Nothing beats a warm slice of sticky date pudding with caramel sauce on a cold night.
It's every bit as comforting as my caramel pudding or golden syrup dumplings, but somehow even better once the ice cream starts melting into it.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
🍮 Recipe: Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Sauce
⏰ Ready In: 1 hour (20 min prep + 40 min bake)
🍽️ Serves: 10
🔥 Calories: 510kcal per serve
🌰 Main Ingredients: Dates, self-raising flour, brown sugar, cream, butter
🌱 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, freezer-friendly, Thermomix method included
💛 Why You'll Love It: Rich, foolproof caramel sauce, make-ahead friendly, and works in the oven or the Thermomix - no matter your kitchen setup
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"So delicious and easy to make, definitely my go-to sticky date recipe."
Amanda
Sticky date pudding (also known as sticky toffee pudding) is the kind of old-fashioned pudding your grandma, or the CWA ladies at the local show, used to make. Soaked dates melt into the batter for that deep caramel flavour and super-moist texture, then get drenched in a silky caramel sauce.
I've included both conventional and Thermomix methods in the recipe card below, and my apple sponge pudding and mini sticky date puddings are just as easy if you're after something a bit different. Big fan of caramel and toffee? My mini banoffee tarts are basically dessert royalty too.
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Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy - just 20 minutes of prep, then the oven does the rest.
- Foolproof caramel sauce that's rich, buttery and honestly good enough to eat with a spoon.
- Make-ahead friendly. Bake it a day or two before you need it and just reheat.
- Freezer-friendly, so leftovers become an easy dessert down the track.
- Both conventional and Thermomix methods are included - whatever your kitchen setup, you're covered.
Sticky Date Pudding Ingredients
Basic baking ingredients and dates are all you need for this one. Here are the only ingredients worth a special mention:
- Pitted dates - the key to that deep caramel flavour. Make sure they're nice and soft, if they're a bit dry, give them a longer soak. Soft Medjool dates work brilliantly here too if you can get your hands on them.
- Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) - added to the dates to help them break down and create that fluffy, moist texture.
- Brown sugar - essential for the caramel depth in both the pudding and the sauce.
Variations
- Gluten-free option - swap the self-raising flour for a gluten-free self-raising blend.
- Want individual serves instead? My mini sticky date puddings use the exact same flavours in ramekins or a muffin tin, baked for 15-20 minutes.
- Nutty twist - fold through ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for a bit of crunch.
- For a richer, thicker toffee-style sauce, just simmer it for a few extra minutes.
- Extra saucy? Double the caramel sauce recipe. You'll thank me later.
How To Make Sticky Date Pudding
This sticky date pudding recipe is so simple to make, just follow these easy steps (or scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the full ingredient quantities and detailed method, including the Thermomix version).
- Step 1: Soak the dates. Combine dates, boiling water and bicarb soda in a food processor (or Thermomix bowl). Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Step 2: Blend. Add the butter and sugars, then process until smooth and fully combined.
- Step 3: Add the eggs, vanilla and flour. Blend briefly, just until combined. Don't overmix or the pudding will turn dense.
- Step 4: Bake. Pour into a prepared baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until springy in the centre.
- Step 5: Make the sauce. Simmer the butter, brown sugar, cream, vanilla and salt together for about 2 minutes.
- Step 6: Serve. Slice the pudding, pour over warm caramel sauce while it's still hot (it soaks in beautifully), and add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Tips
- Soften dry dates. If your dates are on the firm side, give them a longer soak so you don't end up with lumps.
- Don't overmix once the flour goes in. Mix until just combined to keep the pudding soft.
- Pale, blotchy pudding instead of deep golden brown? That's usually a sign the dates weren't broken down enough. Keep processing until the mixture is uniform in colour.
- Make ahead: pudding and sauce can both be made up to 2 days in advance.
- Serving suggestion, try it with custard (my homemade custard powder is a good one), whipped cream, or honestly all three.
- Reheating: cover the pudding with foil and reheat at 180°C for 8-10 minutes, or microwave individual portions.
- Freezing: freeze the pudding and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- No food processor? A stick blender works, or mash the dates with a fork and mix everything by hand or in a stand mixer.
Sticky Date Pudding FAQs
Pretty much! Sticky toffee pudding is just the British name for what we call sticky date pudding here in Australia. Same soaked-date sponge, same golden sauce, different accent.
Yes! Fresh dates work perfectly in this recipe and actually make the pudding even softer and richer. Simply swap in the same weight of pitted fresh dates, soak them briefly in the boiling water and bicarb mixture like normal, and continue with the recipe as usual.
Two usual suspects. Either your dates weren't soft enough to properly break down (old, dry dates make for a lumpy, dense pudding), or the batter got overmixed once the flour went in. Give dry dates a longer soak, and only mix until everything is just combined.
Yes! Bake the pudding and make the sauce up to 2 days before you need it. Store them separately in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Absolutely, freeze both the pudding and the sauce in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Pudding & Winter Dessert Recipes
Can't get enough of a warm, saucy pudding? These are just as easy and just as comforting.
Sticky Date Pudding
Ingredients
- 220 g pitted dates
- 250 g water
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 100 g butter
- 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 50 g (¼ cup) brown sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 225 g (1½ cups) self-raising flour
For the caramel sauce
- 200 g brown sugar
- 200 g thickened cream
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 g butter
- pinch of salt
- vanilla ice-cream to serve, optional
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease the base and sides of a deep 23cm baking dish.
- Place dates, boiling water and bicarbonate of soda into a food processor and leave for 5 minutes.
- Add the butter, caster sugar and brown sugar and process for 20 seconds or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the food processor and repeat for a further 10 seconds.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and self-raising flour to the food processor and mix for 10-15 seconds. Scrape and repeat for a further 5 seconds.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the mixture springs back when touched in the centre.
- To make the caramel sauce, place the brown sugar, thickened cream, vanilla extract, butter and salt into a saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat and then reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes.
- Cut slices of the sticky date pudding and serve with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease the base and sides of a deep 23cm baking dish.
- Place dates, boiling water and bicarb soda into the Thermomix bowl. Leave for 5 minutes.
- Add butter, caster sugar and brown sugar and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 10 seconds.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and self-raising flour to the bowl and mix for 5 seconds on Speed 6. Scrape and repeat for a further 5 seconds.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the mixture springs back when touched in the centre.
- To make the caramel sauce, place the brown sugar, thickened cream, vanilla extract, butter and salt into the Thermomix bowl. Cook on Varoma, 10 minutes, Speed 3 (with the MC off).
- Cut slices of the sticky date pudding and serve with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
Notes
- Pour the caramel sauce over the pudding while it's still hot - it soaks in beautifully and makes the pudding extra sticky!
- Soften dry dates - if your dates are firm, soak them a little longer to avoid lumps.
- Don't overmix - just mix until combined to keep the pudding soft.
- Make ahead - pudding and sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance.
- Serving suggestion - try it with custard, whipped cream, or all three!
- Reheating - cover pudding with foil and reheat at 180°C for 8-10 minutes, or microwave individual portions.
- Freezing - freeze pudding and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- Mini puddings - reduce baking time to 15-20 minutes if using ramekins.
- No food processor? - use a stick blender or mash dates with a fork, then mix by hand or stand mixer.
Jackie says
Looks absolutely delicious.
Can I use fresh dates ( which I always have)or is it more suitable for the dried ones?
Lucy Mathieson says
Yes! Fresh dates work perfectly in sticky date pudding and create an even softer, richer caramel flavour. Simply replace the dried dates with pitted fresh dates, soak them briefly in the boiling water and bicarbonate of soda mixture, and continue with the recipe as usual. 😊