Easy Bread Pudding Recipe

5 from 12 votes

This easy bread pudding recipe is the best - a vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old bread and baked to perfection! Learn how to make bread pudding in under 1 hour, it's the best way to turn day-old bread into an irresistible dessert! Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Author: Laura

Cost: $9

Equipment

Ingredients

12 ounces day-old brioche bread torn into pieces (about 8 cups of bread)
6 eggs (beaten)
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup salted butter (melted)
2 cups whole milk (room temperature)
2 cups heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 Tablespoons salted butterbutter (for greasing the pan)

Optional add-ins:

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).
Grease a 9x13” pan (23 x 33 cm). 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

Ingredient Notes & 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 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.

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!

Nutrition