Slow Cooker Figgy Pudding Recipe for Festive Holiday Desserts

Create a traditional, spiced figgy pudding in your slow cooker—loaded with dried fruits, warm spices, and a splash of brandy and rum. It’s an effortless holiday centerpiece: set it up, let it slow-cook to a moist, dense finish, and enjoy a classic dessert with minimal fuss.

Figgy pudding offers deep, fruity flavor and a satisfying texture. The combination of rehydrated fruits, nuts, breadcrumbs, and warming spices yields a dense, cake-like pudding. A little brandy and spiced rum add festive warmth; substitute apple cider or extra orange juice if you prefer a non-alcoholic version.

Recipe Ingredients

This pudding relies on a mix of dried fruits, citrus, breadcrumbs, nuts, spices, and a bit of fat to bind everything together. Breadcrumbs are essential here—they absorb the fruit juices and help produce the classic dense texture. Below are the main ingredients used for a 1‑liter pudding basin (serves about 6).

• Salted butter (for greasing the basin)
• 8 dates, pitted and chopped
• ½ cup dried apricots, diced
• ¼ cup currants
• ⅓ cup golden raisins
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
• Juice of 1 orange (about 4–5 tbsp)
• ¼ cup brandy
• ¼ cup spiced rum (or substitute)
• 2 cups dry breadcrumbs
• 1¼ cups dark brown sugar
• 4 ounces vegetable shortening (or suet/shortening of choice)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp chopped almonds
• 1½ tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 large eggs, beaten

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Rehydrate the fruit: combine the dates, apricots, currants, raisins, cranberries, lemon zest, orange zest, orange juice, brandy, and rum in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours so the fruit plumps and absorbs the liquids.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: in a large bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, dark brown sugar, shortening, flour, almonds, allspice, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and diced apple until well coated. Set aside.
3. Combine wet ingredients: to the rehydrated fruit, add the beaten eggs and almond extract and mix until evenly combined.
4. Bring it together: fold the hydrated fruit mixture into the breadcrumb mixture until everything is evenly distributed.
5. Prepare the pudding basin: grease the bottom and sides of a 1‑liter pudding basin with salted butter. Spoon the mixture into the basin and smooth the top. Cover with a layer of parchment, then tightly seal with foil to create a snug lid.
6. Cook in a water bath: place a small plate inside the slow cooker to protect the basin from direct heat, then set the pudding basin on the plate. Add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the basin (avoid getting water inside the pudding). Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Check the water level occasionally and top up as needed without letting the lid stay open too long.
7. Finish and serve: when the pudding is firm, carefully remove the basin (use oven mitts), invert it onto a serving plate, and unmold. Serve warm.

Recipe FAQs

Other Holiday Recipes

• Slow Cooker Gingerbread Lattes
• Slow Cooker Grinch Hot Chocolate
• Slow Cooker Christmas Candy
• Slow Cooker Christmas Jam

Slow Cooker Figgy Pudding

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 8 hrs

Total Time: 8 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 6

By: Sarah Olson

This festive slow cooker figgy pudding blends dried fruits, warming spices, and a splash of brandy and rum, all bound with breadcrumbs for a dense, flavorful dessert. It’s easy to prepare and perfect for holiday gatherings.

Equipment

• Slow cooker, 6 quart or larger (oval recommended)
• 1‑liter pudding basin or similar heatproof bowl

Ingredients (serves 6)

• Salted butter, for greasing
• 8 dates, pitted and chopped
• ½ cup dried apricots, diced
• ¼ cup currants
• ⅓ cup golden raisins
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange
• Juice of 1 orange (4–5 tbsp)
• ¼ cup brandy
• ¼ cup spiced rum
• 2 cups dry breadcrumbs
• 1¼ cups dark brown sugar
• 4 oz vegetable shortening (or suet)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp chopped almonds
• 1½ tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 large eggs, beaten

Instructions

• Combine the dried fruits, citrus zests, orange juice, brandy, and rum in a bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• In a large bowl, mix breadcrumbs, brown sugar, shortening, flour, chopped almonds, spices, baking powder, salt, and diced apple.
• Stir the beaten eggs and almond extract into the hydrated fruit mixture.
• Fold the fruit mixture into the breadcrumb mixture until well combined.
• Grease a 1‑liter pudding basin with butter, fill with the mixture, smooth the top, cover with parchment and foil, sealing tightly.
• Place a plate in the slow cooker, set the pudding basin on the plate, add water halfway up the basin, and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Top up water as needed.
• Carefully remove the hot basin, invert onto a serving plate, and serve warm.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 1 week. Reheat portions in the microwave 1–2 minutes, covered with a damp paper towel to preserve moisture.

Make ahead & freezing: Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 300°F oven (wrapped in foil) for about 45 minutes, or 55 minutes if still frozen.

Oven steaming option: If you prefer traditional steaming, place the assembled basin in a deep roasting pan, fill with water halfway up the basin, and bake at 350°F for about 2 hours or until firm, checking water level halfway through.

Nutrition

Calories: 763 kcal | Carbs: 120 g | Protein: 10 g | Fat: 25 g (values are estimates)

Nutrition info is auto-generated and should be used as an estimate. If you follow a special diet, calculate nutrition using your own tools.