My first bread pudding recipe was a total disaster. I had some day-old French bread sitting around and decided to try making something special for Max's sleepover. What came out of the oven looked like soggy cereal floating in milk. The kids took one look and asked if we could just order pizza instead. That night taught me that bread pudding isn't just throwing bread and milk together. It took me months of trying different approaches to figure out how much liquid the bread could actually handle, and when to stop before everything turned into mush.
Why You'll Love This Bread Pudding Recipe
This bread pudding has saved me from throwing away stale bread so many times. When our loaf starts getting hard, Max gets excited because he knows bread pudding day is coming. You can use pretty much any bread you have - sandwich bread, brioche, even leftover dinner rolls work great. No need to buy special ingredients.
What I figured out after making this dozens of times is getting the custard just right. Too little liquid and you get dry, chunky bread. Too much and it turns into soup. This recipe gives you that perfect middle ground where the bread soaks up all the custard but still keeps its shape when you cut into it.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Bread Pudding Recipe
- Ingredients for Bread Pudding Recipe
- How To Make Bread Pudding Recipe Step By Step
- Smart Swaps for Bread Pudding Recipe
- Creative Twists on Bread Pudding Recipe
- Equipement For Bread Pudding Recipe
- Storing Your Bread Pudding Recipe
- Why This Bread Pudding Recipe Works
- Top Tip
- The Recipe My Grandma Wouldn't Let Me Forget
- FAQ
- Time for Your Kitchen Success!
- Related
- Pairing
- Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients for Bread Pudding Recipe
The Bread Base:
- Day-old bread
- Butter for greasing the pan
The Custard:
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Large eggs
- Sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Optional Add-ins:
- Raisins or dried fruit
- Chocolate chips
- Fresh berries
- Nuts
Basic Tools:
- 9x13 baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Bread Pudding Recipe Step By Step
Getting Started:
- Tear bread into bite-sized chunks
- Butter your baking dish well
- Spread bread pieces in the dish
- Preheat oven to 350°F
Making the Custard:
- Whisk eggs in large bowl until smooth
- Add sugar and whisk until combined
- Pour in milk and cream slowly
- Add vanilla, cinnamon, and salt
- Mix until everything's well blended
Assembly:
- Pour custard over bread pieces
- Press bread down gently so it soaks up liquid
- Let sit for 15-20 minutes before baking
- Add any dried fruit or chocolate chips now
Baking:
- Bake for 45-55 minutes
- Top should be golden and set in center
- Knife inserted should come out mostly clean
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving
Smart Swaps for Bread Pudding Recipe
Bread Options:
- White bread → Whole wheat or multigrain
- French bread → Brioche or challah
- Regular → Gluten-free bread (let it get extra stale)
- Plain → Cinnamon raisin bread
Dairy Swaps:
- Heavy cream → All milk (use whole milk for richness)
- Whole milk → 2% milk or plant milk
- Regular → Lactose-free versions
- Dairy → Coconut milk for dairy-free
Sweetener Changes:
- White sugar → Brown sugar for deeper flavor
- Regular → Maple syrup (reduce other liquids slightly)
- Sugar → Honey (use less, it's sweeter)
- Standard → Sugar substitute for diabetic-friendly
Egg Alternatives:
- Whole eggs → Just egg whites for lighter version
- Regular → Egg substitute for vegan option
- Standard → Extra milk if you're out of eggs
Creative Twists on Bread Pudding Recipe
Chocolate Lovers:
- Add chocolate chips to custard
- Use chocolate bread or brownies
- Drizzle with chocolate sauce
- Top with whipped cream
Fruit Favorites:
- Fresh berries mixed in
- Sliced bananas and cinnamon
- Dried cranberries and orange zest
- Apple chunks with extra cinnamon
Holiday Specials:
- Eggnog instead of regular milk
- Pumpkin puree and spice
- Rum extract for grown-ups
- Candied nuts on top
Breakfast Style:
- Maple syrup in the custard
- Crispy bacon pieces
- Coffee-soaked bread
- Brown butter drizzle
Equipement For Bread Pudding Recipe
- 9x13 baking dish or similar size
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk (or fork works too)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife for cutting bread
Storing Your Bread Pudding Recipe
Counter Storage (2 days):
- Cool completely before covering
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil
- Keep at room temperature
- Don't leave out longer than 2 days
Fridge Storage (5 days):
- Wrap well or use airtight container
- Reheat individual portions in microwave
- Add a splash of milk when reheating if it seems dry
- Tastes great cold too
Freezer Storage (3 months):
- Cut into portions before freezing
- Wrap each piece individually
- Label with date
- Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating
Reheating Tips:
- Microwave works best for single servings
- Oven at 300°F for larger portions
- Add a little milk or cream if it's dried out
- Don't reheat more than once
Why This Bread Pudding Recipe Works
From making this recipe hundreds of times and watching other people's attempts fail, I've figured out exactly why this version succeeds when others don't. The biggest difference is understanding how bread actually behaves when it gets wet. Most people use fresh bread, which just turns into mush the second you pour custard over it. Stale bread has lost enough moisture that it can absorb liquid without completely falling apart. It's like a sponge that's been wrung out - it has structure but can still soak up flavors.
The custard ratio took me years to get right, and it's what makes or breaks the whole dish. Too much milk and you get watery soup with Bread Pudding Recipe floating in it. Too much cream and it's so rich you can only eat one bite. The eggs are tricky too - enough to set everything but not so many that it tastes like scrambled eggs with bread chunks. This recipe hits that sweet spot where the custard sets during baking but stays creamy, while the bread keeps its shape but soaks up all the vanilla and cinnamon flavors.
Top Tip
- Max and I discovered our favorite addition to bread pudding completely by accident last summer. I was making a batch for a neighbor's potluck, and Max was "helping" by organizing my spice cabinet. He knocked over a small bottle of almond extract right into the custard mixture. I was ready to dump it out and start over, but Max begged me to just try it.
- That tiny bit of almond extract - maybe half a teaspoon - added this amazing depth that made everyone at the potluck ask what was different about my Bread Pudding Recipe It doesn't taste like almonds exactly, just adds this warm, sweet note that makes the vanilla pop even more. Now we always add it, and it's become our signature touch.
- Our other discovery happened when we ran out of regular sugar one day and used brown sugar instead. The slight molasses flavor made it taste more like caramel, which Max said was "way better than the regular kind." Now we use half white sugar and half brown sugar every time. People always comment that our bread pudding tastes richer than others, but they can never figure out why.
The Recipe My Grandma Wouldn't Let Me Forget
My grandmother made bread pudding every Sunday after church, and she was determined to teach me the right way to do it. I was about twelve when she decided I was old enough to learn, and she'd stand behind me at the stove, correcting every move I made. "Don't just dump that custard in there," she'd say, guiding my hands. "Let the Bread Pudding Recipe tell you when it's ready." Back then I thought she was being overly picky, but now I understand she was teaching me to actually pay attention to what was happening.
The recipe itself wasn't written down anywhere she kept it all in her head and hands. She'd crack eggs by feel, measure milk by eye, and somehow always knew exactly when the Bread Pudding Recipe had soaked up enough custard. When she got sick, I panicked thinking I'd lose all that knowledge. So I spent weeks in her kitchen, making batch after batch while she coached me through every step.
FAQ
What are the ingredients for bread pudding?
Basic bread pudding needs day-old bread, eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. You can add cream for richness, cinnamon for spice, and mix-ins like raisins or chocolate chips. The key is using stale bread that can absorb the custard without falling apart completely.
What are the 4 ingredients in old fashioned bread and butter pudding?
Traditional bread and butter pudding uses just bread, butter, milk, and eggs. Some versions add sugar as a fifth ingredient. The bread is buttered, layered in a dish, then covered with a simple custard made from beaten eggs and milk before baking until set.
What makes bread pudding so good?
Bread pudding transforms stale bread into creamy, custardy comfort food. The contrast between the soft, soaked interior and slightly crispy top creates amazing texture. Plus it's nostalgic - the vanilla and cinnamon smells remind people of home baking and childhood memories.
How to make bread pudding in South Africa?
South African bread pudding often uses local ingredients like rusks or beskuit instead of regular bread, and may include apricot jam or dried fruit. The basic method remains the same - soak the bread base in custard, add local flavors, and bake until golden and set.
Time for Your Kitchen Success!
Now you have all the secrets to perfect bread pudding recipe from choosing the right Bread Pudding Recipe to our accidental almond extract discovery. This humble dessert proves that some of the best recipes come from using what you already have at home instead of buying fancy ingredients.
Craving more comfort desserts? Try our The Best Matcha Recipe that disappears as fast as you can bake them. Need something for special occasions? Our Healthy French onion soup recipe always impresses guests. Want another way to use up leftovers? Our Delicious Burrito Recipe turns bruised apples into something amazing!
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Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Tear bread and grease baking dish.
- Set oven to 350°F to preheat.
- Whisk eggs, sugar, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour custard over bread, press down, and let soak 15-20 minutes.
- Add optional mix-ins like raisins or chocolate chips.
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