The awesome healthy(ier) sticky date pudding.

I want to write something funny and engaging to accompany this recipe but sorry, I can’t.

I am currently in a situation of what you would call, “being in a rut”, where I self-loath and watch a lot of America’s Next Top Model, subsequently hating myself even more due to the inability to stop myself from watching such a pointless, vapid show.

Tyra Banks in a white leotard speaking in robot voice to welcome her new recruits. Yeap.

Anyway, this is a recipe for a sort of healthy sticky date pudding. I say “sort of”, because while there’s no cream there are still loads of sugar involved and hence the puddings are ridiculously tasty.

# – The awesome healthy(ier) sticky date pudding.

The black treacle and yogurt give the pudding a depth of flavour that you can’t find in ordinary sticky date puddings.

Here’s the recipe!

For the pudding:

  • 200g pitted whole dates
  • 175ml of boiling water
  • 75ml of cooking oil (plus some for oiling ramekins)
  • 175g of flour, plus some for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon of black treacle
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
  • 100g of brown sugar
  • 100g of plain yogurt


  • For the toffee sauce:

  • 100g of brown sugar
  • 25g of butter, cut into pieces
  • 1.5 teaspoon of black treacle
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 100g of plain yogurt
  • # – First pour 175ml of boiling water over the chopped pitted dates. Leave to cool for 30 minutes.

    # – In the meantime, oil the ramekins with a paper towel and dust with flour.

    # – When the dates have cooled down, add vanilla extract. Followed by black treacle. Mash with a fork to form a rough puree.

    # – In a bowl, mix brown sugar and oil together with a wooden spoon.

    # – Add beaten eggs to the mixture and stir to combine.

    # – In a different bowl, add the bicarb soda to the flour and mix with a spoon.

    # – Pour 1/2 the flour into the sugar mixture and stir lightly to combine.

    # – Followed by 100 grams of plain yogurt. Also stir to combine.

    # – Next, tip the rest of the flour into the mixture and fold until combined. Don’t overmix!

    # – Now, pour in the date puree into the mixture and stir until combined.

    # – Divide the mixture into 6 oiled/floured ramekins.

    # – Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celcius for 20-25 minutes.

    # – While waiting for the puddings to bake, get on with making the toffee sauce. First, heat up the brown sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, constantly stirring.

    # – When the sugar has completely melted, add vanilla essence. Followed by black treacle. Stir to combine.

    # – Remove the saucepan from heat. Then, stir in the yogurt. Toffee sauce is now done :)

    # – Remove puddings from the oven.

    # – Serve in a bowl with the toffee sauce drizzled all over.

    # – Awesome healthy(ier) sticky date pudding, DONE!

    The pudding tasted absolutely sticky, luxurious and delicious. It’s also much lighter than it looks.

    They freeze well too! When you have a craving, just pop it back into a ramekin, cover with clingfilm (but making sure pudding doesn’t touch the clingfilm) and nuke for 3 minutes at Medium High.

    # – So glad I have a box of pitted dates right now in my fridge cause I need to make more!!!