Sticky toffee pudding
A light, date-studded sponge drenched in a glossy toffee sauce. A pub classic that's easy to make at home.
- Prep
- 25 mins
- Cook
- 35 mins
- Total
- 1 hr
- Serves
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Moderate
Recipe: Sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 175g pitted dates, chopped
- 175ml boiling water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 75g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 150g dark muscovado sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 175g self-raising flour
For the toffee sauce
- 100g unsalted butter
- 150g light muscovado sugar
- 225ml double cream
- 1 pinch salt
Kitchen kit
- 20cm square ovenproof dish or tin Search Amazon for 20cm square baking dish
- Small saucepan Search Amazon for small saucepan
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Method
-
Step 1: Soak the dates
Heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4 and grease a 20cm square dish. Put the dates in a bowl, pour over the boiling water, stir in the bicarbonate of soda (it will foam) and leave for 10 minutes.
-
Step 2: Make the batter
Beat the butter and sugar together until combined, then beat in the eggs one at a time and the vanilla. Fold in the flour, then stir in the dates and their soaking liquid. The batter will be quite runny.
-
Step 3: Bake
Pour into the dish and bake for 30–35 minutes until risen and firm and a skewer comes out clean.
-
Step 4: Make the sauce
Put the butter, sugar and half the cream in a pan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bubble for 2–3 minutes until it darkens slightly, then stir in the rest of the cream and the salt.
-
Step 5: Soak and serve
Prick the warm pudding all over with a skewer and pour over a third of the sauce. Leave for 5 minutes to soak in, then cut into squares and serve with the rest of the sauce and some vanilla ice cream or cream.
Tips
- Mashing the soaked dates with a fork gives a smoother, darker sponge.
- Hot toffee sauce is extremely hot – let it cool for a minute before serving to children.
Storing & reheating
Cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours; eat within 2 days. Reheat once, until piping hot. Keep the sauce separately and reheat gently.
Freezing
Freeze the sponge and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.
Variations
- Individual puddings: bake in 8 greased 175ml pudding moulds for 20–25 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp black treacle to the batter for a deeper flavour.
Allergies: Always check the labels of the ingredients you buy for allergens — our dietary tags are a guide, not a guarantee.
From feeed.co.uk/recipes/sticky-toffee-pudding/ · Checked 17 October 2026
Questions people ask
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Bake, cool and chill within 2 hours; reheat portions in the microwave or the whole pudding, covered, in the oven until piping hot, with warm sauce.
Does it need to be Medjool dates?
No – ordinary pitted cooking dates work perfectly.
Sources & inspiration
Checked 17 October 2026. Written in our own words; we checked proportions, technique and food safety against:
See other recipes that use the same kit on our kitchen kit pages.
