This classic dessert is the perfect end to any meal.
Cozy, creamy, custardy — three words to describe one of the most iconic desserts on the planet: Bread Pudding. It is rich and sweet and so comforting: no other dessert seems to satisfy in the same lovely, warm way. From its humble origins in 11th century England as a way to use up old bread, where cooks soaked it in some kind of sweet liquid (sometimes even just water mixed with sugar) and then added whatever spices were available and baked it, this “poor man’s pudding” has evolved to become a favorite dessert on the menus of today’s trendiest restaurants. But I say make your own!
I love to make bread pudding because it’s easy, doesn’t take a lot of time, and is the perfect sweet ending to dinner. There’s such a homey deliciousness to bread pudding, something so pleasurable about its texture, especially if you serve it warm. And one of the very best things about serving bread pudding for dessert is that there will most likely be some leftovers for breakfast in the morning (and, yes, definitely drizzle some maple syrup all over it!).
There is such a beautiful richness to this Bread Pudding, partly from the way the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon infuse the melted butter and the way that mix combines with the eggs, milk, and cream to make the silkiest custard to coat the bread. The result is soft and chewy, sweet yet with a touch of salt. Just the perfect combination of taste and texture.
Another thing to love about Bread Pudding is the way it can be a palette for so many other flavors. You can add cocoa powder to the batter for a chocolate bread pudding or replace the whole milk with coconut milk and then add some toasted coconut. You can even make this Bread Pudding with leftover Zucchini Bread!
The Best Type of Bread for Bread Pudding
The most important part about the bread in Bread Pudding is that it be dry, so day-old (or even older!) stale bread is necessary for this dessert — it ensures that the bread will hold its shape while soaking up the custard and not turn into a mushy, mashed mess. But the type of dry, stale bread you use is entirely up to you.
Let’s start out by saying that regular old white bread makes a great Bread Pudding. But there are so many other choices, too. Lots of people like to use French bread for Bread Pudding, so cubing up a baguette is a great way to go. But if you want a more flavorful bread, soft, chewy challah is a Bread Pudding favorite. For a more buttery taste, use croissants or brioche. I’ve made this Bread Pudding with leftover hamburger and hot dog buns, and it was simply delicious. You can even make Bread Pudding with banana bread: just cut slices into cubes and toast them in a low oven until they dry out.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
You can prepare this recipe for Bread Pudding through Step 7 and store it covered in plastic wrap overnight in the fridge to bake the next day (the longer that bread soaks in the custard, the more tender your bread pudding will be). Cooked and cooled Bread Pudding can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The drier the bread, the moister the pudding
Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But it’s true: if you leave your day-old cubed bread on a sheet pan overnight to get it as dry as it can be, it will absorb that custard mixture even more. Try it! And if you don’t have any stale bread, you can make some by cubing fresh bread and baking it in a 200-degree oven for 15 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
While very delicious all by itself, Bread Pudding is made even better when topped with sauce! Traditionally, it gets drizzled with a vanilla sauce, but in my house it gets doused in Sea Salt and Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce. But not always. Sometimes I serve it with Chocolate Sauce or White Hot Fudge Sauce — both are divine. And because I love spicy cinnamon with fruit, I also love this Bread Pudding topped with Blueberry Sauce.
And speaking of cinnamon, one of my very favorite flavors, here is a spectacular version of this Bread Pudding that will dazzle anyone you make it for. Use dried-out cubes of Spiced Applesauce Bread, and then top the Bread Pudding with Salted Cinnamon Ice Cream and sprinkle with Candied Pecans. Here’s another great idea: instead of bread, you can toast up chunks of Orange Pound Cake to use in this Bread Pudding recipe and then add a scoop of cool and creamy Vanilla Ice Cream and a dollop of Orange Marmalade.
Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz day-old bread cubed
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter cold and cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar optional for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together both sugars, melted butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and whisk until well combined.
- Pour in the milk and heavy cream, and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Place the cubed bread in a separate large bowl and pour the egg mixture over the bread, ensuring all pieces are coated.
- Transfer the bread mixture to a 2.5-quart casserole dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Dot the top with cold butter pieces and, if desired, sprinkle with turbinado sugar for a sweet, crunchy topping.
- Bake on the center rack of the oven for 50-55 minutes, until the top is browned and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Allow the bread pudding to cool slightly before serving.
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