Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Christmas Pudding is a festive, easy-to-make twist on a classic holiday treat: smooth mint chocolate fudge studded with crunchy cookie pieces and chocolate chips.
Do you show your love at Christmas by making food? If so, you probably also know how short the holiday hours can feel when you want to make everything for friends and family. This Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Christmas Pudding is designed for those occasions: it’s festive, minty and chocolatey, but much quicker than many traditional desserts.
This recipe is great for anyone who prefers a chocolatey holiday dessert over the usual steamed fruit pudding. It sets in the fridge rather than steaming on the stove, which saves time and frees up oven space during busy holiday cooking.
How to Make the Chocolate Peppermint Fudge Christmas Pudding
The method is straightforward and quick. Gently melt sweetened condensed milk, butter and dark chocolate together, then fold in peppermint extract, crushed biscuits (cookies) and chocolate chips. Press the mixture into a lined bowl or pan, chill until firm, and finish with a white chocolate drizzle and crushed candy cane for a festive look.
Choose any cookies you like: plain, chocolate or chocolate-mint cookies all work. Peppermint extracts vary in strength, so start with the smaller amount, taste and add more if you want a stronger mint flavor. If you use an oil-based peppermint flavoring, use even less.
Press the mixture into a 1-litre bowl (or an 8-inch square pan) lined with plastic wrap or baking paper. Chill for several hours or overnight. Before serving, drizzle melted white chocolate over the top and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Slice and share with family and friends.
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 395 g sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
- 120 g unsalted butter
- 250 g dark chocolate
- 1–2 teaspoons peppermint extract (start small and taste)
- 300 g biscuits/cookies, crushed
- 75 g white chocolate chips (about ½ cup)
- 75 g milk chocolate chips (about ½ cup)
For the topping
- 100 g white chocolate, for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon unflavoured oil (to thin the white chocolate slightly)
- Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies, to decorate (optional)
Instructions
- Line a 1-litre capacity bowl with two layers of plastic wrap or baking paper, leaving an overhang so you can lift the pudding out later. A steamed pudding bowl, small loaf tin or 8-inch square pan will all work.
- Place the condensed milk and butter in a large heatproof bowl. Gently heat until the butter has fully melted and the mixture is combined. If using a microwave, do 1 minute on high, stir, then 30-second bursts until melted; alternatively, use a double boiler on the stove.
- Add the dark chocolate and let it sit for a minute to soften, then stir until smooth. If some chunks remain, warm gently in short bursts or over the double boiler until fully melted.
- Stir in the smaller amount of peppermint extract, taste and add more if desired. Peppermint extracts vary in strength—aim for a pleasant chocolate-mint balance, not overpowering.
- Allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly so it won’t melt the chocolate chips when added. Pop it briefly in the fridge if needed.
- Meanwhile, crush the biscuits into uneven chunks. If your cookies are very hard, break them into smaller pieces so the finished pudding is easy to cut.
- Fold the crushed biscuits and both kinds of chocolate chips into the cooled chocolate mixture until evenly distributed.
- Press the mixture firmly into the lined bowl or pan, smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4–6 hours, or preferably overnight, until completely set.
- When set, lift the pudding from the bowl using the overhanging wrap and transfer to a serving plate.
- Melt the white chocolate with the oil in short bursts at 50% microwave power or over a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Spoon or drizzle the white chocolate over the pudding, allowing it to drip down the sides. Scatter crushed candy canes on top just before serving so they stay crisp.
- Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- The pudding will remain fairly firm outside the fridge for about 30 minutes depending on room temperature. If you need it to stay out longer, increase the dark chocolate to 300 g for extra stability.
- If you don’t have a 1-litre bowl, press the mixture into a small loaf tin or a small round or square cake pan lined with baking paper.
- Use any plain or flavoured biscuits you prefer—plain digestives, chocolate biscuits or gluten-free options work well.
- Swap or add mix-ins such as chopped nuts, dried fruit or different chocolate varieties to suit your taste.
- Add crushed candy canes right before serving, as they can soften if stored on the pudding in the fridge for too long.
Store the pudding, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week. Slice into pieces and serve as a festive treat with hot drinks or plated as part of a dessert selection.
xx
Natalie
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