This beloved Christmas dessert contains by far the most calories.

Honestly, in December, we don’t count calories. But still, it’s nice to fit into your jeans come January. A little turkey with gravy is just fine, and dessert is allowed too. But there’s one dessert that really stands out when it comes to calories.

And that is: Christmas pudding. You know, that round ring of sort of greasy bread your grandma used to make. Or what my mom sometimes brings over. Thankfully, I don’t find it that delicious, but even a small piece can be a killer for your waistline.

This beloved British classic is often made with ingredients that are anything but light. Think about:

Dried fruits like raisins, currants, and dates, packed with natural sugars.
Fat in the form of butter or beef fat (traditionally “suet”), essential for the rich, moist texture.
Sugar and honey, making the pudding extra sweet.
Alcohol like brandy or rum, often added generously.
Sauces, like brandy sauce or custard, that make the whole thing even heavier.
So, oops. A 100-gram serving of Christmas pudding can easily contain 330 to 400 calories, and most people often have a big piece. Add a generous spoonful of sauce, and you’re easily over 500 calories per serving. After your dinner, too. Bit of a waste for your waistline, right?

Unfortunately, there are more desserts you might want to skip:

Tiramisu
This Italian dessert with mascarpone, sugar, whipped cream, and ladyfingers soaked in coffee and liqueur typically contains 350-450 calories per serving.
Sticky toffee pudding
A moist, caramel-like pudding often served with toffee or caramel sauce. This dessert can reach 450-500 calories per serving.
Chocolate fondue
While you share the calories of the chocolate with fruit, this dessert is still calorie-dense. Melted chocolate contains about 530 calories per 100 grams, and the marshmallows or cookies add even more.
Okay, again: we’ll focus on what we eat in the new year. But what can we eat that’s a bit lighter? There’s plenty of choice if you want to keep it light. Opt for a cake with lots of fresh fruit and less sugar, for example. A sorbet ice cream cake is perfect. Sorbet has very few calories, around 80-120 per scoop. And pavlova is also fun, pretty, and quite healthy. This meringue dessert with fresh fruits is lighter than most Christmas treats (about 150-200 calories per serving). Take advantage of that and enjoy!