Best Bread Pudding Recipe
Posted Dec 18, 2023, Updated Jun 21, 2024
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This is the best bread pudding recipe – a vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old bread and baked to perfection! Learn how to make bread pudding that is moist & delicious. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for a crowd-pleasing dessert!
Bread pudding is a nostalgic and cozy dessert. It’s so easy to make with 9 simple ingredients, but tastes absolutely gourmet!
This bread pudding recipe is truly the best. A rich, vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old brioche bread (or bread of your choosing) and baked to perfection. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, you will wow family and friends with this delectable treat.
In this post you will learn how to make bread pudding at home that’s fully customizable. Add cinnamon, raisins, or mix-ins of your choosing to make it your own.
Bread Pudding: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Brioche bread. Use your favorite bread! I love brioche because it’s buttery and soft, but many other breads work great including cinnamon bread, french bread, etc. Be sure to use 12 oz of bread, or about 8 cups.
- Light brown sugar. If you like a stronger molasses taste, you can use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for white sugar.
- Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.
- Whole milk/heavy cream. This recipe calls for 4 cups of liquid. I prefer using a 1 : 1 ratio of milk to cream, you can adjust that to your liking. I do not recommend using anything with a lower fat content than whole milk.
How to Make Bread Pudding
We’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by preheating your oven and greasing a 9×13” baking dish (preferably glass or ceramic). Then, arrange the torn bread pieces in the pan evenly.
Next, whisk the eggs together in a large bowl.
Then, whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the eggs until it’s mostly dissolved.
Next, whisk in butter, milk, cream, vanilla and sea salt until combined.
If desired, at this point you can add mix-ins like cinnamon, raisins, etc. into the custard mixture.
Then, pour the custard mixture over the bread in the baking dish.
Gently press the bread down with a spatula until every piece is absorbing the liquid.
Then, bake the bread pudding, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is set and springs back lightly when pressed.
Serve
Once it has finished baking, let the bread pudding cool slightly. Then serve it warm with whipped cream, homemade vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, etc.
Store/Freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven to restore the fresh-from-the-oven taste!
Bread Pudding Recipe FAQS
It’s best eaten warm – always a la mode!
Either one – it’s a totally personal choice. I like to eat it with a spoon to scoop up every last drop!
Yes, double the ingredients and bake in two, 9×13″ baking pans.
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Easy Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz day-old brioche bread torn into pieces (about 8 cups of bread)
- 6 eggs beaten
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 2 cups whole milk room temperature
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- More butter for greasing the pan.
Optional add-ins:
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9×13” pan. Arrange torn bread pieces in the pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs until smooth.
- Then, whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the eggs.
- Next, whisk in butter, milk, cream, vanilla and sea salt until combined.
- If desired, at this point you can add mix-ins like cinnamon, raisins, etc. into the custard mixture.
- Pour custard mixture over the bread in the baking dish.
- Gently press the bread down with a spatula until every piece is absorbing the liquid.
- Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is set and springs back lightly when touched or the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
- Let cool slightly, then serve warm with whipped cream, caramel sauce, etc.
Video
Notes
- Brioche bread. Use your favorite bread! I love brioche because it’s buttery and soft, but many other breads work great including cinnamon bread, french bread, etc. Be sure to use 12 oz of bread, or about 8 cups.
- Light brown sugar. If you like a stronger molasses taste, you can use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar is a great substitute for white sugar.
- Salted butter. unsalted butter works well.
- Whole milk/heavy cream. This recipe calls for 4 cups of liquid. I prefer using a 1 : 1 ratio of milk to cream, you can adjust that to your liking. I do not recommend using anything with a lower fat content than whole milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loved this bread pudding. I used French bread. Topped each serving with powdered sugar. Will definitely make again. 👍
The BEST bread pudding ever. I love the simplicity and creaminess. Only change I made was I used a can of evaporated milk and topped it off with whipping cream to make 2 cups. Then added the 2 cups of whipping cream. I made a cinnamon sauce to drizzle over the top and added some whip cream on top of that. Everyone loved it!!!
So I assembled this ahead of time and baked it after dinner. It was a hit! So delicious! Topped it with whipped cream. Perfect dessert for winter time, a warm, vanilla delight. Thanks for a great recipe.
Looks great! Can I assemble this ahead of time and then bake it before ready to serve?
Yes, up to 24 hours in advance.
Bread Pudding Is Delicious 😋, Thanks For Sharing.
I last ate Bread Pudding, it was called Bread and Butter Pudding then, for School Dinners some 62 years ago. Thing is, I cannot remember if I liked it. I know that I didn’t dislike it as I can Sago Pudding (nickname Frog Spawn) but the phot shown in the recipe above is the nearest I have ever seen of what was served then.
I have often seen recipes and wondered should I have a bash at it but yours is the first one I have seen which bears any resemblance to that from my formative years.
SO. I am going to do it. My bread is mostly (at least) a day old but I need to get Raisons and Cream. Maybe make a half menu amount and hopefully I may regret not making the full recipe.
Please come back and let me know how you like it, James!