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Cocktail History
The Figgy Pudding is a Christmas cocktail that was created by food writer and author Jessica Strand and was first published in her book Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season. Its inspiration comes from the British dessert of the same name that originated in the 14th century and is popular around the holidays. Similar to the sweet treat, the drink pairs herbal gin with fig jam, simple syrup, and ginger ale to make a savory and refreshing beverage.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
London Dry Gin: This is a type of gin made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol that has been infused with flavor through redistillation without artificial ingredients or colors. We used Eau Claire Distillery Parlor Gin because it has a classic juniper-forward taste with notes of exotic spices and florals. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Fig Jam: This is a spread made with figs, sugar, and citrus juice. We used Bonne Maman Fig Preserves.
Ginger Ale: This is a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger. We used Canada Dry Ginger Ale.
Candied Ginger: This is a slice of dried ginger root that has been rolled in sugar.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. We used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. We used one from The Dizzy Diva shop on Etsy.
Tasting Notes
The Figgy Pudding starts with soft, sweet aromas of ginger and fig, has a slightly tangy yet sugary taste that mixes a heavy dose of earthy fig with ginger spice, and finishes with a gentle ginger taste left on the palate.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: While we were in complete agreement that the drink is sweet and delicious, it didn’t quite fulfill our complexity and intriguing flavor wishlists. For that reason, we think the Figgy Pudding is just the thing for Christmas gatherings with the side of the family who prefers not to taste the alcohol in their drinks.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“Though not bad at all, this drink offered little complexity, which is something I typically look for in what I would consider to be a great cocktail. The taste of the fig jam along with gin and ginger ale is tasty, and it will definitely satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth. Plus, it probably does a good job of imitating the Victorian-era dessert, as the book claims. But for those of us looking for something a little more contemplative, spicy, or sour, it doesn’t really offer too much that we haven’t seen before.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“Hello, fig flavor! This is another ingredient to which I’m not all that privy because I didn’t start using them in meals and cocktails until the last couple of years. I typically prefer the texture of syrup over jam, but the fig spread works very well in this recipe. I honestly don’t think the syrup would’ve lent quite enough flavor to this considering how simple the drink is. I don’t know that I’d make it again because I like a few other fig cocktails more than this one, but it was definitely tasty and very unique.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season by Jessica Strand.
Add gin, simple syrup, fig jam, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a highball glass over fresh cracked ice.
Top with ginger ale.
Garnish with candied ginger.
Ingredients
Directions
Add gin, simple syrup, fig jam, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a highball glass over fresh cracked ice.
Top with ginger ale.
Garnish with candied ginger.
Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Shop Glassware & Tools
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More Christmas Cocktails
If you like this Christmas-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Candy Cane Martini: A vodka cocktail made with white crème de cacao, white crème de menthe, simple syrup, and crushed candy cane
Grand Galliano: A low-proof cocktail made with Liquore Galliano L’Autentico, Grand Marnier, heavy cream, an orange twist, and grated nutmeg
Chocolate-Covered Cherry: A brandy cocktail made with dark crème de cacao, cherry liqueur, and a cherry
Kohler Mint Cocoa: A chocolate mint brandy cocktail made with milk, white peppermint schnapps, dark crème de cacao, cocoa powder, whipped cream, and grated chocolate
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