This homemade bread pudding is just like Grandma used to make! Featuring a rich custard and a buttery homemade caramel sauce poured over the top, this dessert has classic comfort in every bite.
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This is a sponsored recipe created on behalf of Sara Lee® Bread.
What is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is a cozy dessert that makes the most of stale bread and pantry basics. Dried bread is soaked in custard and baked. Top with a quick homemade caramel and a scoop of ice cream for a comforting treat.
- Flavor: Rich, creamy, and full of cozy vanilla sweetness in every bite.
- Swaps: This version of bread pudding is great with eggnog in place of dairy. Swap the raisins for other dried fruit like apricots or dried cranberries.
- Serving Suggestions: Brunch or dessert? We most often enjoy bread pudding for dessert with ice cream, but it can be served for brunch as well.
Bread Pudding Basics
- Bread: Use any loaf of thickly sliced stale or day-old bread, like Sara Lee Artisano bread, French bread, braided bread, challah, or brioche. If your bread is fresh, dry it out in the oven at 200°F or let it sit out uncovered overnight.
- Custard Mixture: Large eggs and half and half (or light cream) are whisked with brown sugar and spices. You can add a pinch of cloves, nutmeg, or allspice for a more fragrant and spicy dish. Pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice? Yes, please!
- Variations: Bread pudding is a versatile base for other add-ins like walnuts, pecans, coconut, sugared cranberries, diced apples, or chocolate chips. Feel free to add some rum or bourbon to the caramel.
How to Make Bread Pudding
- Whisk eggs, cream, brown sugar, and spices per the recipe below.
- Toss with the bread cubes and gently stir in raisins.
- Place the mixture into a casserole dish and drizzle with melted butter.
- Bake until a knife inserted in the center is clean.
Tasty Toppings
- While bread pudding is often served with vanilla sauce, ours features a quick and easy homemade caramel sauce.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream will take this dessert to the next level.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and add a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
- Warmed pumpkin butter or apple butter, or a combo of both, can be drizzled on top
Love Your Leftovers
- Bread pudding can be served warm or at room temperature.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Freeze in single-serving sizes to make it easy to thaw and enjoy.
Cozy Fall and Winter Desserts
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Bread Pudding
- 10 slices thick-sliced bread stale or slightly dried
- 3 large eggs
- 1¾ cups half and half or light cream
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
For the Sauce
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the Bread Pudding:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 2.5-quart baking dish.
- Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. If the bread is fresh, place it on a baking sheet and bake for 4 to 6 minutes (or until slightly dried). Cool completely.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and raisins.
- In a large bowl combine the cooled bread cubes and raisins. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Gently mix until all the bread cubes are evenly coated.
- Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared baking dish. Drizzle melted butter over top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the Sauce:
- Make the sauce while the bread pudding is baking. Combine the brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and let boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and whisk in heavy cream. Allow to cool slightly.
- Drizzle the caramel sauce over the baked bread pudding and serve warm.
Notes
- Store leftover bread pudding in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3 to 4 days.
- You can freeze it for up to 2 to 3 months.
- You can replace the cream with eggnog.
- Nuts are a great addition to this recipe.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 442 | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 664IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
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The reciepe was a little hard to follow but it turned out good. Now that I have done it I think it will be better next time.
Thanks for trying our recipe, Wendy! Was there a specific step that was hard to follow that we could clarify for you?
Growing up my Mama made a bread pudding that was smooth in texture. She always mashed up the cubes with her hands after the wet ingredients were added. Then the pudding was baked, cooled and cut. We would eat it in squares out of the glass dish. Do you know of a recipe like described? Thank You! Enjoy your recipes!
That sounds very interesting SG. I have never tried a bread pudding like that but I hope you are able to find a recipe similar to it!
This looks yummy! What does ten slices of bread equal to in cups.
Hi Janet, you will need about 5-5½ cups of bread cubes for this recipe. Enjoy!
As usual her recipes are spot on. I had some bread that needed to be used so I went searching for a recipe on her website. Did not have raisins for some reason so I used some leftover blueberries and threw in chopped pecans. It was delicious! Next time I’ll cut back on the sugar as by the time you make the caramel syrup it’s pretty sugary All in all.. we’ll definitely do this recipe again.
I likewise have been going to make Bread Pudding for a while, so I have been looking at Recipes. Yours sounds Good to Me. I like Richness, so will probably use half and half creamer or possibly, Egg Nog. I want to add Spiced Rum, so how much do You think ?
Hi, half and half or egg nog would both taste great! I have never tried adding spiced rum but if you do, I would start with a small amount (2 tablespoons-4 tablespoons) and adjust if needed.
Let us know how it works out, D.K.!
Hello! My husband has been asking me to make bread pudding for a year (maybe longer). I can’t recall ever even trying bread pudding! I came across your recipe. I actually made it today…and for the first time. Delicious!! Next time I’ll add some rum. Give it a kick! Thank you for sharing it!
So glad you guys enjoyed it, Karlee! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Have not made yet but love the looks of this bread pudding! Going to try to make with eggnog!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for leaving a comment, Ang! We would love to know how it turns out for you! :)
When I worked for a large buffet chain, our signature dessert item was bread pudding topped with a vanilla sauce. We used carryover cinnamon & dinner rolls, which made it spectacular! When I make it at home, I combine the two by using cinnamon bread & it’s delicious.
Cinnamon bread is a delicious addition!!
Can this be made with 2% milk instead of cream?
Hi Sharlene, other readers have used milk (or even eggnog) instead of cream and had good results. You will have to let us know how it turns out for you!
Thanks for this recipe. My Mom loved this recipe as is. I like mine made using crushed Pineapples. I use to make them both for each of us, but haven’t in years. This reminds me of my Mom, and get into the kitchen and stir up a pan. Thanks!!!
That sounds delicious, Jackie! I love when recipes bring back happy memories, it is just so special ❤️
“COOK TIME 1 hour,” or “Bake 35 – 40 minutes”?
The actual time needed to cook the bread pudding is 35-40 minutes. “Cook time 1 hour” refers to the total cooking time needed for the recipe: Drying the bread out, cooking the pudding. Hope this helped!
Has anyone ever used chocolate chips in this recipe?
Sounds so good Lisa!