This quick and easy Bread Pudding with warm vanilla sauce is comfort food at its best. It’s just as good as you remember grandma’s creamy custard bread pudding. Although grandma loved to make it with raisins, I prefer it without. Make with or without raisins to suit your taste.
My family and friends love this dish. If you love it as much as we do, try croissant bread pudding, French toast casserole, ham and cheese quiche.
What is Bread Pudding?
Bread Pudding is a bread-based dessert made with milk or cream, eggs, sugar, and warm spices. It bakes up into a warm custard with a fluffy texture. Top it with vanilla cream sauce, caramel sauce, rum sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Bread: I like to use day-old bread. Challah or brioche bread are my favorites, but you can use French bread, sandwich bread, or croissants.
- Butter: salted or unsalted
- Eggs: large ones are best; if using smaller eggs, add more to compensate for the difference in size. Check out this egg-size conversion chart.
- Milk: preferably whole milk for a rich custard
- Sugars: both granulated and brown
- Spices: warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg
- Vanilla extract: use the pure stuff for the best flavor
- Heavy cream: or whipping cream
How to Make Bread Pudding
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Cut a day-old loaf of challah bread or brioche into bite-size pieces. Lay them in a casserole dish greased with butter. Whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Pour the custard mixture over the bread, cover, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the custard.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the custard is set and the bread pudding is lightly browned. Let the bread pudding cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. It will bubble a lot, so it needs constant stirring. Remove from the heat, and let it cool for 10 minutes before stirring in the vanilla. Be careful it may still bubble up. Serve the bread pudding with the warm vanilla sauce poured over the top. Pour on individual slices if you think you might have leftovers.
Preparation Tips
- Day-old or slightly stale bread is ideal for soaking up lots of the custard, but remember that you don’t want it so stale that it won’t absorb anything.
- The milk and eggs should be at room temperature so that when you add the butter, it stays melted and does not solidify.
- Bread pudding can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and reheated, but withhold the sauce until the day of. Store the casserole tightly covered in the fridge. Remove the casserole 45 minutes before reheating to bring it to room temperature. Cover with foil and reheat at 275 degrees until warm or about 30 minutes.
Storage
- Store bread pudding tightly covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze baked bread pudding, withhold the sauce till the day of serving. Cover the baking dish with 2 layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Store the casserole tightly covered in the fridge. Remove the casserole 45 minutes before reheating to bring it to room temperature. Cover with foil and reheat at 275 degrees until warm or about 30 minutes.
Flavor Variations
- Add dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, cherries, or blueberries. I do not recommend fresh fruit because of the moisture content.
- Try adding chopped nuts like pecans, almonds, or walnuts.
- Mix in dried pineapple and shredded coconut for a Hawaiian vibe.
- Add dried cranberries and orange extract for a holiday pudding.
- Replace the whole milk with eggnog for a delicious Christmas bread pudding.
Try These Next
Best Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 8-9 cups Day old Challah or Brioche Bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 tablespoons butter melted and slightly cooled
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ½ cups milk room temperature preferably whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup golden raisins optional
Vanilla Sauce
- ½ cup butter salted or unsalted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9×13-inch casserole dish with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
- Add the bread cubes to the prepared casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, cover, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the custard.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the custard is set and the bread pudding is lightly browned. Let the bread pudding cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. It will bubble a lot, so it needs constant stirring. Remove from the heat, and let it cool for 10 minutes before stirring in the vanilla. Be careful it may still bubble up.
- Serve the bread pudding with the warm vanilla sauce poured over the top. Pour on individual slices if you think you might have leftovers.
Video
Notes
- Day-old or slightly stale bread is ideal for soaking up lots of the custard, but remember that you don’t want it so stale that it won’t absorb anything.
- The milk and eggs should be at room temperature so that when you add the butter, it stays melted and does not solidify.
- Bread pudding can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and reheated, but withhold the sauce until the day of. Store the casserole tightly covered in the fridge. Remove the casserole 45 minutes before reheating to bring it to room temperature. Cover with foil and reheat at 275 degrees until warm or about 30 minutes.
Nutrition
On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Marie
This turned out really good. Beautiful texture and the flavor was just lovely.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Marie! I am so happy that you liked it.
Catherine A
I tried your Bread Pudding recipe over the weekend, and it was absolutely delicious! The texture was spot on, and it reminded me of the classic dessert my grandmother used to make.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Catherine! I am so glad that you liked it1
Sandra
Made this for dessert last night and it turned out really good! The kids loved it!
Sonya K
I’d love to try the bread pudding with warm vanilla sauce recipe. It sounds absolutely delicious! I totally agree about the raisins – I prefer the pudding without them as well. This recipe is definitely worth trying for a cosy and nostalgic treat!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sonya! Enjoy!
Erica B
This was so delicious, it was like eating a cloud! I loved the way the flavors blended together, I couldn’t stop eating it! I need a bigger batch next time!
Beth Pierce
I feel the same way, Erica!
Tisha
I haven’t had bread pudding in forever, this really brought back memories from home and my grandmother making it often
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tisha! Food can be so nostalgic.
Krystle S
I love this recipe! It was so comforting and satisfying – just like a warm hug from grandma herself.
Kristine
My grandmother used to make this a couple times per week. She would use up all the old bread she had made, and it was fantastic! Thanks for the reminder, and I will pin and print!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kristine! Enjoy!
Paul
Awesome bread pudding. We loved the vanilla recipe. Fantastic dessert. We will make it again and again.
Melissa
Absolutely loved your recipe! Super easy to follow, even for someone not into cooking like me. The bread pudding turned out incredible—moist, flavorful, and just the right hint of sweetness. Thanks for making it so fuss-free. Looking forward to more no-fuss recipes from you!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Melissa! I am so glad that you liked it.
Khush
So yummy! This bread pudding is as good as my Grandmas. Thank you, Beth.
Darlene
I made it and all my family and friends loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Darlene!
Michelle
My family devoured it, and they were impressed with the warm vanilla sauce—it took the whole experience to another level!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Michelle! I am so glad that they liked it.
Cindy
What a beautiful dessert! This is a must make for bread pudding lovers.
Nancy
This bread pudding was so delicious and easy to make. It was the perfect comfort for my stressful week at work. Thank you!