Treat yourself to a comforting and indulgent microwave dessert to satisfy those sweet cravings in the evenings or as the perfect way to round off a meal. From gooey chocolate cake to sticky toffee pudding, fruity crumble and creamy rice pudding, you can enjoy traditional British desserts within moments – all hassle and mess-free.
To help you choose a delicious microwave dessert that suits your dietary requirements, we've put together a guide showcasing a range of our favourites from brands such as Gu, Oggs and Dr. Oetker based on tastiness, value and cooking times. All of these delicious puddings are available online from Amazon, Tesco, Ocado and Waitrose.
Quick List - Top Microwave Desserts
Oggs
A Sensational Plant-Based Melt-in-the-Middle Chocolate Sponge Dessert
Rachel's Organic
A Nourishing and Filling Rice Pudding Made With Quality Organic Ingredients
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
Table of Contents
Microwave desserts tend to be a delicious take on the classic steamed puddings without the fuss and hassle of making them. For pure indulgence, choose a sticky toffee pudding or a chocolate melt-in-the-middle pudding for their light and fluffy texture and deeply rich, flavoursome sauces. These are ideal when serving up a sophisticated dinner for friends.
Feeling nostalgic and reminiscing about your grandma's majestic pudding-making skills? A classic English steamed suet pudding such as a spotted dick could be the perfect pick-me-up or round off to a Sunday dinner. Again, these take all the hassle out of steamed pudding prep – just pop them in the microwave and they are ready to eat in minutes.
If you're feeding a group, there are some scrumptious pre-made trifles out there too.
The perfect comfort food in chilly weather, fruit crumbles or creamy rice puddings are not only warming but wholesome and filling, too. A fruit crumble has a multitude of textures and flavours from the soft and sweet centre to the crunchy buttery topping. With a few simple ingredients, the humble rice pudding is also a perfect way to end a meal.
Complement your crumble with one of these tasty custard recommendations.
A mug cake is a great option for when you need to satisfy those sugar cravings quickly without the fuss and mess of baking a whole cake. All you need is a microwave, milk or a milk substitute, a microwave-safe mug and a sachet of pre-made cake mix and you are good to go.
Ready in under 5 minutes, they can be enjoyed straight from the mug or turned out onto a plate and served with ice cream, cream or custard for true decadence. A big plus of this type of microwave dessert is that it is easily stored in your kitchen cupboard and has a longer shelf life.
With microwave desserts mainly being sponge-based, you may think finding a scrumptious vegan option would be tricky. However, there are some great choices out there nowadays, where eggs and milk have been replaced with vegan-friendly alternatives. Additionally, despite their cake-based nature, there are also some gluten-free options if you require one.
Finish off your plant-based pudding with a delicious vegan cream.
The majority of microwave desserts come in two individual portions, which is ideal for when you are cooking for two or for keeping one in the fridge to save for a later date. A slight drawback is that they are cooked individually so it can take time if you are serving more than two people. In that case, choose a dessert that caters for more. There are some tasty larger options out there.
Check how they are packaged too; some are well-presented in glass ramekins, which is handy for dinner parties, while others you will have to present yourself. Once cooked, they tend to come away nicely from the pot so it's then a matter of deciding how to serve them and whether you want to add that extra extravagance with cream, custard or ice cream.
For products you need to present yourself, why not pick up a stylish set of ramekins?
Ensure you follow the cooking instructions to the letter, not only for safety reasons but to also make sure you get a perfectly cooked pudding; don't and you may end up with a dried-out sponge and a very dirty microwave! The instructions will tell you what packaging needs to be removed, whether the lid needs to be pierced and the all-important cooking times.
Cooking times will be dependent on the wattage of your microwave; these can range from 600 to 1650 watts. The higher the wattage, the quicker the cooking times tend to be. Once you hear the bing, be sure not to dive in too quickly, however. Let it stand for the stated time so it can reach an even temperature and then you can eat and enjoy it as intended.
Looking to buy a new microwave? Check out our recommendations here.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gü Hot Sticky Toffee Puddings | ![]() | A Super-Quick and Indulgent Hot Sticky Toffee Pudding | |
2 | Oggs Melt-In-The-Middle Chocolate Puddings | ![]() | A Sensational Plant-Based Melt-in-the-Middle Chocolate Sponge Dessert | |
3 | Waitrose Apple Crumbles | ![]() | A Classic Apple Crumble Perfectly Portioned for Two | |
4 | Rachel's Organic Divine Rice Pudding | ![]() | A Nourishing and Filling Rice Pudding Made With Quality Organic Ingredients | |
5 | Mr Kipling Sponge Pudding Lemon | ![]() | A Cupboard-Friendly Lemon Sponge That's Not Too Sweet | |
6 | The Carved Angel Sticky Toffee Pudding | ![]() | Save the Day With This Delicious Sticky Toffee Pudding to Share | |
7 | Over The Spoon Melty Chocolate Pud | ![]() | A Yummy Vegan and Gluten-Free Chocolate Sponge Everyone Can Eat | |
8 | Dr Oetker Pudding In A Mug Rich Chocolate | ![]() | Create Your Own Chocolate Cake in Less Than 2 Minutes | |
9 | Tesco Spotted Dick Puddings | ![]() | A Quintessential English Steamed Suet Pudding Packed With Currants | |
10 | Matthew Walker Luxury Christmas Pudding | ![]() | A Festive Family Dessert That's Ready in Minutes |
Indulge in the nation’s favourite dessert with Gü’s sticky toffee pudding. Crafted by patisserie chefs, it has the brand's iconic layering with succulent dates blended into the cake mixture to create a light and fluffy sponge. Then, it's all topped off with a warm and gooey sweet toffee sauce.
Perfectly portioned and served in beautifully presented glass ramekins (which can be up-cycled into tealight holders or recycled along with the rest of the packaging), these puddings are set and ready in 90 seconds. The perfect way to treat your guests and to round off a meal.
These mini-sized chocolate sponges with an indulgently gooey chocolate sauce centre are simply divine and the perfect quick treat. Created with vegan diets in mind, these light and fluffy cakes are made with Oggs's aquafaba instead of eggs.
They may not be as mess-free as other microwave desserts but these mini offerings of chocolatey cakey goodness are helping the environment. As well as being plant-based, Oggs try to plant 250 new trees a month to offset their carbon footprint and use FSC cardboard for their packaging.
These delicious Bramley apple crumbles by Waitrose are ideal if you are looking for a simple and wholesome pudding. With a crunchy topping and soft, fruity centre, this humble dessert is sure to fill and warm you up, especially on those chillier days.
If there is just one of you and you are worried about expiry dates and wastage, the second can also be frozen and saved for a later date. These crumbles are quick to cook, easy to serve and a great way to finish off a Sunday roast.
This creamy rice pudding is made from simple, wholesome organic ingredients and has even won an award for it. Carefully cooked together, the milk, cream, rice and eggs combine to create a simple yet nourishing and filling pudding that takes you back to childhood.
Just pop it in the microwave straight from the fridge for 75 seconds for a heartwarming dessert – you could always add a touch of jam, cinnamon or fruit to make it more exciting but we don't think you will need to. This is a good gluten-free option to have in for guests, too.
Looking for something to keep in the cupboard just in case? This zingy and moist lemon sponge with extra lemon sauce is light, flavoursome and doesn't need to be chilled. It's also a great alternative if you want something less sugary and sickly sweet but with the same great taste.
Individually portioned, these lemon puddings look great served on a plate once turned over with the sauce over the top. You could add a scoop of ice cream or a drop of cream to make it truly decadent.
This delicious sticky toffee pudding is ideal for those moments when you need to rustle something up quickly for children, surprise guests, or simply to share when you want to indulge in front of the TV with a partner or friend.
Easily stored in your kitchen cupboard, this dessert can be pulled out and be ready in under two minutes. The salted caramel sauce cascades down the rich moist date sponge creating enjoyment in every mouthful. It is slightly pricey considering that it only serves three, but a great-tasting emergency dessert nevertheless.
Stuck for menu ideas when entertaining guests with dietary requirements? These plant-based, free from gluten, soya and dairy chocolate sponges are an ideal choice. The cakes are light and flavoursome with a luxurious chocolate sauce – no dairy needed.
Simply pop the puddings in the microwave for up to 45 seconds and dessert is served. Just make sure you follow the cooking instructions and the correct timings for your microwave wattage, as overcooking can make them tough. They are great value though compared to other specialist options.
Make your own chocolate cake in a mug with the help of Dr. Oetker's handy packets. Just add milk (or a substitute), pop in the microwave for 2 minutes and create a warm chocolatey pudding that will instantly hit the spot.
These are great to keep in your cupboard for moments when you are craving a sweet cake fix, or even for taking away thanks to their portability. There are plenty of different flavours to choose from too, so there will be something to suit all tastes. Just be aware it could get messy and remember you will need plenty of milk!
A truly traditional British pudding, this spotted dick from Tesco is light, flavoursome and well-balanced with a spiced suet sponge and plenty of currants. It's a great way to finish any meal, especially with a bit of custard to really bring back some nostalgia.
Each individually portioned pudding takes less than a minute to prepare and can be cooked from frozen if you don't eat them in one sitting. Not a dessert for everyone, but fans of this classic will find these to be high in quality and great in taste.
A must for family festive gatherings, this rich and satisfying dessert is packed full of juicy fruits, nuts and infused with brandy and rum – a truly traditional Christmas pudding. It's ready in no longer than 3 minutes, too.
With minimal preparation and virtually mess-free, all you need to do is plate it up and serve. Great with brandy butter, ice cream, cream or custard, this dairy- and egg-free Christmas pudding will certainly delight.
Written and researched by Amanda Norman
No. 1: Gü|Hot Sticky Toffee Puddings
No. 2: Oggs|Melt-In-The-Middle Chocolate Puddings
No. 3: Waitrose|Apple Crumbles
No. 4: Rachel's Organic|Divine Rice Pudding
No. 5: Mr Kipling|Sponge Pudding Lemon
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Automotive
Baby Products
Beauty
Books
Business, Industry & Science
Computers & Accessories
DIY, Garden & Tools
Electronics & Photo
Fashion
Grocery
Health & Personal Care
Home & Kitchen
Large Appliances
Musical Instruments & DJ
PC & Video Games
Pet Supplies
Sports & Outdoors
Stationery & Office Products
Toys & Games