[over-egg] the pudding

to make something more complicated than it needs to be

The origin of the idiom "over-egg the pudding" is rooted in the culinary world, dating back to the 17th century. In the context of cooking, "over-egging" means adding too many eggs to a pudding, which could result in a dense or unappetizing dish. Over time, the expression evolved into a metaphor for embellishing or over-complicating things in various aspects of life.

His storytelling was engaging, but he tended to over-egg the pudding with unnecessary details.
Instead of a simple presentation, they decided to over-egg the pudding with flashy graphics and effects.
While telling the joke, he had a tendency to over-egg the pudding, turning a simple story into a convoluted narrative.
The designer chose to keep the logo simple, avoiding the temptation to over-egg the pudding with unnecessary details.

to make something appear more significant, intense, or dramatic than it actually is

The politician was known for his tendency to over-egg the pudding in his campaign promises.
She had a tendency to over-egg the pudding when explaining her accomplishments, making it hard to separate fact from fiction.