Easy Bread Pudding Recipe

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This Easy Bread Pudding Recipe is the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth! The sweet and creamy dessert takes stale bread and turns it into a decadent treat soaked in vanilla sauce.

Warm flavors of nutmeg and cinnamon soak into pieces of leftover bread to make this homemade pudding, all covered in a lovely vanilla sauce. The flavor of the pudding is totally addicting. For someone with a sweet tooth, the sauce is definitely necessary too. It adds even more great flavor and moisture to the dish!

Why You’ll Love This Cozy Bread Pudding Recipe

  • Tested and perfected. I tested this bread pudding quite a bit to make sure it was the best! I played around with the amount of milk and eggs, in particular. I found that it was far better without too much milk or eggs. Too much milk that didn’t soak into the bread ended up leaving a watery layer in the final pudding that looked kind of separated. Too many eggs and it tasted more like breakfast and very eggy.
  • Old fashioned flavor. The final recipe turned out perfect. It tastes just like the one Grandma used to make! Nothing beats an old fashioned dessert done right.
Freshly baked bread pudding in a pan next to two cinnamon sticks.

What You’ll Need

I love the simple, universal ingredient list for this recipe. It’s such a satisfying dessert, and you can make it on a whim with all ingredients accounted for!

For the Bread Pudding

  • Day-Old Bread: You’ll need 6 cups of cubed, stale bread. You can use any kind you have on hand –  french, challah, brioche, regular sliced, etc.
  • Milk: I prefer whole milk, but you could use 2% as well. Milk is such a big part of this recipe, it’s best to go with high fat to get the best result.
  • Eggs
  • Sugar
  • Butter
  • Vanilla Extract: Plenty of vanilla extract adds incredible flavor so that your pudding doesn’t just taste like milk and eggs.
  • Ground Cinnamon: This warm spice is a must!
  • Ground Nutmeg: The nutmeg is also a must. It adds a subtle flavor that really elevates the bread pudding and gives it something extra.

For the Vanilla Sauce

  • Butter: Half a cup (1 stick).
  • Sugar
  • Heavy Whipping Cream: For that lovely creaminess.
  • Vanilla Extract

What Kind of Bread to Use

I tested this recipe with several different breads. I found that fresh bakery breads that had gotten stale were much fluffier in the end than a regular sliced loaf of bread. I much preferred the fluffy texture, so that would be my recommended bread.

However, bread pudding is great for using up stale bread, and just about any bread will work! Feel free to use whatever kind is available.

A square of bread pudding on a plate with the rest of the pudding in the background.

How to Make Bread Pudding

For such a luxurious dessert, bread pudding is seriously simple to prepare. Just soak your bread and leave the rest to your oven! The sauce that goes on top is made in under 5 minutes, too.

  1. Grease Pan: Grease an 8×8-inch casserole dish and set aside.
  2. Assemble Bread in Pan: Cut the bread into 1-inch chunks and spread them evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish.
  3. Add Milk & Egg Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, getting all the bread wet from the mixture.
  4. Let Soak: Let the bread sit for 20-25 minutes to soak up the milk and egg mixture.
  5. Bake: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Once preheated, bake for 50-55 minutes and remove from the oven when done.
  6. Make Vanilla Sauce: While the bread pudding cooks, make the vanilla sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on low heat, then add the sugar, cream and vanilla extract. Slowly cook over low heat while stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
  7. Drizzle Over Pudding & Serve: Remove the sauce from the heat and drizzle it over the warm bread pudding.

How to Tell When Your Pudding is Done Cooking

When bread pudding is done baking, it should be jiggly, but set. The center should rise fully, so if it hasn’t yet, it probably needs a little more bake time. Everyone’s oven is different, so keep an eye on the pudding and adjust accordingly.

Homemade bread pudding in a white and blue pan.

Variation Ideas

There are so many yummy things you can mix into your bread pudding. Want some ideas? Here are some of my favorite ways to put a spin on this classic recipe.

  • Add Dried Fruit: Raisins, craisins or golden raisins make a great addition. You could even add other dried fruits like like pineapple or cherries.
  • Chocolate Bread Pudding: I always find a way to sneak chocolate into my desserts! And this one is no exception. Try adding chocolate chips to your pudding and topping it with Homemade Chocolate Sauce.
  • Add Nuts: To give this creamy bread pudding a satisfying crunch, add in some toasted walnuts or pecans.
  • Boozy Bread Pudding: Adding a few tablespoons of rum or bourbon to your pudding is a great way to amp up the flavor!

Tips for the Best Bread Pudding

If you’ve never made bread pudding before, that’s okay. These tips will help your first batch come out perfect!

  • Let the Bread Fully Soak: You need to have the right balance of bread to liquid, and the bread should be stale. If the bread doesn’t soak up all the liquid, you end up with that strange separated layer. When you first add the liquid to the pan, your bread will be afloat. After sitting and soaking, it should be very moist but no longer floating.
  • What if I Only Have Fresh Bread? If your bread isn’t stale, spread it evenly on a baking sheet and put it in a 200°F oven for 15 minutes. You want to be sure that it’s stale so it really soaks up the milk and egg mixture.
  • Cook Sauce on Low Heat: You don’t want the burner to be too hot when you’re cooking the vanilla sauce; keep it at low heat the whole time.
  • For a Crispy Top: If you want your bread pudding to be crisp on top, just bake it for an extra 2-4 minutes with the oven turned up to 400°F and the pan moved up to the top rack.
A single serving of bread pudding sitting on a plate on top of a blue napkin.

Serving Suggestions

This flexible dessert can be served in any number of delicious ways. These simple ideas will make it feel extra special!

  • Top with Whipped Cream: A dollop of Homemade Whipped Cream adds the perfect finishing touch to bread pudding.
  • Serve with Another Sauce: You don’t have to make the vanilla sauce for this dessert if you don’t want to. It tastes amazing with Salted Caramel Sauce too!
  • Top with Ice Cream: A warm and creamy treat like bread pudding calls for a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream to go with it. Yum!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

I recommend eating a serving of this bread pudding while it’s fresh, but the leftovers are also delicious.

  • Store in the fridge: Refrigerated bread pudding will keep for up to 5 days. I would not recommend freezing bread pudding.
  • To reheat: Place individual portions in the microwave for 45 seconds, repeating and adjusting the time accordingly until the pudding is warmed through. The sauce can be reheated alongside the pudding and then drizzled on top.

More Easy Pudding Recipes

Want some other classic dessert recipes that won’t disappoint? Start with these!

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One Serving of Bread Pudding on a White Plate
Recipe

Easy Bread Pudding

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
  • Yield: 9
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: British

Description

Satisfy your sweet tooth using basic kitchen ingredients with this Easy Bread Pudding Recipe! This sweet and creamy dessert takes stale bread and turns it into a decadent, comforting treat.


Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding

  • 6 cups cubed stale bread (french, challah, brioche, regular sliced)
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup (207g) sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

For the Vanilla Sauce

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Grease an 8×8-inch casserole dish and set aside.
  2. Cut bread into 1-inch chunks and spread evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, getting all the bread wet from the mixture.
  4. Let the bread sit for 20-25 minutes to soak up the milk and egg mixture.
  5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Bake for 50-55 minutes. It should be jiggly, but set. The center should rise fully, so if it hasn’t yet, it might need a little more bake time. Remove from oven when done.
  6. While the bread pudding cooks, make the vanilla sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan on low heat, then add the sugar, cream and vanilla extract.
  7. Slowly cook over low heat while stirring until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
  8. Remove the sauce from the heat and serve warm over the bread pudding.

Notes

To make this in a 9×13 pan, use one and a half recipes worth.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 646
  • Sugar: 52.3 g
  • Sodium: 577.9 mg
  • Fat: 20.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 100 g
  • Protein: 13.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 104.5 mg

Categories

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203 Comments
  1. Amy

    My sister was visiting from California and made a dessert with the simple easy ingredients that you mentioned! What a great surprise how good this was! She is picky and absolutely loved this recipe. Will definitely make this again. Thanks.






  2. Carol Brown

    With us being snowbound, the grandkids wanted something to do. We was looking through receipe and found this one. The only vanilla I had was homemade vanilla bean paste. That was the final test. We all fell in love with this recipe. This is going to be the only bread pudding we will make. Thank you for sharing

  3. Rose S

    Simple and easy recipe. It came out great! Note: I’d run out of cinnamon/nutmeg so subbed Speculaas Spice mix from King Arthur. I even made the vanilla sauce (for the first time ever). What a lovely snack on a winter’s day!






  4. Lesley M

    I do love this recipe, a long with all the suggested variations. Bread pudding is one of my holiday favorites and I’ve played with many recipes over the years. Have you ever used half-and-half instead of milk? Mostly just curious why milk seems the preferred way to go, I would think half-and-half would help it be more “custardy”.






    1. Lindsay

      I’m glad you enjoy it. As for half and half, I don’t think I tested it. It’s possibly it could be a little thicker and custardy. I think you just have to be careful that it doesn’t get too heavy though. You could certainly try it and see what you think.

  5. Justine Schaefer

    This pudding was by far the best bread pudding I’ve made, and I’ve made a few! It was so light and fluffy, the spices gave it character, and the unctuous vanilla sauce brings it to a new level of deliciousness. I did halve the amount of sugar in the pudding itself since the sauce was very sweet, and I used raw sugar in the sauce which gave it a caramel like character. This is definitely a keeper!






  6. Ruth Lake

    This recipe was a big hit for my dad’s 90 th birthday party. I added sliced apples to your exact recipe with a little extra cinnamon and baked in a Bundt pan. I made 2 and shaped one Bundt into a 9 and the other into an 0 and topped with ziplock piped purchased caramel dip. I love how it was easy to make, sliced to serve, and was the most raved about dessert in terms of taste!






  7. Caitlin

    The absolute best! I cannot tell you how much my family loves this recipe. We have been using this recipe for literally any holiday gathering. My grandaddy and I also use this recipe in lieu of having a birthday cake. Question though! I am wanting to put a Thanksgiving twist to this and add some apples…. Any suggestions of doing this? Not sure if I need to do fresh or dried apples and/or if I should adjust any measurements in that case. Any advise is appreciated!






    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad you enjoy it! Someone actually commented right below you about having added thinly sliced apples. Fresh apples would probably work best and you shouldn’t need to make other adjustments.

  8. Joan Kidd

    I do love this recipe!! I made it late this afternoon to eat for dessert. I added thinly sliced apple and dotted it with a little bit of cream cheese here and there. It turned out Absolutely fabulous! Will definitely make this again and add the raisins and the apples.

  9. Barbara

    This recipe is amazing! I think it’s spot on. The only thing I would change is the amount of sugar in the vanilla sauce. I have a big sweet tooth and the 1 cup of sugar in the vanilla sauce was way to sweet for me. Make no mistake, it’s delicious but to sweet for me. Next time, I’ll try 1/2 cup of sugar and make adjustments if need be.
    Try this recipe if you love bread pudding, you won’t regret it!

  10. Dee Dee

    I love bread pudding but never made it. I like that your recipe seems very easy so I can’t wait to try it. I just have one question. I love a whiskey cream sauce with bread pudding. Can I add whiskey to your sauce or will it curdle the milk? Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    1. Lindsay

      The whiskey should be fine. Just swap out some of the cream. I hope you enjoy it! We just made it yesterday and love it!

      1. Dee Dee

        Thanks so much Lindsay. I’m going to give it a try and I’ll let you know how mine turns out. Can’t wait. It’s turning chilly in Minnesota so this will hit the spot. 😋

  11. GE

    I have left over ciabatta and english muffins, can I use these other type of breads? Can I mix different kinds based of what I have? Thank you.

  12. Teresa

    Made 2 batches, one for home and one for family. It was a phenomenal hit with everyone! They were having 2 and 3 servings, that’s how delicious this bread pudding is.
    Don’t hesitate to try this recipe. But make it exactly as written and you’ll be the star when you bring this out onto your table!
    Thank you for formulating a fantastic tasting bread pudding!






Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29