol-Free Christmas Pudding

Sugar, crunch, spice and all things nice, our bestselling alcohol-free Christmas pudding is perfect for families, the sober curious and pregnant guests alike.

It packs in just as much flavour as its boozy counterparts, with a richly fruited mix of succulent sultanas, raisins and currants, plus pecans and almonds – a combination that’s always a crowd-pleaser.

It’s also suitable for vegans, making it ideal for hosting a mixed gathering. Serve with custard (plant-based or otherwise) for a taste of nostalgia.

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Chocolate Coffee Melt-in-the-Middle Bombe

The triple threat of the dessert table, our chocolate coffee bombe combines a cocoa-rich sponge with a molten chocolate centre and a surprising splash of crème de cacao chocolate liqueur. It’s studded with Belgian chocolate pieces and infused with coffee extract, capturing the flavour of a steaming mocha in a rich, indulgent pudding.

Finish at home with the silky butterscotch sauce and crispy golden pearls provided – you could even pass it off as homemade (we won’t tell). Some clotted cream ice cream wouldn’t go amiss, either.

A thoughtful alternative to a chocolate box, it makes a wonderful gift for any chocolate lover.

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Frequently Asked Questions

According to tradition, a Christmas pudding will include dried fruits (raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed peel), suet, breadcrumbs, flour, brown sugar and spices like mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s often soaked in brandy, sherry or stout and can include eggs, grated apple and citrus zest. The best taste of tradition at Harrods is our Ultimate Christmas Pudding.

Christmas pudding is steamed, while fruitcake is baked. Christmas pudding is moist, dense and typically served hot as a dessert. It can be soaked in alcohol and set alight and is often served with a sauce like brandy butter. Fruitcake is a baked, firm cake, often covered in marzipan and icing like our Alcohol-Free Iced Christmas Cake. Alternatively, we have a Fruit & Nut Topped Christmas Cake, topped with edible gold leaf.

Historically, figgy pudding and Christmas puddings were one and the same, but at Harrods, figs and butterscotch sauce differentiates our Figgy Pudding from our Ultimate Christmas Pudding.

You can serve Christmas pudding with any of your favourite accompaniments, but traditional options include brandy butter, custard, cream and ice cream. Find our brandy butter and amaretto butter in the Roastery & Bake Hall on the Ground Floor in-store.

We have many alternatives to the rich, traditional Christmas pudding, including our new Sicilian Orange Sponge Pudding and Chocolate Coffee Melt-in-the-Middle Bombe. Another popular choice is panettone or pandoro, both lighter Italian breads, or festive patisserie like Bûche de Noël, which you’ll find on the counter in our Roastery & Bake Hall.

Cherry & Almond Pudding in a Ceramic Dish
This pudding requires gentle reheating. Remove outer packaging and acetate lid.

To microwave:
Run a knife gently around the outer edge of the pudding to loosen before heating. Heat the pudding upright on a microwaveable plate on full power: 3½ minutes (750w), 3 minutes (850w), stand for 2 minutes before Inverting the basin onto the microwaveable plate and heat for a further, full power: 3½ minutes (750w), 3 minutes (850w). Allow to stand for 2 minutes before serving. To steam: Leave in ceramic basin and cover top with foil. Place the basin in a steamer over boiling water and steam for 2½ hours. Ensure that water does not enter the pudding. Do not allow the steamer to boil dry.

Caution: Take care, ceramic basin will be hot. Check food is piping hot.

Appliances may vary; these are guidelines only. Do not reheat once cooled.

Ultimate Christmas Pudding
This pudding requires gentle reheating. Always remove outer packaging.

To steam:
Do not remove protective film lid. Place the basin in a steamer over boiling water and steam for 1 hour. Ensure water does not enter the pudding. Do not allow the steamer to boil dry. Caution: Pudding will be hot. Handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

To microwave:
Remove film lid and place upside down on a microwaveable plate. Heat on full power: 750W / 850W for 2 minutes, 30 seconds; then leave to stand for 1 minute before serving.

Caution: Pudding will be hot. Handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

Appliances may vary; these are guidelines only.

Figgy Pudding
This pudding requires gentle reheating. Always remove outer packaging.

To steam:
Do not remove protective film lid. Place the basin in a steamer over boiling water and steam for 1 hour. Ensure water does not spill into the pudding and not allow the steamer to boil dry.

Caution: Pudding will be hot. Handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

To microwave:
Pierce film lid and place on a microwaveable plate. Heat on full power: 750W/800W for 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Leave to stand for 1 minute before serving. Caution: Pudding will be hot. Handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

Appliances may vary; these are guidelines only.

Alcohol-Free Christmas Pudding (Vegan)
This pudding requires gentle reheating. Always remove outer packaging.

To steam:
Do not remove protective film lid. Place the basin in a steamer over boiling water and steam for 1 hour. Ensure water does not spill into the pudding and do not allow the steamer to boil dry.

Caution: Pudding will be hot. Handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

To microwave:
Pierce film lid and place on a microwaveable plate. Heat on full power: 750W/850W for 2 minutes, 30 seconds; then leave to stand for 1 minute before serving.

Caution: Pudding will be hot. Handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

Appliances may vary; these are guidelines only.

Sicilian Orange Sponge Pudding
This pudding requires gentle reheating. Always remove outer packaging.

To microwave (recommended method):
Remove the outer packaging and place sachets to one side. Pierce the film lid and place the bowl onto a microwaveable plate. Heat on full power: 800W for 1 minute 40 seconds. Leave to stand for 1 minute, then remove the film lid, invert the pudding on a serving plate, squeeze the bowl gently to release the pudding and slowly lift it off.

Caution: Pudding will be hot; handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

Appliances may vary; these are guidelines only.

To finish:
Snip the corners off the freeze-dried orange and glitter sachets, sprinkle the contents over the top of the pudding and serve.

To steam:
Remove the outer packaging and place sachets to one side. Do not remove or pierce the film lid. Place the bowl in a saucepan and fill the pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the bowl. Partially cover the saucepan and simmer for 45 minutes or until the pudding is heated through, topping up the water as it evaporates.

Important: Ensure water does not enter the pudding. Remove the bowl carefully from the saucepan and remove the film lid, invert the pudding on a serving plate, then squeeze the bowl gently to release the pudding and slowly lift it off.

Caution: Pudding will be hot; handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

To finish:
Snip the corners off the freeze-dried orange and glitter sachets, sprinkle the contents over the top of the pudding and serve.

Chocolate Coffee Melting Middle Bombe
This pudding requires gentle reheating. Always remove outer packaging.

To microwave (recommended method):
Remove bowl from the cardboard box. Place the sauce and crisp pearl sachets to one side. Do not microwave. Remove film lid and invert basin onto a microwaveable plate, then heat on full power as follows: 800W for 2 minutes/ 1000W for 1 minute 30 seconds.

Caution: Pudding may crack if overheated. Leave to stand for 1 minute, squeeze the bowl gently to release the pudding and slowly lift it off.

Caution: Pudding will be hot; handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

Place the sauce sachet in a bowl of boiling water for 1 minute. Snip the corner off the sachet, pour the sauce over the pudding, then sprinkle the crisp pearls over the top and serve. Appliances may vary; these are guidelines only.

To steam:
Remove bowl from the cardboard box. Place the sauce and crisp pearl sachets to one side.

Important: Do not remove or pierce film lid at this stage. Place the bowl into a saucepan and fill the saucepan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pudding. Partially cover the saucepan and simmer for 1 hour or until the pudding is heated through. Refill the saucepan as the water evaporates.

Important: Ensure water does not enter the pudding. Remove the bowl carefully from the saucepan. Remove film lid, invert pudding on a serving plate, then squeeze the bowl gently to release the pudding and slowly and lift it off.

Caution: Pudding will be hot; handle with care and beware of escaping steam.

Place the sauce sachet in a bowl of boiling water for 1 minute. Snip the corner off the sachet, pour the sauce over the pudding, then sprinkle the crisp pearls over the top and serve.