Easy Bread Pudding is one of our favorite dessert recipes.
This delicious dish is just like Grandma used to make, the perfect bread pudding with simple classic flavors.
We add in raisins (or pecans) and top with a little bit of ice cream and caramel for the perfect end to any meal!
I have partnered with Sara Lee® Bread to bring you the best bread pudding recipe ever!
Easy Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is a classic dessert that is simple to make with very few ingredients and everyone always loves it!
What is bread pudding?! A traditional bread pudding is made with cubed bread tossed in a simple custard (egg/milk mixture) and baked until golden. There are definitely other types of bread pudding (like the Pumpkin Bread Pudding we serve each fall) but there really is nothing like the classic version.
To make a great bread pudding recipe, having the right ratio of bread to custard is essential to get the right texture. While the ratio is important, the bread you use in your bread pudding can also make or break your dish.
This dish is simple and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients so using quality ingredients really makes it shine.
Since the bread is the base of this recipe, it’s really important to use a great bread! You want a bread that will stand up well (so your dish doesn’t get mushy) and that has great flavor and texture on its own so it actually adds to the flavor of the dessert.
The texture of Sara Lee® Artesano™ Golden Wheat Bread is light enough to absorb all of the creamy custard, and sliced thickly enough to retain that great texture while you bake it!! I love using this Artesano Golden Wheat Bread because it has a touch of honey, olive oil and sea salt and is made without the use of high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, or artificial flavors! It’s the perfect base for this delicious homemade bread pudding recipe!
Bread Pudding Sauce
This dessert is often served with a bread pudding sauce. A lot of old fashioned bread pudding recipes add in a rum sauce, but I found that my homemade caramel sauce is the perfect kid friendly drizzle!
My kids absolutely adored this recipe; the proof was in the pudding! :)
How to Make Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is really simple to make! I start by cutting my bread into cubes and letting it bake a few minutes while I mix the custard mixture. This is very similar to a French toast mixture, usually containing eggs, milk, and cinnamon.
Simply toss the bread pudding with the custard mixture (to make sure every morsel gets coated) and spread it into your pan. A little drizzle of butter before baking adds great flavor!
We love raisins but if raisins aren’t your thing, you can substitute pecans, walnuts or coconut.
Bread pudding can be served warm or room temperature. If you happen to have leftovers (which never happens around here) cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftover bread pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months, I keep it in single serving size to make it easy to defrost and enjoy!
Easy Bread Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 slices Artesano Golden Wheat Bread
- ½ cup raisins
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups light cream
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch baking dish.
- Cut bread into 1″ pieces and place on a baking sheet. Bake 4 minutes (or until slightly dried) and cool.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Add raisins and toss lightly. (I recommend using your hands for this to avoid bread breaking up).
- Place the bread mixture in baking dish. Drizzle butter over the mixture.
- Bake 35 – 40 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve warm or room temperature
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sara Lee® Bread. The opinions and text are all mine.
I made this with a stale loaf of whole heat Texas toast. Rather than cube the bread, I spread each slice thickly with cream cheese and made a layer of slices on the bottom of the dish,then added a layer of mixed dried berries and another layer of bread and cream cheese. Delicious!
That sounds amazing Ali!
It was! I’ve also made it tis way wth sliced peaches added between the layers. Definitely recommended!
❤️
cant wait to make bread pudding…
This looks delish! Do you have a boozy recipe?
I don’t Juanita, but I have added ¼ cup of alcohol to the batter, so pick your favorite! I’ve also topped it with a boozy sauce, like a butter rum sauce! Enjoy!
I doubled the vanilla and added a teaspoon of nutmeg – delicious and super easy to make!
(Update) My third time making this, now – I replaced the cream with 1 and a 1/2 cups of eggnog and a 1/4 cup of Baileys liqueur. And used cinnamon raisin bread in lieu of plain bread and separate raisins – and WOW. Incredibly delicious
Best bread pudding recipe yet… I used whole milk, which turned out fine…. I love how it only uses 3 eggs. I’ll def try some dried fruit next time!
Thanks!
Can this be made ahead of time and kept in fridge and then reheated? Should it be baked first or not? Thank you.
This can be prepared earlier and baked later or reheated. If baking from the fridge, you’ll need to add a little bit of cook time if it is cold.
Is there a way to make this ahead of time? Mix ingredients then bake later this evening.
Yes, that will work just fine. If it’s chilled from the fridge you may need to add extra cook time (I would suggest taking it out of the fridge at least 30min before baking).
I like the recipe and I plan on using this
I have 18% cream, can that work and should I use the same measurement (1 3/4 cups) and also can this recipe accommodate maraschino cherries?
That cream should work well Ana. We haven’t tried this recipe with maraschino cherries but it should work well. We’d love to hear how it turns out for you!
Excellent way to use up old or questionable bread. I used 1tsp chai extract instead of vanilla and cinnamon. It’s PHENOMENAL!!!
Chai extract?? Well, that sounds exactly like something I need in my life!!
Hello first time making this recipe. Sounds and looks very good. Bread pudding is 9ne of my favorite deserts. Thank you for sharing.
This came out wonderful. I added 1 tsp dried cardamom powder, which made it smell amazing. I used a box of stale croissants (about 8), let them soak up the mix for a few minutes before going into the oven. This was fast too, only about 10 min prep and 30 minutes cooking, overall less than an hours time total. Very good!
i was gonna make the bread pudding altho using a 9×13 pan , wonderinghow much more ingreds. would i need to add
Hi Marie, I have never tried this recipe in a 9×13 pan. But the volume is almost double compared to a 8-inch baking dish so I would close to double the recipe. Or if making with the existing recipe it will be a lot thinner spread in the pan so it will cook faster. I would check if it was done around halfway through and continue to check every so often.
Need recipes suitable for diabetic diet
Hi Machelle, as we don’t follow a diabetic diet I am not sure which recipes would be suitable for you. Hopefully you are able to find something that works!
Love bread pudding
“Swerve” (brand name) is an all natural sugar substitute. It measures, caramelizes and browns like sugar without the aftertaste like other sugar alternatives. It is also keto friendly. Although this recipe is labeled “recipes spend with pennies” it’s price point is healthier than granulated sugar. If you like your sweets but are concerned about your blood sugar & insulin levels, Swerve is for you. It is also available in brown sugar.
Thanks for the info, Tammy :)
Love all recipes especially crockpot and instant pot recipes. Easy meals , side dishes, desserts and anything that uses simple everyday ingredients
This sounds so good. Can I use left over Italian bread? How many cups of bread should I use?
Hi Linda, we have only made this recipe as listed but Italian bread sounds like a delicious substitute. You will need about 5-5 1/2 cups of bread cubes for this recipe.
Delicious! We used our favourite store bought sourdough, and made a caramel sauce to top it. Divine and definitely recommend! Boyfriend: “It tasted good. 4/5”
My husband loves bread pudding. We always try new recipes. Thank you.
These instructions were Truly a simple way to follow. Thanks for sharing the guide. 5 Stars Thumbs up!
Very easy to make with easy to find ingredients.
Thanks Marguerite! So happy these worked out for you.