Sticky Toffee Pudding

A lighter sticky toffee pudding recipe naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and dates. This small-batch refined sugar free dessert is soft and fluffy and features warming notes of ginger and nutmeg. Topped with a rich warm toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream, this is one pudding you won’t be able to stop eating!

A lighter take on classic Sticky Toffee Pudding

If I had to pick only one dessert to eat for the rest of my life, it would have to be sticky toffee pudding. Obviously, topped with a buttery, warm toffee sauce and a scoop of cool vanilla bean ice cream.

Trust me, this lighter sticky toffee pudding recipe is the only one you will ever want to make again. It’s sweet, it’s rich, it’s warm, it’s fluffy and soft, and it’s sweetened only with coconut sugar and dates.

You can easily prep these puddings in 20 minutes and have dessert on the table in under an hour. It’s also a small-batch recipe – it makes only 4 individual puddings – so you won’t have loads of sticky toffee pudding tempting you for days.

Because if you’re anything like me, you know it’s impossible to resist!

Where does this pudding come from?

Sticky toffee pudding is classically known as a traditional English dessert; however, its origins aren’t exact.

The first modern toffee pudding was served in the 1970s in a hotel in the Lake District.

Does Sticky Toffee Pudding have dates in it?

Because we’re using less sugar in this recipe, dates are required to help sweeten the puddings. They’re very sweet and work well as a natural sweetener substitution in addition to the coconut sugar.

Ingredients in this refined sugar free Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe

• Medjool dates: One of the natural sweetener alternatives that make these puddings healthier than the classic.
• Plain flour: Provides structure to the sticky toffee puddings.
• Baking powder: Gives the puddings lift.
• Sea salt: A little salt helps season and bring out the natural sweetness.
• Ground ginger and nutmeg: These spices add a touch of warmth to the dessert.
• Unsalted butter: Provides richness to the cakes.
• Coconut sugar: Our other natural sweetener that helps sweeten the puddings as well as the toffee sauce.
• Egg: Binds our puddings together.
• Molasses: This is a classic ingredient in sticky toffee pudding and gives it a unique flavour.
• Milk: Helps loosen the batter – you can use any milk you have on hand.
• Double cream: For our toffee sauce.
• Vanilla extract: Just a dash flavours the toffee sauce.

How to make lighter Sticky Toffee Pudding

These naturally sweetened sticky toffee puddings may require a few extra steps, but they’re very simple and make a quick dessert for a Friday night. Here’s how to make them:

1. Soak the dates in boiling water. Mash.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients.
3. Mix together the wet ingredients.
4. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix in the milk.
5. Fold in the date puree.
6. Divide between the tins and bake.
7. Make the toffee sauce.
8. Serve the puddings with the sauce.

Full details are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How long does this pudding keep?

Once baked, this refined sugar free sticky toffee pudding and sauce will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Frozen, the puddings will keep for up to 2 months.

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

• Make sure you grease the tins well. Get the butter into every single nook and cranny to prevent the cakes from sticking.
• The batter may split after adding the egg and molasses. Even if all your ingredients are at room temperature, the batter may split at this stage. Keep going, it won’t affect the final result.
• Wiggle and swirl, don’t tap, the batter to smooth it. Tapping will release the air and may hinder the rise of the cakes.
• They will have humps once baked. Don’t worry if the sticky toffee puddings come out of the oven with humps, no one will notice once you invert it onto a plate and top with toffee sauce. You can trim off this bit if it really bothers you.

Looking for more refined sugar free puddings?

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding
Chocolate Hot Cross Bun Pudding
Caramel Apple Crumble
Brownie Trifle with Whiskey Strawberries
Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Parfaits
15-Minute Apple Crisp

If you make this recipe, let me know by snapping a picture and tagging me on Instagram @naturallysweet_kitchen. I love seeing your creations and sharing them in my Stories. Or let me know you love this Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe by leaving a comment and rating below!

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Sticky Toffee Pudding

A lighter sticky toffee pudding recipe naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and dates and topped with a rich, warm toffee sauce and ice cream.

Category Dessert

Cuisine British

Keyword healthy sticky toffee pudding, lighter sticky toffee pudding, sticky toffee pudding, sticky toffee pudding recipe, sugar free sticky toffee pudding

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Serves 4 puddings

Author Amanda | Naturally Sweet Kitchen

Ingredients

Puddings

• 50 g Medjool dates, pits removed
• 60 ml boiling water
• 125 g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• 50 g unsalted butter, softened
• 60 g coconut sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 ½ tbsp molasses
• 60 ml milk, room temperature

Toffee Sauce

• 50 g unsalted butter
• 50 g coconut sugar
• ½ tbsp molasses
• 150 ml double cream
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

Puddings

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and liberally grease 4 bundtlette tins with butter.

2. Roughly chop the dates and place them in a small bowl. Cover with the boiling water and let soak for 20 minutes while you make the batter.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
4. Add the butter and coconut sugar to a large bowl and cream together using a hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Crack in the egg and drizzle in the molasses. Beat again to combine.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat together until smooth. Turn the mixer down to low and slowly drizzle in the milk until incorporated.
6. Mash the dates into the water to create a chunky puree. Add the puree to the batter and mix together just until combined.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the 4 tins. Gently wiggle the pans side-to-side to level them and then place the tins on a baking tray. Bake the puddings for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to rest while you make the toffee sauce.

Toffee Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the coconut sugar, molasses, cream, and vanilla and whisk well to combine.
2. Bring the sauce up to the boil, whisking constantly, and allow to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Using caution, turn out the hot puddings onto serving plates and pour spoonfuls of the hot toffee sauce over top. Serve immediately topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or custard.

Notes

• These puddings are best eaten the day they are made. Once cooled, they will keep frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.
• Once cooled, any leftover toffee sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight glass jar for up to 1 week. To reheat, pop the lid off the jar and place the jar in a pan of simmering water; stir occasionally until warm.