36 pudding recipes

Best British desserts and comforting puddings

Chocolate sponge with hot chocolate sauce

Make this comforting storecupboard sponge for an easy chocolate dessert for the whole family.

Sticky toffee pudding

The scent of a warm sticky toffee pudding from the oven is enough to make anyone's mouth water. Use Medjool dates if you can – they have a lovely natural toffee flavour and sticky texture. A spongey square of this comforting pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is our ideal Sunday afternoon treat.

Treacle sponge

Make this absolute hug-in-a-bowl British pudding, with lots of fresh lemon zest to cut through the sweet, gooey sponge. Perfect for a Sunday lunch dessert.

Summer pudding

This quintessential British pud makes the most of seasonal berries. Enjoy cut into thick wedges, with plenty of whipped cream on the side.

Bread pudding

This comforting old-school dessert will never go out of style, plus it's simple to whip up and makes great use of left-over stale bread.

Old-school apple crumble

This simple, traditional dessert is a firm family favourite and you won't go wrong with this foolproof recipe. Serve with lashings of custard or a hearty scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a dairy-free and egg-free version, try our vegan apple crumble.

Cherry pie

Combine cherries in kirsch from a jar with fresh black cherries to make a comforting filling for this sweet shortcrust pastry pie.

Banana sticky toffee pudding

Banana bread meets sticky toffee in this self-saucing pud, and it’s a winner. Serve with ice cream or cream and a shot of spiced rum alongside for an extra hit of warmth.

Steamed sponge pudding with custard

Let the steamer slowly simmer this classic, comforting pud, made with golden syrup and hints of lemon. Serve with creamy custard for a family treat.

Toast, tea and marmalade bread and butter pudding

What could be more comforting than tea and toast? Tea and toast bread and butter pudding! The sweet, citrussy addition of marmalade adds an extra zing to this squidgy, golden pud.

Rice pudding

This old-fashioned baked rice pudding is a classic dessert – creamy, comforting and infused with vanilla. Here's how to get it spot on every time.

Blood orange syrup pudding

Blood red oranges have a deep red flesh and a flavour which is a little more tart than a regular orange. In season from December to March, make the most of it with this easy sticky pudding recipe complete with homemade syrup.

Manchester tart

Homemade custard really elevates the flavour of this classic tart – although to speed things up you can buy the pastry pre-made, if you like.

Parkin

This squidgy, ginger-spiked cake is a real classic, made with oats, treacle and warming mixed spice. It's the perfect comfort food for when days start to get shorter and colder.

Chocolate and cherry fondants

Dark chocolate and sweet cherry jam come together in this rich dessert that can be made ahead and cooked from frozen. Serve with whipped cream for extra indulgence.

Peach cobbler

A simple summer dessert, made with fresh peaches, cinnamon and a sugary cobbler crust. Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Jam and coconut sponge

Bake this nostalgic sponge, flavoured with raspberry jam, desiccated coconut and vanilla, then serve with warm custard for a comforting snack or after-dinner treat

Brioche bread and butter pudding

Rich brioche makes the perfect base for this classic pudding. Swap the lemon zest for orange zest if you prefer.

Easy treacle tart

This simple recipe for a classic treacle tart is perfect for Sunday lunch with family and friends. Make it using just five ingredients and serve with a dollop of ice cream.

Classic Swiss roll

Enjoy a light and airy sponge, coated in crunchy sugar and bursting with fruity jam for a vintage teatime treat. Leaving your sponge to cool while rolled up will make it easier to roll without cracking later on. Elevate this school-day favourite with a batch of homemade strawberry jam.

Bread and butter pudding

Try our best bread and butter pudding recipe with vanilla and sultanas. This homely English classic will put a smile on everyone's faces. Serve with clotted cream for an extra-luxurious touch.

Apple sponge pudding

This steamed sponge is perfect for pud after a slap-up Sunday lunch. Flavour with spiced apple chunks and serve drenched in homemade bay leaf custard.

Buttermilk burnt rice pudding

Try this mash-up of two classics; rice pudding and burnt Cambridge cream. You don’t have to caramelise the top but it adds a lovely crunch.

Bakewell tart

Create a classic British bakewell tart with step-by-step help and our expert advice. Try this recipe with other seasonal fruits such as strawberries or cherries, if you've mastered the traditional version. The layer of golden frangipane adds a nutty flavour to balance the sweet fruit.

Apple and rhubarb crumble

Treat family and friends to the apple and rhubarb version of everyone's favourite pudding. Will you serve yours with lashings of custard or scoops of ice cream?

The best victoria sponge

Follow these easy steps to get a classic jam and cream victoria sponge sandwich that is lighter than air. A slice of this simple sponge is perfect for afternoon tea or an after-dinner indulgence.

Banoffee pie

We know you love this classic olive magazine recipe – it's been one of our most popular recipes for years! Banoffee pie is a much loved family-favourite. This delicious dish is packed with banana, cream and an oaty-biscuit base, decorated with a drizzle of dark chocolate.

Cardamom citrus self-saucing pudding

Tuck into this cardamom and lemon self-saucing pudding, a light sponge on top with oozing lemon curd beneath. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if you like.

Angel food cake

This angel food cake showcases mango, passion fruit and strawberries for the perfect summer pud. Whipped egg whites create a beautifully light, airy texture

Easy carrot cake

Take some inspiration from the allotment with our squidgy carrot cake. Everyone loves the spiced flavour of the sponge and creamy frosting. We use muscovado sugar for a rich flavour, golden sultanas and pecans for texture and a shot of syrup to sweeten the buttercream.

Treacle tart with a salted honey crust

Comforting and homely, not much beats a traditional treacle tart. Except, perhaps, one with a salted honey crust...

Eton mess

Nothing says 'British summer time' quite like a creamy eton mess. Layers of crunchy meringue, sweet strawberries and fresh cream are rippled together to create a quick and easy dessert in just 10 minutes. Use homemade meringues if you have time to go the extra mile. Try combining two classic sweets with our rhubarb and custard eton mess.

Summer fruit trifle

Trifle is as British as an afternoon cup of tea and our seasonal version is a technicolour trip back in time. This masterful assembly job features chunks of chocolate swiss roll laced with cassis and sherry, strawberry jelly, fresh summer berries, ready-made custard, cream and the obligatory hundreds and thousands.

Warm chocolate and salted caramel tarts

These decadent chocolate tarts take a little bit of effort to make, but are sure to impress guests. The recipe comes from Italian restaurant Luca, where it's served with milk ice cream – but vanilla would work well too.

Plum crumble

Celebrate autumnal produce with this simple but satisfying plum crumble. Cinnamon-spiced plums are covered with a topping made from porridge oats, hazelnuts, butter and flour. Serve with clotted cream for a an extra bit of luxury.

Boozy knickerbocker glory

When the sun start shining, whip up our towering boozy knickerbocker glory with Pimm's jelly. This will be a hit with adults! Dip the wafer in icing or melted chocolate, then in sprinkles, if you like.