Just one taste of this cozy Christmas Carrot Pudding and you’ll know why it has become a festive favorite for my family.

Christmas Carrot Pudding on a silver plate with bourbon sauce on top

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What Is Christmas Pudding?

A Christmas pudding is a combination of dried fruits and sometimes nuts, eggs or molasses, spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, with flour and lard or butter. It is steamed for hours and usually served with some kind of topping.
Years ago, folks created recipes from the ingredients that they had on hand and were affordable. So it made perfect sense to use root vegetables harvested and stored, combined with staples like flour and spices. In early recipes, suet replaced butter, which makes me extra thankful that butter is plentiful today!
I think the history of a Christmas pudding is what really draws me to including it in my own holiday traditions. I love the fact that this simple dessert, that has stood the test of time, is still enjoyed today.

flour, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, grated potato, grated carrot, baking soda, raisins, currants, butter, and sugar assembled to make Christmas Carrot Pudding

Carrot Pudding Charm

This festive Christmas pudding recipe has stood the test of time. It was passed down to me from my mother in law, and happens to be very similar to a pudding that my own mom used to make.
While it takes a bit of time to cook, it is actually super simple to make using staple ingredients.
Grated carrots and potatoes are sweetened with the goodness of raisins and currants, then steamed slowly to create a festive dessert that is worth the effort.

process to make Christmas Carrot Pudding

mixing dry and wet ingredients to make Christmas Carrot Pudding

How To Make Carrot Pudding

Grease a small bowl with a lip. Cut a small parchment circle and line the bottom of the bowl.
Prepare and set aside all ingredients.
Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the currants, raisins, grated carrot and potato. Mix.
Add the flour and spices and stir unjust combined.
Fold into prepared dish and place in steamer for 3 hours. Learning how to steam a pudding is easy, just follow these instructions!
Remove and immediately turn upside down to remove the pudding from the bowl.

Tip

If you have allowed your pudding to sit a bit too long and find it hard to turn out of the bowl, place it in a pan of hot water for about 5-10 minutes. This will soften the edges enough to turn out easily when flipped upside down.

bourbon sauce being poured over Christmas Carrot Pudding

What To Serve With Carrot Pudding?

Our holiday meal is not complete unless it ends with a dish of this Christmas carrot pudding. While it is delicious on its own, it is even more indulgent with a caramel or bourbon sauce. Whipped cream or ice cream are delicious toppings as well! Add chopped nuts or coconut flakes for a festive flair.

Christmas Carrot Pudding topped with whipped cream and spooned out of a crystal serving dish

Can You Freeze Carrot Pudding?

This dessert freezes wonderfully, so it’s the perfect choice for this busy time of year.
After the pudding is cooled, cover with foil, then in plastic wrap and place in the freezer.
Thaw completely, and re-steam (if desired) before serving.
Alternately you can leave the tin foil on and reheat in a low heat oven to warm.
An instant pot works wonderfully to re-heat this carrot pudding using the warm function.

More Favorite Recipes

We love this family fave Christmas carrot pudding and hope you will too! Leave a comment and rating below.

5 from 9 votes

Christmas Carrot Pudding Recipe

Servings servings

Prep 20

Cook 3

Total 3 20

Print Pin

Carrot Pudding is a traditional dessert that is easy to make and so delicious!

Equipment

bowl

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
1 cup potato grated
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup carrots grated
½ cup raisins
½ cup currants
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Grease a small bowl that has a bit of a lip. Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the bowl. Spray the bowl and then place the parchment paper in the bottom. Spray again. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together butter and sugar.
In a small bowl, sprinkle grated potato with baking soda. Set aside.
Add carrots, potatoes, currants and raisins to the butter and sugar. Mix together.
Add the flour, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix only till combined.
Turn into prepared bowl. Cover with parchment lined foil and secure with kitchen twine to seal.
Using a pot with a pasta insert, or a pot with a trivet at the bottom, pour in just enough to the bottom that it will not touch the pudding bowl.
Bring water to a boil, then place the pudding in carefully. Steam for 3 hours.
Note: You will need to add boiling water to the bottom of the pot during this time as the water evaporates, so watch closely.

Notes

If the pudding is hard to turn out of the bowl, place it in a pan of hot water for about 5-10 minutes to soften the edges enough for it to turn out easily when flipped upside down.
This pudding freezes very well, so make it ahead of time!
Thaw pudding completely in the refrigerator, and re-steam (if desired) before serving.
Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, bourbon sauce or caramel sauce if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 255mgPotassium: 333mgFiber: 3gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 3034IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg

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