This Gluten and Nut Free Christmas Pudding is the perfect dessert for your Christmas dinner and ideal for those with allergies. This allergy free Christmas pudding is light and fruity, you won’t even miss the gluten, nuts or alcohol.
What is a Christmas Pudding?
For all Americans, this may be a slightly misleading name. Pudding is usually something creamy. Not cake-like. However, this recipe is popular around the holidays in the United Kingdom. Typically, it’s made weeks in advance filled with almonds and wheat flour then doused with alcohol and lit on fire. It reminds me of a fruit cake. But instead of baked, it’s steamed.
This Gluten and Nut Free Pudding is made with mostly dried fruit and no refined sugar. It has some tigernut flour and tapioca flour which helps pull it all together and make give it a bit of texture. It doesn’t have the typical cake texture (like my Paleo Carrot Cake without Nuts) that you’d expect but it’s still amazingly good. And it still fits the elimination stage of the autoimmune protocol. You can stick to your healthy eating while indulging during the holidays.
Frequently Asked Questions about a Gluten Free Christmas Pudding recipe
- How to cook your gluten free Christmas Pudding? This Gluten and Nut Free Christmas Pudding is steamed. It’s an unusual preparation but easy to do. However, it’s a labor of love because it takes 3 hours to cook.
- How long does this Christmas Pudding keep for? It’s best within the first 48 hours however, it can be stored in an airtight container for 5-7 days in the fridge.
- Can I make this Gluten Free Christmas Pudding alcohol free? While Christmas Pudding is normally soaked in alcohol. The great news about this recipe is that it’s already alcohol free. The recipe was created with the autoimmune protocol in mind.
- Can I make this Gluten Free Christmas Pudding Vegan? For the most part this Gluten and Nut Free Christmas Pudding is plant based. You can try replacing the gelatin with another egg substitute. However, I haven’t tested anything else.
- Is pudding nut free? Yes, except for coconut. If you’re confused about whether coconut is a nut. Check out this post.
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these Christmas baking recipes.
- AIP Christmas Cookies
- AIP Gingerbread Cookies
- AIP Ginger Cookies (AKA AIP Gingersnaps)
- Gluten Free ‘Cornbread’ Stuffing (AIP, Paleo, Nut Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free)
- No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
- AIP Pumpkin Pie Bars
- AIP Pumpkin Bread
- Paleo Cornbread (Grain Free, Vegan, AIP)
- AIP Cookie Recipes Roundup
Ingredients
- Gelatin: Grassfed gelatin is best.
- Tapioca Flour
- Tigernut flour: I recommend using Organic Gemini. It’s not grainy like other brands.
- Coconut Flour
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Cloves
- Ground Ginger
- Salt: Make sure to use sea salt.
- Dried Fruit: I use a combination of dates, figs, raisins, but cherries and cranberries would be great too.
- Orange Zest
- Orange Juice: You’ll need about 1 large orange for the orange juice and zest.
- Coconut Milk: Make sure to use canned coconut that is AIP friendly.
- Coconut Oil
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla powder is a good substitute. If using vanilla powder, you only need 1/2 teaspoon.
How to make Gluten Free Christmas Pudding without Nuts
1. Bring water to a boil and set up steamer. Place two strips of parchment paper as the bottom of a small bowl.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients (gelatin, tapioca flour, tigernut flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt) in a large bowl. Stir and then set aside.
3. Add the dried fruit, zest, and all the liquid ingredients (juice, milk, oil, and vanilla extract) to a blender. Pulse until you have small chunks of dried fruit. Take care not to continuing blending as you don’t want it smooth or a puree.
4. Pour the fruit mixture into dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
5. Add the pudding batter to the parchment lined glass bowl. Using a spoon (or your fingers) push down until it’s flat and even.
6. Next you need to prepare the pudding to be steamed. Place a square sheet of aluminum foil and then another piece of parchment on top. Take both of those pieces and place them parchment side down on top of the glass bowl. Using your hands, go around the edges and seal the top as much as you can. Then using kitchen twine, wrap it around the edge of the bowl to further secure the top.
7. Now to steam the pudding, place it in the steamer and cover. The water should already be boiling at this point, if not, wait until it’s boiling. Then let steam for 3 hours. Take care to check every 20-30 minutes to ensure that there’s enough water.
8. Once it’s finished cooking, remove from the steamer, let cool completely. Then remove the foil and parchment paper, place the serving plate on top of the bowl and invert. Garnish with holly then serve.
Tips for making the Best Gluten and Nut Free Christmas Pudding
- Make sure that the water does not get too low during steaming. You may need to add more.
- You’ll need a steamer, aluminum foil, parchment paper and rubber band or kitchen twine for this dish.
- I use a combination of dates, figs, raisins for the dried fruit but cherries and cranberries would be great too.
- Please note that the recipe says nut free, but it does contain coconut. If you have questions about whether coconut is a nut, please refer to this post.
- Vanilla powder is a good substitute for vanilla extract. If using vanilla powder, you only need 1/2 teaspoon.
- Make sure to let the pudding cool completely before removing it from the bowl. It will continue cooking while it cools. If you cut into it too early the center may be uncooked (gooey). This is a good rule when AIP baking.
- To cook the pudding, you’ll need a small glass bowl. Make sure that the bowl can fit comfortably into your steamer.
- If you use a bowl that doesn’t fit a rubber band, you can use kitchen twine to secure the parchment and foil.
- Make sure to cut off any excess parchment and foil. You don’t want it the parchment to get into the water below. This will help ensure that the cake stays dry.
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Gluten and Nut Free Pudding (AIP)
Equipment
- Steamer
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Gelatin
- 1/4 cup Tapioca Flour
- 1 cup Tigernut flour
- 3 tablespoons Coconut Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Dried Fruit I use a combination of dates, figs, raisins, but cherries and cranberries would be great too.
- Zest of Orange
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice about 1 large orange
- 1/2 cup Coconut Milk
- 1/4 cup Coconut Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract Or 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Powder
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil and set up steamer. Place two strips of parchment paper as the bottom of a small bowl.
- Combine all the dry ingredients (gelatin, tapioca flour, tigernut flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt) in a large bowl. Stir and then set aside.
- Add the dried fruit, zest, and all the liquid ingredients (juice, milk, oil, and vanilla extract) to a blender. Pulse until you have small chunks of dried fruit. Take care not to continuing blending as you don’t want it smooth or a puree.
- Pour the fruit mixture into dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Add the pudding batter to the parchment lined glass bowl. Using a spoon (or your fingers) push down until it’s flat and even.
- Next you need to prepare the pudding to be steamed. Place a square sheet of aluminum foil and then another piece of parchment on top. Take both of those pieces and place them parchment side down on top of the glass bowl. Using your hands, go around the edges and seal the top as much as you can. Then using kitchen twine, wrap it around the edge of the bowl to further secure the top.
- Now to steam the pudding, place it in the steamer and cover. The water should already be boiling at this point, if not, wait until it’s boiling. Then let steam for 3 hours. Take care to check every 20-30 minutes to ensure that there’s enough water.
- Once it’s finished cooking, remove from the steamer, let cool completely. Then remove the foil and parchment paper, place the serving plate on top of the bowl and invert. Garnish with holly then serve.
Video
Notes
- Make sure that the water does not get too low during steaming. You may need to add more.
- You’ll need a steamer, aluminum foil, parchment paper and rubber band or kitchen twine for this dish.
- I use a combination of dates, figs, raisins for the dried fruit but cherries and cranberries would be great too.
- Please note that the recipe says nut free, but it does contain coconut. If you have questions about whether coconut is a nut, please refer to this post.
- Vanilla powder is a good substitute for vanilla extract. If using vanilla powder, you only need 1/2 teaspoon.
- Make sure to let the pudding cool before removing it from the bowl. It will continue cooking while it cools. If you cut into it too early the center may be uncooked (gooey).
- To cook the pudding, you’ll need a small glass bowl. Make sure that the bowl can fit comfortably into your steamer.
- If you use a bowl that doesn’t fit a rubber band, you can use kitchen twine to secure the parchment and foil.
- Make sure to cut off any excess parchment and foil. You don’t want it the parchment to get into the water below. This will help ensure that the cake stays dry.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise.
- I always use Himalayan sea salt or Celtic sea salt, unless otherwise noted.
- The majority of my recipes are strict AIP or include notations for reintroductions. However while I make every effort to label non-AIP ingredients and recipes sometimes they slip past me. If you have questions, please ask in advance.
Did you make this recipe? I love hearing your thoughts on my recipes so please rate and comment below.
This looks so good and it's made without rice or oats!! Is there a substitute for the coconut flour? I can do coconut milk and coconut oil but the sugar and flour really upset my tummy.
I haven't tested the recipe with any substitutions for coconut flour. If you're willing to do some tests, maybe try using an additional 1/4 cup of tigernut flour. Not sure if that will do it or not. Let me know if it works. I'm curious.