This easy bread pudding recipe is the best – a vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old bread and baked to perfection for a moist, rich and delicious treat! Learn how to make bread pudding in under 1 hour, it’s the best way to turn day-old bread into an irresistible dessert!

Since bread pudding is one of my husband’s favorite desserts, I made it my goal to create the best bread pudding recipe—and this is it! Made with just 9 simple ingredients in under 1 hour, this easy bread pudding recipe is moist with a rich vanilla flavor – a bakery-quality dessert that’s completely nostalgic.

It’s an old fashioned bread pudding recipe that’s perfect for holidays, gatherings, or weeknights. It’s moist with a rich vanilla flavor but not at all soggy!

Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce or chocolate sauce for a classic treat that always impresses (and don’t miss my croissant bread pudding and pumpkin bread pudding, yum)!

In this post I’ll show you exactly how to make bread pudding at home plus tips to fully customize it with cinnamon, raisins, or your favorite mix-ins os you can make it exactly how you like it! See what Jade says about this recipe:

What is Bread Pudding?

Bread pudding is a classic dessert made by baking cubes of bread in a rich, sweet custard made with milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. As it bakes, the bread soaks up the custard and transforms into a soft, creamy pudding with golden-brown, slightly crispy edges.

It’s traditionally made with day-old bread, which makes it a delicious way to use up leftover bread and reduce food waste! It’s usually served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.

You can customize it by using different bread like croissants to make croissant bread pudding, or add some flavor to the custard like pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to make pumpkin bread pudding!

Easy Bread Pudding Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

Let’s discuss the ingredients in this recipe, and possible substitutions.

• 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.

Best Bread for Bread Pudding

I personally think brioche bread is the best choice because it’s buttery and so good. But, you can use your favorite bread, many other variations work great including cinnamon bread, french bread, sourdough bread, and more. Be sure to use 12 oz of bread, or about 8 cups. Or, try this croissant bread pudding.

How to Make Bread Pudding (Step-by-Step)

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.

How to Make Bread Pudding Ahead of Time

At this point in making the recipe, once it’s fully assembled, cover it with either the lid of your baking dish or plastic wrap. Then, chill it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Remove it from the fridge and bake according to the recipe instructions – you may need to add up to 5 minutes of baking time to adjust for the colder temperature.

Then, bake the bread pudding, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.

How do you know when bread pudding is done?

You will know this recipe is done when the edges are light-golden brown and the top is set and only slightly jiggly. It should spring back when touched. Also, a cake tester or knife inserted into the center of the bread pudding should come out clean.

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.

How do you Store and Reheat Bread Pudding?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it gently in the microwave or in a covered dish in the oven set to warm.

Can you freeze bread pudding?

Yes absolutely. Freeze bread pudding in an airtight contianer for up to 2 months. You can reheat it the same way – either in the microwave or in a covered dish in the oven set to warm.

Bread Pudding Recipe FAQS

If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!

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