Bread Pudding (2024)

Every home cook needs a go-to bread pudding recipe. This traditional version is decadent, delicious, and easy to make with basic ingredients. It will quickly find a permanent home in your recipe box.

What Is Bread Pudding?

Bread pudding is a dessert made with slightly stale bread and custard. The no-waste dish is so old, nobody knows quite when or where it originated. People in 13th-century England called it "poor man's pudding" because the cooks who made it couldn't afford to throw any ingredients away.

How to Make Bread Pudding

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this top-rated bread pudding recipe:

1. Place bread cubes in a baking pan, then drizzle them with melted butter. Sprinkle raisins on top, if desired.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients together. Pour the mixture over the bread.
3. Bake in a preheated oven until the bread is golden brown.

Best Bread for Bread Pudding

The best bread for bread pudding is a slightly stale loaf that would otherwise go to waste. Of course, some breads are better suited for bread pudding than others.

Opt for a hearty and sturdy loaf that can stand up to the rich custard without falling apart. Challah, brioche, sourdough, or French bread are all fantastic choices. Basically, any bread that would work well for French toast will also work well for bread pudding.

Bread Pudding (2)

How to Store Bread Pudding

Allow the bread pudding to cool completely after baking. Cover tightly or transfer to a shallow, airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Can You Freeze Bread Pudding?

Yes, you can freeze bread pudding for up to three months. It's best to bake the bread pudding in a foil pan if you plan to freeze it. Allow it to cool, then wrap the whole thing tightly in a layer of storage wrap and at least one layer of foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Freeze any extra sauce separately.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"I really like this recipe as written," says cmadd. "It is easy and I always have ingredients on hand. I love this for breakfast too! Thanks for sharing … it is delicious!"

"Wow, this was so good," raves sweettea. "I just made it tonight because I had a loaf of stale sourdough bread and I couldn't bear to keep looking at it. This recipe is great, and I added some cranberries I had in the fridge instead of raisins."

"It turned out just perfect," according to Meagan Kellermann-Brown. "We used day-old Italian bread from the bakery and semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of raisins. We didn't change anything else about the recipe."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Bread Pudding (2024)

FAQs

What is bread pudding sauce made of? ›

A traditional bread pudding sauce is made from just a few simple ingredients: milk, sugar, vanilla extract and cornstarch. Variations of vanilla bread pudding sauce includes rum sauce, bourbon sauce, caramel sauce and lemon sauce.

What does bread pudding taste like? ›

As you can probably tell just by looking at the list of ingredients, this classic bread pudding tastes a lot like French toast, albeit with a softer, more custard-like texture and creamier flavor. You will taste sweet cream and vanilla which gets soaked up with the eggs by the brioche bread.

How do you know when bread pudding is done? ›

Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Another way to judge whether the pudding is fully baked, is to gently press down on the center of the pudding. If any custard comes up to the top, the pudding needs to be baked a little longer.

Why does my bread pudding taste like egg? ›

Bread pudding's magic is how the old, dried bread can be re-invigorated with a mixture of milk, eggs, and sugar that it soaks up like a sponge, but when the eggs aren't properly beaten you have a separation of the beaten yolk from the beaten whites which gives you the scrambled egg look and flavor.

What is Mexican bread pudding made of? ›

This capirotada, or Mexican bread pudding, features layers of nuts, cheese, dried fruit and bread drizzled with cinnamon-infused sugar syrup.

Do you have to refrigerate bread pudding? ›

Yes - it's basically a milk, egg, and sugar custard with bread (and possibly butter and flavorings) added. Milk and eggs spoil quickly at room temperature, so bread pudding should be refrigerated after it's done baking.

What is another name for bread pudding? ›

After the 13th century, when the recipe started to include eggs, milk and a type of fat to soak the bread in, the dessert was more commonly referred to as 'bread and butter pudding' rather than 'poor man's pudding' before being shorted further to only 'bread pudding.

How are you supposed to eat bread pudding? ›

Made with basic pantry ingredients and some day-old bread (try a rich egg bread or a moist white loaf), this easy recipe can be served for breakfast or dessert with milk poured over top or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Do you eat bread pudding with a spoon or fork? ›

Advice: Ditch the fork – it's completely superfluous – and dig in with the spoon!

Should I cover my bread pudding when baking? ›

Before the inside of your pudding is set, the outer layer can become burnt and dry, which is why covering bread pudding during baking is the best move.

Why does my bread pudding fall after I take it out of the oven? ›

Not allowing it to rest after baking

It is usual for bread pudding to somewhat collapse when it goes from the oven to the room temperature air, but you surely don't want to further contribute to it becoming flat. Therefore, don't dish it out too quickly.

Does bread pudding jiggle when done? ›

Bake the Bread Pudding in a preheated 325º F degree oven for 50-to-55 minutes. The custard should be puffed and jiggle when you wiggle the dish. If you want an even crispier cubed or sliced topping, you could put the cooked bread pudding under the broiler for just a few minutes.

What does bread pudding contain? ›

Bread pudding is a bread-based dessert popular in many countries' cuisines. It is made with stale bread and milk or cream, generally containing eggs, a form of fat such as oil, butter or suet and, depending on whether the pudding is sweet or savory, a variety of other ingredients.

What ingredients are in instant pudding? ›

SUGAR, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE AND TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE (FOR THICKENING), MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES (PREVENT FOAMING), ARTIFICIAL COLOR, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6, BHA (PRESERVATIVE).

What is the main ingredient in white pudding? ›

White pudding is broadly similar to black pudding, but does not include blood. Modern recipes consist of suet or fat, oatmeal or barley, breadcrumbs and in some cases pork and pork liver, filled into a natural or cellulose sausage casing. Recipes in previous centuries included a wider range of ingredients.

What are the ingredients in great value pudding? ›

MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, MALTODEXTRIN, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE (FOR COLOR), MONO-AND DIGLYCERIDES (CONTAINS PROPYL GALLATE AND CITRIC ACID AS ANTIOXIDANTS), SALT, XANTHAN GUM, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM (SWEETENER), ASPARTAME* (SWEETENER), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL ...

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