It is only in the last few years I have ventured to make Christmas Pudding. Christmas cakes were my specialty and the pudding was left to Mum. These days Mum doesn’t make pudding anymore, and I don’t blame her. Listen to the video below and you’ll understand why.
So there you have it, slow cooker Christmas Pudding is the answer to all your “pudding making dreams” (well it is for me anyway). The result is as good as any other method and the benefits are huge – no pot-watching and no hot kitchen (although I know in some parts of the world this isn’t an issue). Here’s the recipe I use – a lovely blend of citrus and spices really brings this pudding to life.
Christmas Pudding
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups currants
1 ½ cups raisins, chopped
1 ½ cups sultanas
1/3 cup finely chopped mixed peel
¼ cup rum
250g butter, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
Grated rind 1 orange
Grated rind 1 lemon
4 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
Method
Combine dried fruit, mixed peel and rum in a large bowl. Cover and set aside overnight.
Choose a heatproof bowl or pudding basin of around 7-8 cup capacity that will fit in your slow cooker. Alternatively use 2 smaller bowls. Grease the bowl or basin with butter and line with microwave proof plastic wrap.
Cream butter, sugar and rinds together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Stir in soaked fruit. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder, followed by spices and a pinch of salt. Finally fold through the breadcrumbs.
Spoon the mixture into prepared bowl, leaving about 1cm from the top, and level with the back of a spoon. Cover with foil, folding the edges down over the bowl.
Christmas Pudding Into Bowl
Puddings in metal bowls with 5 cup capacity (uses half of mix, no plastic lining).
Christmas Pudding Covered with Foil
Place into the slow cooker and pour in enough water to come two thirds of the way up the sides of the pudding bowl. Put on the lid and cook on HIGH for 5-7 hours.
Christmas Pudding into the Slow Cooker (this is the one I use)
The pudding can be turned out and served immediately or stored for Christmas Day. To store the pudding, it should be allowed to cool completely, wrapped well and refrigerated for several weeks or frozen (it’s OK to leave the pudding in the bowl).
To reheat the pudding on Christmas Day, thaw (if necessary) and use one of the following methods:
Microwave – Cover the basin with microwave proof plastic film, or if it is a metallic basin, completely remove the pudding and wrap. Microwave at 55% power (Medium) for around 5 minutes, or until pudding is hot. It should be moist and steaming. Alternatively heat single serves at 70% power in 1 minute bursts.
Slow Cooker – Place pudding bowl into slow cooker and pour in water as before (two thirds of the way up the sides). Reheat on HIGH for 2-3 hours prior to serving, or on LOW for twice this time.
Serve the pudding with custard, whipped cream, brandy butter (my Mum’s favourite) or all three!
The Klutzy Cook Notes
- Mixed fruit can be used in place of the individual dried fruits and mixed peel if preferred. Use 4 1/2 cups.
- The fruit can be soaked for longer if you like – no rush.
- If you would prefer to make two puddings, simply split the mixture. I usually do two smaller puddings.
- The recipe can be halved to a make smaller pudding.
- Leaving a bit of room at the top of the pudding allows for a little expansion. However, if some of the mixture bubbles over the side and into the slow cooker don’t worry it won’t affect the end result.
- While the suggested cooking time is 5-7 hours, it doesn’t matter if it’s longer – up to 12 hours it will still be fine.
You might even find this method so easy you decide to make more than one pudding – like I did!
If you have any comments or questions regarding Christmas Pudding in the slow cooker, please leave them below.
This looks tasty and easy. Would you believe I’ve never had Christmas pudding?
@Alta, you really must try it. You won’t be disappointed.
Hmm, worth waiting for that 7 hours.
Hmm, worth waiting for that 7 hours.
Hello, I am living in the US and my brother in law is from Melbourne. He really misses his Christmas pudding and I intend to make it for him this year as a surprise!…one problem though. I don’t understand what you mean be ‘mixed peel’ in you recipe.. can u clarify for me? Thank you so much!! 😉
Hi Levi,
Mixed peel is a mixture of chopped citrus fruit peel preserved in sugar and glucose. We can buy it in packets here in Australia. It adds a citrus flavour to the pudding but is not critical. You could simply replace it with some freshly grated citrus rind. Good luck and enjoy the pudding.
I made this today. I also made it last year a couple of times- similar recipe to this one. I remembered that the plastic melted into the pudding. I thought I’d give it another go, and used a different slow cooker, same amount of time. It cooked perfectly…………just beautiful. However, same problem, the plastic has melted into the pudding again. I used Glad Microwave proof gladwrap. Any suggestions anyone, and can you eat it like this or do I have to scrape off the sides?
Jen, I have never had this problem with the plastic and would have thought that a microwave safe gladwrap would be fine. I would suggest cutting it away from the sides before eating if it won’t peel away. Maybe try a different brand next time or even some baking paper. Another option would be to just grease the bowl really well so that the pudding slips out easily enough when it’s ready. Good luck and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Have a great Christmas. Sam
Please can you tell me exactly what 250 grams of butter converts to? Ive googled and searched for a while now but no straight answers have i found! Im from america and all we use are the standard measuring cups, so if you could break it down for me into cups and fractions, Id greatly appreciate it!! Thank you! Happy Holidays!!
Hi Christina, 250g of butter is equal to around 1 cup. Here’s some more information that might help here…http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/ . Good luck and Happy Holidays to you too
Hello, Ok I made the pudding last night. I set it in the crock and left it until this morning. Ok first off i didnt use plastic wrap because i was scared itd melt, so i just greased the bowl really well. Ok so i take it out of the crockpot to check it and lifted the foil and in the middle its still liquidy. It just seems to me that its still too raw to be considered done. Now its been cooking for 9 hours exactly so it should be done right?? OH Help!! LOL. This has proven to be much more harder than i thought. The edges look nice and brown like your picture but the middle is still too raw. What do I do from here??? So far all ive done is put it back into the cooker to cook longer. Thanks.
Christina, just wondering how it turned out. Usually if it doesn’t seem done, it is just a case of cooking it longer. I’ve never had this problem, so not sure what was going on.
I have been wanting to try making a christmas pudding for years but never had the courage–it looks so complicated!). I am throwing a dickens-themed christmas party in a couple of days, and thought this would be the best time to rise to the challenge. I have been looking all over the place on line, and found a link to your blog on youtube and was intrigued. I made it according to your recipe and in the slow cooker, and it was so easy! I can’t WAIT to try it–it looks and smells gorgeous! Glad I found you
Thanks!
I’m glad you did too Larissa. You won’t be disappointed and have a great party
Can’t wait to try this, but I want to know if it’s ok to put the heatproof bowl(I don’t have a pudding bowl) straight on the bottom of the slow cooker? I’ve been looking at a few traditional recipes which all say to place a saucer or tea towel underneath it. Also for storage if I remove it from the bowl and wrap in glad wrap and keep in the fridge is this ok or do u recommend another way?
Hi Melissa, I have always put the pudding bowl straight into the slow cooker with nothing underneath. I know with traditional boiling methods it is recommended but is not necessary here. Wrapping in glad wrap is fine. Good luck!
really enjoyed your video of how puddings were a pain to cook and thanks heaps for the tip to cook in slow cooker….I also make lasange in slow cooker cheers
I love the slow cooker idea! How original! Because I was also worried about watching the pot & keeping it topped up with water, the calico preparation – AND the mould issue! You are Fantastic! 2012 is designated the year I make my first pudding – come what may – but you’ve taken the fear out of it!
I can’t wait to get started now!!
Thankyou, Amanda Burchell
Melbourne
Glad you feel brave enough to take on a pudding now Amanda. It will work out beautifully. Good luck and enjoy your pud! Sam
I intend to cook my pudding this way this year as the rest of it is anxiety inducing to say the least. One quick question though, do you use cold or boiling water to fill the slow cooker? My instinct would be to use boiling water, but I wasn’t 100% so though I would ask. Many Thanks!
I use cold water straight from the tap.Good luck and enjoy your pudding
I cooked my pudding yesterday in the slow cooker. I was impressed and so glad you shared this cooking method. I set it on high on my cheap and cheerful brand 6 litre slow cooker. It bubbled away at the same rate as a watched pot on the stove except no adding water or watching. I was wondering have you tried individual puddings in small tea cups? I have a set that I use for chinese tea and thought these would be ideal for small puddings. Any suggestions if you have of how long you would cook these?
Hi Sandra, I’m so pleased the recipe worked so well for you. No going back to the stove top now! I think the individual puddings sound great. You will obviously need less water and I would try halving the cooking time. After about 3 hours, have a peek and insert a skewer into one to test if it’s cooked. If you think they need extra time, keep checking at about half hour increments. Please come back and let us know how it goes. Good luck
That sounds really great, I’ll give it a go this year. I have a couple of those old aluminium pudding basins. I have always used the calico pudding cloth, dusted with flour, then tied securely with string. It’s a big job getting the water level just right and getting it all settled in a large saucepan. Then our cooking top automatically turns itself off, so it has to be constantly watched. At the end I like to lift it, pour brandy over and light it, which turns it a lovely dark brown. The messy cloth I hand to my husband who spends hours soaking and scrubbing it. He will be so glad not to have to do it this year. Thank you.
This is definitely easier than using the cloth and messing around with water levels Kay. Not to mention temperamental cooktops! You can use your aluminium pudding basins and the quantity in this recipe will give you enough for 2 puddings (if they are the 5 cup size). Have a happy Christmas
Great recipe! This is much less intimidating than steaming on stove top. I have my grandmother’s old bowls that she used to make her puddings every year. I’ll dust them off and make your pudding – my mom will love it!
It certainly is less intimidating Mary. That’s fantastic that you have your grandmother’s bowls and what a nice way to put them to use. Enjoy the pudding with your mom.
Oh wow this is so clever! I’ve never thought to cook a Christmas pudding in the slow cooker. That’s such a great idea and I can imagine it would be so moist. Thanks for linking up with our Fabulous Foodie Fridays party! xx
I tried this receipe for the first time. Definitely won’t be the last!
It was so easy, no need to keep watching the pot. I cooked them in teacups, half full, to make mini puddings, they turned out fantastic. I cooked 6 at a time in my 6lt cooker. The first batch I cooked for 2 hrs, the next batches were ready in 1 1/2hrs.
Can’t wait to try more receipes in my slow cooker.
Thank you , these will be cooked all year round in my house.
I haven’t tried doing the mini puddings, but often thought about it. Thanks for sharing that Vicki and I’m so glad they worked out for you. The slow cooker sure does make things like this easy – I’d be lost without it. Merry Christmas
Hello Klutzy !
I really like the skin formed by the cloth and wondered if you have tried doing the cloth method in the slow cooker? I have a phillips multi cooker.
Thank you Chris
Hi Chris, I have never tried doing the cloth method in the slow cooker. I am pretty confident it would work just as well. Give it a go! And make sure to come back and let me know how it goes. Merry Christmas, Sam
If cooking the pudding in a plastic bowl with lid .. I put greaseproof paper on top of the mixture and put plastic lid on … do I need to change the greasproof paper after cooking ?
Thanks
No, it should be fine Pam if it is easier to leave it there. I have left it wrapped in whatever lining was in my bowl and stored it in the fridge for a month. No problems at all.
Cooking Christmas pudding is always off putting, watching pot for 6+ hours but now I am excited to cook mine in the slow cooker tomorrow. Wish me luck. Thanks for the advice
That is exactly why I love cooking it this way! Good luck Marilyn, it will be perfect
Sam