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This Easy Bread Pudding Recipe is the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth! The sweet and creamy dessert takes stale bread and turns it into a decadent treat soaked in vanilla sauce.
Cozy Homemade Bread Pudding
Warm flavors of nutmeg and cinnamon soak into pieces of leftover bread to make this homemade pudding, all covered in a lovely vanilla sauce. The flavor of the pudding is totally addicting. For someone with a sweet tooth, the sauce is definitely necessary too. It adds even more great flavor and moisture to the dish!
I tested this bread pudding quite a bit to make sure it was the best! I played around with the amount of milk and eggs, in particular. I found that it was far better without too much milk or eggs. Too much milk that didn’t soak into the bread ended up leaving a watery layer in the final pudding that looked kind of separated. Too many eggs and it tasted more like breakfast and very eggy.
The final recipe turned out perfect. It tastes just like the one Grandma used to make! Nothing beats an old fashioned dessert done right.
What You’ll Need
I love the simple, universal ingredient list for this recipe. It’s such a satisfying dessert, and you can make it on a whim with all ingredients accounted for!
For the Bread Pudding
- Day-Old Bread: You’ll need 6 cups of cubed, stale bread. You can use any kind you have on hand – french, challah, brioche, regular sliced, etc.
- Milk: I prefer whole milk, but you could use 2% as well. Milk is such a big part of this recipe, it’s best to go with high fat to get the best result.
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract: Plenty of vanilla extract adds incredible flavor so that your pudding doesn’t just taste like milk and eggs.
- Ground Cinnamon: This warm spice is a must!
- Ground Nutmeg: The nutmeg is also a must. It adds a subtle flavor that really elevates the bread pudding and gives it something extra.
For the Vanilla Sauce
- Butter: Half a cup (1 stick).
- Sugar
- Heavy Whipping Cream: For that lovely creaminess.
- Vanilla Extract
What Kind of Bread to Use
I tested this recipe with several different breads. I found that fresh bakery breads that had gotten stale were much fluffier in the end than a regular sliced loaf of bread. I much preferred the fluffy texture, so that would be my recommended bread.
However, bread pudding is great for using up stale bread, and just about any bread will work! Feel free to use whatever kind is available.
How to Make Bread Pudding
For such a luxurious dessert, bread pudding is seriously simple to prepare. Just soak your bread and leave the rest to your oven! The sauce that goes on top is made in under 5 minutes, too.
- Grease Pan: Grease an 8×8-inch casserole dish and set aside.
- Assemble Bread in Pan: Cut the bread into 1-inch chunks and spread them evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Add Milk & Egg Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, getting all the bread wet from the mixture.
- Let Soak: Let the bread sit for 20-25 minutes to soak up the milk and egg mixture.
- Bake: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Once preheated, bake for 50-55 minutes and remove from the oven when done.
- Make Vanilla Sauce: While the bread pudding cooks, make the vanilla sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on low heat, then add the sugar, cream and vanilla extract. Slowly cook over low heat while stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- Drizzle Over Pudding & Serve: Remove the sauce from the heat and drizzle it over the warm bread pudding.
How to Tell When Your Pudding is Done Cooking
When bread pudding is done baking, it should be jiggly, but set. The center should rise fully, so if it hasn’t yet, it probably needs a little more bake time. Everyone’s oven is different, so keep an eye on the pudding and adjust accordingly.
Variation Ideas
There are so many yummy things you can mix into your bread pudding. Want some ideas? Here are some of my favorite ways to put a spin on this classic recipe.
- Add Dried Fruit: Raisins, craisins or golden raisins make a great addition. You could even add other dried fruits like like pineapple or cherries.
- Chocolate Bread Pudding: I always find a way to sneak chocolate into my desserts! And this one is no exception. Try adding chocolate chips to your pudding and topping it with Homemade Chocolate Sauce.
- Add Nuts: To give this creamy bread pudding a satisfying crunch, add in some toasted walnuts or pecans.
- Boozy Bread Pudding: Adding a few tablespoons of rum or bourbon to your pudding is a great way to amp up the flavor!
Tips for the Best Bread Pudding
If you’ve never made bread pudding before, that’s okay. These tips will help your first batch come out perfect!
- Let the Bread Fully Soak: You need to have the right balance of bread to liquid, and the bread should be stale. If the bread doesn’t soak up all the liquid, you end up with that strange separated layer. When you first add the liquid to the pan, your bread will be afloat. After sitting and soaking, it should be very moist but no longer floating.
- What if I Only Have Fresh Bread? If your bread isn’t stale, spread it evenly on a baking sheet and put it in a 200°F oven for 15 minutes. You want to be sure that it’s stale so it really soaks up the milk and egg mixture.
- Cook Sauce on Low Heat: You don’t want the burner to be too hot when you’re cooking the vanilla sauce; keep it at low heat the whole time.
- For a Crispy Top: If you want your bread pudding to be crisp on top, just bake it for an extra 2-4 minutes with the oven turned up to 400°F and the pan moved up to the top rack.
Serving Suggestions
This flexible dessert can be served in any number of delicious ways. These simple ideas will make it feel extra special!
- Top with Whipped Cream: A dollop of Homemade Whipped Cream adds the perfect finishing touch to bread pudding.
- Serve with Another Sauce: You don’t have to make the vanilla sauce for this dessert if you don’t want to. It tastes amazing with Salted Caramel Sauce too!
- Top with Ice Cream: A warm and creamy treat like bread pudding calls for a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream to go with it. Yum!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
I recommend eating a serving of this bread pudding while it’s fresh, but the leftovers are also delicious. Store them covered in the fridge. Refrigerated bread pudding will keep for up to 5 days. I would not recommend freezing bread pudding.
To reheat, place individual portions in the microwave for 45 seconds, repeating and adjusting the time accordingly until the pudding is warmed through. The sauce can be reheated alongside the pudding and then drizzled on top.
Print
Easy Bread Pudding
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 9
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: British
Description
Satisfy your sweet tooth using basic kitchen ingredients with this Easy Bread Pudding Recipe! This sweet and creamy dessert takes stale bread and turns it into a decadent, comforting treat.
Ingredients
For the Bread Pudding
- 6 cups cubed stale bread (french, challah, brioche, regular sliced)
- 2 cups milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
For the Vanilla Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grease an 8×8-inch casserole dish and set aside.
- Cut bread into 1-inch chunks and spread evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, getting all the bread wet from the mixture.
- Let the bread sit for 20-25 minutes to soak up the milk and egg mixture.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Bake for 50-55 minutes. It should be jiggly, but set. The center should rise fully, so if it hasn’t yet, it might need a little more bake time. Remove from oven when done.
- While the bread pudding cooks, make the vanilla sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on low heat, then add the sugar, cream and vanilla extract.
- Slowly cook over low heat while stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and serve warm over the bread pudding.
Notes
To make this in a 9×13 pan, use one and a half recipes worth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 646
- Sugar: 52.3 g
- Sodium: 577.9 mg
- Fat: 20.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 100 g
- Protein: 13.9 g
- Cholesterol: 104.5 mg
Categories
More Classic Dessert Recipes
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This recipe is bomb, so easy to make, and I love the variation recipes, currently trying new ingredients. ♥️ it
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My husband has been asking for bread pudding for a while, so I tried yours last night – incredible. He and my son absolutely loved it! And it was so easy. The sauce was superb too!
So glad to hear that!
Easy and delicious dessert
I’ve made it several times with whatever bread I happen to have n need to use up
If I have raisins n nuts , I throw those in. A great basic recipe to keep on hand!
I’m so glad you enjoy it!
This recipe was easy to make. I had to use evaporated milk since I had no regular milk. I added dried cranberries because I love cranberries. The first time I made this I used raisins and both were enjoyed by everyone.
This bread pudding was delicious. I doubled the recipe and baked it in a deep 9 x 13 baker. I also used half and half instead of milk. It turned out beautiful.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Love it!
My sister was visiting from California and made a dessert with the simple easy ingredients that you mentioned! What a great surprise how good this was! She is picky and absolutely loved this recipe. Will definitely make this again. Thanks.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
With us being snowbound, the grandkids wanted something to do. We was looking through receipe and found this one. The only vanilla I had was homemade vanilla bean paste. That was the final test. We all fell in love with this recipe. This is going to be the only bread pudding we will make. Thank you for sharing
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This is so awesome, I used homemade vanilla bean paste. In the sauce oh talking about a good flavor.
Simple and easy recipe. It came out great! Note: I’d run out of cinnamon/nutmeg so subbed Speculaas Spice mix from King Arthur. I even made the vanilla sauce (for the first time ever). What a lovely snack on a winter’s day!
I do love this recipe, a long with all the suggested variations. Bread pudding is one of my holiday favorites and I’ve played with many recipes over the years. Have you ever used half-and-half instead of milk? Mostly just curious why milk seems the preferred way to go, I would think half-and-half would help it be more “custardy”.
I’m glad you enjoy it. As for half and half, I don’t think I tested it. It’s possibly it could be a little thicker and custardy. I think you just have to be careful that it doesn’t get too heavy though. You could certainly try it and see what you think.
This pudding was by far the best bread pudding I’ve made, and I’ve made a few! It was so light and fluffy, the spices gave it character, and the unctuous vanilla sauce brings it to a new level of deliciousness. I did halve the amount of sugar in the pudding itself since the sauce was very sweet, and I used raw sugar in the sauce which gave it a caramel like character. This is definitely a keeper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My hubby loves this! It’ll be his bday cake from now on!!!! Plus it’s super easy and oh so tasty!!!
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
This recipe was a big hit for my dad’s 90 th birthday party. I added sliced apples to your exact recipe with a little extra cinnamon and baked in a Bundt pan. I made 2 and shaped one Bundt into a 9 and the other into an 0 and topped with ziplock piped purchased caramel dip. I love how it was easy to make, sliced to serve, and was the most raved about dessert in terms of taste!
Awesome! So glad it was a hit!
The absolute best! I cannot tell you how much my family loves this recipe. We have been using this recipe for literally any holiday gathering. My grandaddy and I also use this recipe in lieu of having a birthday cake. Question though! I am wanting to put a Thanksgiving twist to this and add some apples…. Any suggestions of doing this? Not sure if I need to do fresh or dried apples and/or if I should adjust any measurements in that case. Any advise is appreciated!
I’m so glad you enjoy it! Someone actually commented right below you about having added thinly sliced apples. Fresh apples would probably work best and you shouldn’t need to make other adjustments.
I do love this recipe!! I made it late this afternoon to eat for dessert. I added thinly sliced apple and dotted it with a little bit of cream cheese here and there. It turned out Absolutely fabulous! Will definitely make this again and add the raisins and the apples.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe is amazing! I think it’s spot on. The only thing I would change is the amount of sugar in the vanilla sauce. I have a big sweet tooth and the 1 cup of sugar in the vanilla sauce was way to sweet for me. Make no mistake, it’s delicious but to sweet for me. Next time, I’ll try 1/2 cup of sugar and make adjustments if need be.
Try this recipe if you love bread pudding, you won’t regret it!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I love bread pudding but never made it. I like that your recipe seems very easy so I can’t wait to try it. I just have one question. I love a whiskey cream sauce with bread pudding. Can I add whiskey to your sauce or will it curdle the milk? Thanks for sharing your recipe.
The whiskey should be fine. Just swap out some of the cream. I hope you enjoy it! We just made it yesterday and love it!
Thanks so much Lindsay. I’m going to give it a try and I’ll let you know how mine turns out. Can’t wait. It’s turning chilly in Minnesota so this will hit the spot. 😋
I have left over ciabatta and english muffins, can I use these other type of breads? Can I mix different kinds based of what I have? Thank you.
Yes, that should be fine.
Love the recipe.
Glad to hear that!
Made 2 batches, one for home and one for family. It was a phenomenal hit with everyone! They were having 2 and 3 servings, that’s how delicious this bread pudding is.
Don’t hesitate to try this recipe. But make it exactly as written and you’ll be the star when you bring this out onto your table!
Thank you for formulating a fantastic tasting bread pudding!
I’m so glad it was a hit!
This is what we call bread pudding in the south, New Orleans to be exact. Who ever said this is bread and butter pudding and that bread pudding is totally different, I don’t know what they are talking about because this is what we call bread pudding and it is heavenly!
I live in the South, VERY close to NOLA, not to be exact lol. This very much is more bread and butter than bread pudding. Most people just call it bread pudding but there are differences.
Can you use buttermilk?
I haven’t tried it to be able to say. I suppose it would be fine, but may be a strong flavor.
How do I make this dessert and take to a party? Do I need to keep the sauce separate?
You could definitely add the sauce before serving. If you can’t bake it once you get there, I would bake it and then add it to one of those warming containers that you can travel with.
This was divine! Everyone loved it, though some would have preferred less spices. I followed the recipe as written for a 9×13 in. pan. I added a handful of raisins and a handful of dried cranberries but reduced the sugar some, as we usually tend to prefer less sweetness. A good thing too, as this was served with good-quality maple syrup. The combination was delicious, much like French toast. This was a wonderful way to use stale hot dog buns.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
First time making bread pudding. I made it for my friend’s birthday who loves Bread Pudding. She said it was the best she’s ever had!! I followed the recipe exactly as written and the sauce was amazing!
I’m so glad it was a hit!
As I sit here at 2:17am Pacific time, there is an amazing smell coming from my kitchen! I just used your recipe and I can’t wait to try it, but it needs to cool. Yeah I snuck a teeny bite and it was yummy! I just used 1/3 cup raw sugar and 2/3 of the white. Sprinked the top right at the end with raw sugar! It looks and tastes just like my Great-Grandma Stewart used to make. A little crunch on the outside and that creamy sweet custard set with the bread! This bread pudding recipe is a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is bread and butter pudding, bread pudding is totally different
Can bread soak in milk/egg mixture overnight in fridge?
That should be fine.
Best Bread Pudding eveeerr!!!
I made it and it was just divine. I incorporated Walnuts, Pistachios and dried coconut slices with mine, in addition to everything else in your original recipe. I also added Cardamom seeds (extracted and crushed), which just lifts the dish to a Holy status in terms of flavor. Oh, and I substituted plain sugar with Jaggery (refined Sugarcane extract), I had it lying around in pantry. ☺
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m going to double this recipe to make for a crowd. I want to use whiskey or rum sauce on top of each slice. Should I just add the liquor after the vanilla sauce is finished as to not cook the alcohol away.
I made this recipe GLUTEN FREE by using 5 Udi’s defrosted hot dog buns instead of stale bread. I let it soak overnight then baked it the next morning for our family Christmas gathering. It was amazing! Everyone loved it so I’ll definitely be making it again. Thank you!
Is there a typo in your recipe? You have 1 1/2 Tablespoons of vanilla. Shouldn’t that be teaspoons?
It’s not a typo, but feel free to reduce it.
Can you use a rum sauce ?
Sure!
I made lemon bread that did not come out as moist as it should have been.Can I use in bread pudding recipe?Thx
So lemon bread is typically more like a cake, not really bread. If that’s the kind of lemon bread you are referring to, it would not be ideal in this recipe.
Can this recipe be adapted to use only egg yolks? I’m looking for a way to make bread pudding using 6 leftover eggs yolks I have on hand!
I have not tested it, but it would certainly be worth a try. I’d probably replace three eggs with six or seven egg yolks if I were to try it. If you try it, I’d love to know how it goes.
Can you make it ahead of time?
It’s going to be best when served fresh and warm, but you could make it ahead of time and reheat slices later.
I loved it! I could eat the whole Pyrex by myself. So crunchy, so gooey and delicious! Not too sweet, not missing anything.
So glad you enjoyed it!
can you just pour the sauce over the whole pudding or does it need to be just for individual servings?
You could pour it over the whole thing.
The best bread pudding I have ever baked
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can you make this ahead and leave it in the refrigerator overnight and bake in the morning?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it’d probably be fine.
Very easy thanks I we like 👍 alot
So glad you enjoyed it!
can you make the sauce with brown sugar instead of white?? cant wait to try!
If you use brown sugar it will be more of a caramel or toffee sauce. The brown sugar may take a little longer to melt but it should be fine.
How much bourbon can you add without being to strong but still good
2 to 3 tablespoons should be enough without it being too strong. Either swap out some milk in the bread mixture or swap out some of the cream in the sauce.
This is the best bread pudding I’ve ever eaten, & I’ve eaten many kinds. Great texture, the exact amount of sweetness & spice. Great with vanilla sauce.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the recipe, tasted so delicious
🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is just what I was looking for!! So good. I only had 2% milk so i replaced 1/2 c.with heavy cream and it worked okay. This is a great basic and eady recipe. You won’t be disappointed. Thanks Lindsay!
Do you recommend covering pan with aluminum foil or cook uncovered?
Cook it uncovered unless you start to notice it browning too much. Then you could cover it with some foil.
I’ve made this bread pudding several times, and it’s easy to make and quite decadent when mini chocolate chips and pecans are added.
The vanilla topping is delicious, and when I made the bread pudding this time (today), I heated the ingredients in the microwave,
Thanks for a great recipe!
So glad you’ve enjoyed it!
This is in my oven now. Can’t wait to try it as I’ve never had bread pudding before!
Do I just store it in the refrigerator! How long will it last??
You can keep it in the fridge and it should be good for about five days. Just reheat slices as you want to eat them. I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for getting back to me! This recipe is delicious!!
My husband is a big fan of bread pudding. I made this with left over brioche and added lemon zest. It turned out delicious! Saving to my desserts board
So glad you enjoyed it!
I would’ve yo try this. Can I use almond milk instead as I’m lactose intolerant?
I haven’t tried it but I think that would be fine.
Loved this easy and delicious bread pudding. The vanilla glaze makes the dessert. I added mini chocolate chips. Yum!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I have never liked bread pudding but I tried to make it myself for the first time using this recipe. I am SO glad I did! It is fantastic and the glaze is very delicious. I added the optional rum to the bread and glaze and it was also great.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’ve had that experience several times where I didn’t think I liked some thing and then I made it myself and it was so much better. 🙂
Great recipe! I had a stack of pancakes leftover from a big family breakfast. Used this easy and super delicious recipe to use up the pancakes. Yum! Best part, all of the ingredients are in your kitchen already. Will make again.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Yum! I made this today for my bread pudding loving husband and it is delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Is it possible to add fresh cut peaches to this ??
are any ingredients changed ??
THANKYOU
You could certainly try it. It’s hard for me to give advice since I haven’t personally tried it. I will say that fresh fruit tends to have a lot of moisture in it so it may add more moisture to the bread pudding and it may need to bake longer.
I love this dessert making this today.
Should I cover the pudding ? Like with tinfoil ?
You certainly can, but I don’t believe I did.
I need to find a receipt of this to make a double batch. I thought it once had a scale for 2 in the past and I cant seem to find it. Cant you direct me??
It did, but I had several people complain that it wasn’t doubling thing accurately. It would double some measurements but not others. So we removed it. Sorry!
Love this!
Very tasty and easy, but super sweet. I cut the sugar by a quarter cup, but will only use a half cup next time.
Hi, I am making this recipe now and have a couple of questions…. how long did it take to get the sauce to coat the back of the spoon when cooking. It seems very thin and I’ve had it on low heat for about 30 minutes. Also, is it ok to stir the soaking bread (before it goes in the oven)? A lot of the egg mixture sunk to the bottom of the dish and the top isn’t all wet. Thank you Lindsay…I love your recipes! I started years ago with your banana cream pie (the only one I make) and I bought your book. “Simply Beautiful.” Gorgeous book with clear recipes and big beautiful pictures! I’ve learned so much! Coming to mind is how to tell the consistency of frosting when it’s ready for cake or cupcakes…. so many great tips. Plus I love your personality comes through with scriptures. Thank you for all your contributions<3<3
This recipe was just what I was looking for! I didn’t do the vanilla sauce and I can’t have refined sugar, so I used a combo of honey and coconut sugar (about 3/4 cup total). Absolutely delicious! Next time I think I’ll sprinkle pecans on half for myself too. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I have made this recipe twice, and it’s easy and delicious!
I used leftover hamburger buns and followed the recipe with the exceptions of 1/2 cup heavy cream instead of all whole milk and the addition of 1/2 cup raisins.
I made the sauce in the microwave; very fast and easy with no worry of burning or undissolved sugar…
The best part is that I was introduced to a dessert that everyone loves, and I usually have all the ingredients in my cupboard.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Delicious recipe, I made the mini version due to only having 2 cups of bread cubes. Just used 1/3 of everything and baked for about a 1/2 hour. Also went with a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of vanilla sauce. Will definitely make again, ty
What can be substitluted for the heavy cream ?
Are you making the substitution because of a dairy issue or because you don’t have any? If you don’t have it on hand, milk should be fine.
Try equal parts cream cheese and milk. I used 1/2 package to 1/4-1/3 c milk, and pre mixed all ingredients together. Excellent & nice consistency with very little effort.
Yummy! Great way to use up leftover hot dog or sub buns (there always seems to be some left over). The extra couple minutes on top rack at 400 degrees makes a big difference- best bread pudding ever
So glad you enjoyed it!
Best bread pudding I have ever had! My husband loved it too especially the sauce ❤
I started making bread in my bread machine this year and hate throwing away the ends because of the hole the paddle makes. I found this recipe and froze my leftover pieces in a bag until I had enough. My family was over the moon with it! I didn’t get to make the vanilla sauce this time so we used a little whipped cream but I will next time. Thank you so much for this great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can we eat it cold?
Sure
Thanks love this recipe ❤️
I made this recipe for the first time for one of the Christmas dinner desserts. It was so very good. My family turned their nose up at the idea of bread pudding, but I got them to try it. Every single one loves it. My granddaughter says it’s now going to be a family tradition to all holiday dinners!! Thank you.
Has this recipe been tried in the crockpot? Making it in the oven right now! Would love to try in the crockpot again!
I haven’t tried it, but you could give it a shot!
OH MY GOODNESS! This is so delicious!!! Made this over the weekend using left over dinner rolls .. My family LOVED it ! I did use half sugar, half brown sugar.. This is definitely a keeper !! Thank you !!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely decadent! I used a long French bread loaf. Let it sit on the counter all day to get stale. Soaked in the liquid for a good hour then popped it in the oven. I had to cover it with tin foil after about 30 mins while the insides baked so it wouldn’t get too brown. It was easy to tell when it was ready as the dough poofed up. The vanilla sauce was sooo good.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Is this a recipe I can prepare the night before
I haven’t tried it to be able to say.
You can prep this recipe the night before. Just don’t bake it. Then bake in the oven as usual. You might have to add a few minutes of baking time because it is going into the oven cold.
I have been a bread pudding fan as long as I can remember, and have made it a personal mission to convert friends and family to be the same. This recipe has been my ally in that mission. My wife and sister have declared this as my best bread pudding ever.
I take a few liberties with the recipe in that I soak dried cherries in 1/4 cup of liquor (so far dark rum or amaretto), then incorporate the fruit and a little liquid into the pudding and the remaining liquid into the sauce. Also, I use half and half instead of milk and then include the remaining 1/2 cup of cream from the sauce recipe to account for using a whole challah loaf, slightly more bread than the recipe calls for.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with those of us who are fans of this often under appreciated dessert.
I’m just about to try this recipe for the first time and I can’t wait it looks delicious
I have a ginormous bowl of cubed Easter bread (rich egg bread) to make bread pudding with this weekend. It’s in the fridge with some brown sugar and cinnamon right now. I think it’s enough to fill a full steam table tray. I’m thinking maybe a half gallon of milk and a dozen eggs. I’m also soaking a box of golden raisins. Got some sweetened condensed milk and dark brown sugar too…. any tips?
waiting for the oven to pre-heat…oops! forgot to grease the dish..i think it will be ok though.
enjoying going thru your recipes
Glad to hear that!
Second time in a month! So delicious , totally makes me remember my dad’s recipe. Fighting over the yummy crispy edges.
I’m wanting to make a 9/13 dish , do you thinking doubling up on the recipe would work?
Looks so delicious
Yes, that should be fine
OMG! HANDS DOWN THE BEST BREAD PUDDING I’VE EVER HAD! WILL DEFINITELY BE STORING THIS IN MY PERSONAL RECIPE BOOK 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!
Whenever I make this delicious 😋 bread pudding it’s gone in 2 days, and I just make another. One time I ended up eating the whole thing by myself, I love this easy recipe, and I’m not throwing away any bread, I’ve used whole milk, heavy cream, and even almond milk and it always come out delicious.
So glad to hear that!
Excellent descriptions and explanations throughout, but, based on the introduction, I was really frustrated reading through the entire article, wondering why I wasn’t seeing QUANTITIES of the ingredients, until I finally reached the end of it. An extra sentence or phrase in the intro would have been a big help.
Since my wife is such an excellent home chef (20+ years learning from cooking shows on PBS!), she may have expected that in an online recipe, but I didn’t.
Hi Lindsay
I made your bread pudding and it came out so good I know I’ll be making it again. What I would like to know is can I freeze the bread pudding. Thank you so much.
Sincerely, Ieabei
Hi Lindsay
I just made your wonderful bread pudding and it is so good reminds me of my mom’s. I will be making this again thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Sincerely, Isabel
I make bread pudding often but I’d never thought to add nutmeg- it really made a difference! Also liked that the recipe didn’t call to heat the milk which made it really quick and easy. Used almond milk with no problems.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I decided to try this tonight! So good! I tweaked it a bit. I don’t like sweet things so I used just a bit under half cup of sugar. I also used 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk. I added raisins (soaked in water for 15 minutes to plump them up, then drained them and immersed them in 4 tbsp of rum. Let that sit for 15 minutes. Also added a handful of toasted pecans. And voila it was a hit. I used a glass dish so I reduced the temp to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and baked for 1 hr 5 mins. I have added this recipe to my collection. Thanks so much for sharing such a simple, yummy recipe.
I made this yesterday afternoon for my two year-old grand daughter and myself. We ate a little and then a little more and then she said more and we ate some more. She kept grinning and eating. We loved it!
Yummy! My son had made some buttermilk bread that was getting stale so I used that. So easy to make and it’s delicious! The vanilla sauce is soooo good on it! Didn’t have to change anything! Saving this recipe for sure!
I can’t find the measurements for each ingredient-lol. Where am I missing it?
The recipe has a gray square around it. If you are having trouble, go to the top of the post and hit “jump to recipe” and it’ll take you straight there.
This was amazing! I’ve never tried making bread pudding because I thought it would be really difficult. It was always my go to dessert to order if we went out to a restaurant. This was better than any restaurant!!!
So glad to hear that!
Never made bread pudding but will give this a try .
This was the absolutely perfect pudding to make at home ! So warm, delicious and comforting. The best part is my 7 year old could make it and he had so much fun cutting up the bread pieces and mixing the ingredients!
Your recipes are really clear and easy to understand – and the food photography is amazing!
He has already selected the next thing he wants to try from your website (the funfetti cake :)).
I made it yesterday using panettone and cutting some of the sugar. It came out perfect, browned on top and the mustard perfectly set. Thanks for a great recipe
This actually originates from 11th century England. In the 13th century it was called “poor mans pudding”. In the UK it is called bread and butter pudding where the bread is sliced into triangles and arranged in the dish. It is then scattered with raisins and a home made custard is poured over. It is then baked in the oven. Bread pudding is a different dish of stale bread with raisins and spices baked and cut into square cake like chunks.
ha! I didn’t realize how much I miss this dessert until I saw your recipe, thank you! Saving this for the weekend a nice memory for me, thank you!
The bread pudding has roots in Black New Orleans cuisine. Raisins are a typical ingredient. My mom uses a Brandy lemon sauce, too.. She uses all ingredients you mentioned except cinnamon.