Jammy, lush, and made for hot weather, this summer pudding skips the traditional unmolding step—just layer, chill, and slice right from the dish.
This summer pudding recipe is one of the best ways to make the most of berry season, without ever turning on the oven. A traditional British dessert, summer pudding is typically made by lining a bowl with bread, weighing it down overnight, and unmolding it before serving. This simplified version skips all that in favor of a square baking dish that’s much easier to assemble, slice, and serve.
The magic happens in the fridge: as the bread soaks up the sweet, syrupy berry juices, it transforms into a soft, cake-like dessert bursting with fresh berry flavor. It’s a wonderful make-ahead dessert for summer gatherings—just cut it into squares, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and serve.
What You’ll Need To Make Summer Pudding
For the pudding, you’ll need fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, sugar, salt, lemon juice, butter, and white sandwich bread. For serving, you can go with more berries, fresh mint, sweetened whipped cream, sweetened Greek yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.
How To Make Summer Pudding
Step 3: Slice and serve. Once it’s thoroughly chilled, slice the pudding into squares and spoon any extra berry juices over the top. This is the kind of dessert that pretty much begs for a big spoonful of whipped cream, Greek yogurt, or vanilla ice cream. A few fresh berries and a sprig of mint make it feel even more special.
If you have more berries to use up, a summer berry trifle is another delicious make-ahead dessert. Or, browse a collection of easy no-bake desserts for more warm-weather favorites.
