Best Bread Pudding Recipe

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This is the best bread pudding recipe – a vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old bread and baked to perfection! Learn how to make bread pudding that is moist & delicious. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for a crowd-pleasing dessert!

a slice of bread pudding on a plate topped with vanilla ice cream, garnished with berries


Bread pudding is a nostalgic and cozy dessert. It’s so easy to make with 9 simple ingredients, but tastes absolutely gourmet!

This bread pudding recipe is truly the best. A rich, vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old brioche bread (or bread of your choosing) and baked to perfection. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, you will wow family and friends with this delectable treat.

In this post you will learn how to make bread pudding at home that’s fully customizable. Add cinnamon, raisins, or mix-ins of your choosing to make it your own.

Bread Pudding in a baking dish

Bread Pudding: Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead photo of the ingredients in this Bread Pudding recipe
  • 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.
bread pudding in a baking dish with pieces removed so you can see the texture

How to Make Bread Pudding

We’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by preheating your oven and greasing a 9×13” baking dish (preferably glass or ceramic). Then, arrange the torn bread pieces in the pan evenly.

torn pieces of bread in a baking dish

Next, whisk the eggs together in a large bowl.

two photos showing How to Make Bread Pudding - eggs in a bowl before and after whisking

Then, whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the eggs until it’s mostly dissolved.

two photos showing How to Make Bread Pudding - whisking sugars into 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.

two photos showing How to Make Bread Pudding - adding wet ingredients.

Then, pour the custard mixture over the bread in the baking dish.

Gently press the bread down with a spatula until every piece is absorbing the liquid.

two photos showing How to Make Bread Pudding - pouring custard over torn bread pieces in the baking dish

Then, bake the bread pudding, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is set and springs back lightly when pressed.

Serve

Once it has finished baking, let the bread pudding cool slightly. Then serve it warm with whipped cream, homemade vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, etc.

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!

bread pudding on a plate with a bite taken out of it, topped with vanilla ice cream

Bread Pudding Recipe FAQS

Is bread pudding best eaten hot or cold?

It’s best eaten warm – always a la mode!

Do you eat bread pudding with a spoon or fork?

Either one – it’s a totally personal choice. I like to eat it with a spoon to scoop up every last drop!

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, double the ingredients and bake in two, 9×13″ baking pans.

bread pudding on a plate with a bite taken out of it, topped with vanilla ice cream

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Easy Bread Pudding Recipe

Laura
This is the best bread pudding recipe – a vanilla-infused custard is poured over day-old bread and baked to perfection! Learn how to make bread pudding that is moist & delicious. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for a crowd-pleasing dessert!
5 from 9 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 Servings
Calories 246
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes

Ingredients  

Optional add-ins:

  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup raisins

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Grease a 9×13” pan. 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.
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

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 665IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe Rating




8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Loved this bread pudding. I used French bread. Topped each serving with powdered sugar. Will definitely make again. 👍

  2. 5 stars
    The BEST bread pudding ever. I love the simplicity and creaminess. Only change I made was I used a can of evaporated milk and topped it off with whipping cream to make 2 cups. Then added the 2 cups of whipping cream. I made a cinnamon sauce to drizzle over the top and added some whip cream on top of that. Everyone loved it!!!

  3. 5 stars
    So I assembled this ahead of time and baked it after dinner. It was a hit! So delicious! Topped it with whipped cream. Perfect dessert for winter time, a warm, vanilla delight. Thanks for a great recipe.

  4. I last ate Bread Pudding, it was called Bread and Butter Pudding then, for School Dinners some 62 years ago. Thing is, I cannot remember if I liked it. I know that I didn’t dislike it as I can Sago Pudding (nickname Frog Spawn) but the phot shown in the recipe above is the nearest I have ever seen of what was served then.
    I have often seen recipes and wondered should I have a bash at it but yours is the first one I have seen which bears any resemblance to that from my formative years.
    SO. I am going to do it. My bread is mostly (at least) a day old but I need to get Raisons and Cream. Maybe make a half menu amount and hopefully I may regret not making the full recipe.