Traditional Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

Let’s Chat About Sticky Toffee Pudding (and My Sweet Tooth)

If you’ve never made a proper sticky toffee pudding before, well – are you in for a treat (literally). I still remember the first time I tried it at a little pub in Yorkshire; my spoon got stuck in the sauce and honestly, my heart did too. Since then, it’s become my go-to move for chilly Sunday afternoons or any time the clouds look a bit too gloomy. My nephew calls it ‘the sauce cake to end all sauce cakes’ and frankly, he’s spot on. Honestly, just thinking about the smell of it baking is enough to make me start pre-heating the oven even when I’ve just finished breakfast.

Why You’ll Love Making This

I whip this out for family dinners when I want everyone to linger at the table (and not just for the company). My mum always says, “It’s the sauce that makes it.” And if I’m being honest, there was a solid stretch where my toffee sauce would split every single time. Eventually got it right, but not gonna lie, I almost waved the white flag. So if you mess up your first batch, that’s just the British way. Make it when you need a pick-me-up, or when your mates are coming over and you want to show off a tad. I’ve made it when I was a bit skint and had to swap nuts for dates – and it still got devoured.

Here’s What Goes In (Plus My Substitutions)

• 200g (about 1 cup) pitted Medjool dates, chopped fine (if you’ve only got Deglet Noor, no drama, just soak ’em extra well)
• 175ml (a little over 3/4 cup) boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 75g unsalted butter, softened (250g brick butter always in my fridge, but I’ve swapped for Stork margarine in a pinch)
• 150g light brown sugar (or muscovado if you’re feeling posh – my gran swore by Billington’s, but supermarket own is fine)
• 2 large eggs
• 175g self-raising flour (about 1 1/4 cups – or just use plain and add 1 1/2 tsp extra baking powder, it’ll work)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• For the toffee sauce:
• 150g light brown sugar
• 50g unsalted butter
• 250ml double cream (heavy cream, or honestly a splash of milk and a bit more butter if you’re desperate)
• 1 tbsp black treacle (or use molasses; I sometimes leave it out when I can’t be bothered to find it)

How I Make Sticky Toffee Pudding

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F); I usually just whack mine on and forget for a bit too long (oops). Butter a baking dish, about 20cm square or similar. If you’re going rebellious, a loaf tin will do (it comes out deeper and almost like cake meets pudding – quite lush!)
2. Tip your chopped dates into a bowl. Pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. It’ll fizz up and smell sort of weird; don’t panic, that’s the science working. Let them stew for 10 minutes – sneak a taste if you like, but mind they’re hot!
3. Meanwhile, cream together your softened butter and brown sugar. I use a wooden spoon ‘cause I hate washing up the mixer, but electric works if you fancy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each (mine sometimes look a bit curdled – trust, it always comes together in the end).
4. Stir in the vanilla and salt, then gently fold in your flour. Don’t overmix – it’ll go tough. Honestly, a few streaks are fine.
5. Gently stir in the warm date mixture, liquid and all. This is where the batter starts looking a bit… odd. Blobby and loose. That’s right, it means it’s working.
6. Pour the mixture into your greased dish. Level it out with a spatula (or the back of a spoon if you’ve misplaced yours, like I always do).
7. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until it’s well-risen, dark golden, and a skewer poked in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. If it domes up like a soufflé, don’t worry – it’ll settle when you sauce it.
8. When the pudding’s nearly done, make the toffee sauce: In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and double cream. Stir gently over medium heat until smooth and bubbling, then add the black treacle. Simmer a few minutes ‘til it smells caramel-y; don’t wander off or it might catch.
9. As soon as the pudding comes out of the oven, poke a few holes in it (I use a chopstick, but the handle of a fork does fine). Pour over about half the hot sauce – it’ll bubble and sink in. Save the rest for serving.
10. Serve warm, drowned in more sauce. Sometimes I add a scoop of vanilla ice cream; sometimes, just extra cream. Depends on the weather or if I can be bothered to fetch it from the freezer.

My Notes (from a Few Mishaps)

• If your sauce splits, just add a dribble of cold cream and whisk – always works for me (eventually…)
• Don’t stress if your dates haven’t melted to mush, texture is charming.
• I honestly think it tastes even better the next day, straight from the fridge. Or is that just me?

Variations I’ve Actually Tried

• Add a handful of chopped pecans to the batter for crunch. Nice touch, though my nephew once picked them all out.
• Swap molasses for golden syrup in the sauce if you want it lighter. Tried it out of laziness, nobody noticed.
• Tried to make it vegan once with oil and coconut cream… did NOT work. Save yourself the drama.

Equipment – But Don’t Overthink It

You’ll want a mixing bowl and something to bake it in of course. I do use a hand mixer sometimes, but honestly, a wooden spoon and some elbow grease are classic. No scale? Eyeball it and cross your fingers – I won’t tell anyone.

Keeping Leftovers (If You Actually Have Any)

Technically, it’ll keep for 2–3 days covered in the fridge (the sauce too, separate jar). You can microwave slices to revive them, and pour over extra sauce so no one’s the wiser. But honestly, it disappears so fast in my house, the only left over is the dirty dish.

How I Like to Serve It

Serve warm, always – preferably with a little puddle of hot sauce. Sometimes I add chopped walnuts (don’t tell my nephew), and on rare occasions, I dollop on double cream and pretend I’m in a fancy country house. We once had it with clotted cream – now that’s a treat.

What I’ve Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips)

• Trying to rush the creaming step? Regretted it – the texture got stodgy.
• Forgot the sauce while gossiping with a mate, and it caught on the bottom. Gritty caramel. Keep your eye on it.
• Letting the pudding cool before saucing makes it a bit less gooey. Sometimes I actually like that. Other times… nah.

You Asked (Or Maybe I Just Imagine These FAQs)

• Can I freeze sticky toffee pudding? – Yup, absolutely, though almost feels silly since it always vanishes. Wrap portions well and reheat from frozen, or thaw in the fridge. Sauce can be frozen separately, too.
• Can I make it ahead? – I prefer it the next day, honestly. Make the day before, then reheat in the oven or microwave; sauce on the side, please.
• Can I bake in muffin tins? – Actually, yes, though bake 5–10 minutes less. Cute as anything, but a bit more faff to clean up after.
• Does it have to have dates? – Classic version, yep. But I’ve swapped in prunes or even raisins sometimes (don’t @ me) and it still works.
• How do I stop my pudding sticking? – Grease the dish generously and consider a square of parchment in the bottom if you’re fancy – or just go for the dramatic spoon-and-serve approach where it’s stuck but nobody cares!

★★★★★ 4.10 from 12 ratings

Traditional Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

yield: 6 servings

prep: 25 mins

cook: 35 mins

total: 50 mins

A classic British dessert featuring a moist date pudding with a rich, buttery toffee sauce. Perfectly comforting and indulgent for any special occasion or family gathering.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 200g (about 1 cup) pitted Medjool dates, chopped fine (if you’ve only got Deglet Noor, no drama, just soak ’em extra well)
• 175ml (a little over 3/4 cup) boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 75g unsalted butter, softened (250g brick butter always in my fridge, but I’ve swapped for Stork margarine in a pinch)
• 150g light brown sugar (or muscovado if you’re feeling posh – my gran swore by Billington’s, but supermarket own is fine)
• 2 large eggs
• 175g self-raising flour (about 1 1/4 cups – or just use plain and add 1 1/2 tsp extra baking powder, it’ll work)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• For the toffee sauce:
• 150g light brown sugar
• 50g unsalted butter
• 250ml double cream (heavy cream, or honestly a splash of milk and a bit more butter if you’re desperate)
• 1 tbsp black treacle (or use molasses; I sometimes leave it out when I can’t be bothered to find it)

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F); I usually just whack mine on and forget for a bit too long (oops). Butter a baking dish, about 20cm square or similar. If you’re going rebellious, a loaf tin will do (it comes out deeper and almost like cake meets pudding – quite lush!)
2. 2
   Tip your chopped dates into a bowl. Pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. It’ll fizz up and smell sort of weird; don’t panic, that’s the science working. Let them stew for 10 minutes – sneak a taste if you like, but mind they’re hot!
3. 3
   Meanwhile, cream together your softened butter and brown sugar. I use a wooden spoon ‘cause I hate washing up the mixer, but electric works if you fancy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each (mine sometimes look a bit curdled – trust, it always comes together in the end).
4. 4
   Stir in the vanilla and salt, then gently fold in your flour. Don’t overmix – it’ll go tough. Honestly, a few streaks are fine.
5. 5
   Gently stir in the warm date mixture, liquid and all. This is where the batter starts looking a bit… odd. Blobby and loose. That’s right, it means it’s working.
6. 6
   Pour the mixture into your greased dish. Level it out with a spatula (or the back of a spoon if you’ve misplaced yours, like I always do).
7. 7
   Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until it’s well-risen, dark golden, and a skewer poked in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. If it domes up like a soufflé, don’t worry – it’ll settle when you sauce it.
8. 8
   When the pudding’s nearly done, make the toffee sauce: In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and double cream. Stir gently over medium heat until smooth and bubbling, then add the black treacle. Simmer a few minutes ‘til it smells caramel-y; don’t wander off or it might catch.
9. 9
   As soon as the pudding comes out of the oven, poke a few holes in it (I use a chopstick, but the handle of a fork does fine). Pour over about half the hot sauce – it’ll bubble and sink in. Save the rest for serving.
10. 10
    Serve warm, drowned in more sauce. Sometimes I add a scoop of vanilla ice cream; sometimes, just extra cream. Depends on the weather or if I can be bothered to fetch it from the freezer.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 570cal

Protein: 5gg

Fat: 25gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 78gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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