By: Becky Hardin
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This traditional Bread Pudding recipe is a classic dish that everyone is sure to love. Brioche bread is soaked in a deliciously sweet custard mixture, and baked to perfection. Every bite is a delight, and it makes for an indulgent breakfast or holiday dessert!
Table of Contents
Easy Bread Pudding
This beautiful bread pudding is so easy to make, and it comes out perfectly delicious every time. The combination of brioche bread with a sweet, cinnamony custard creates the best texture.
Holidays are the perfect time to serve up this dish, especially on busy mornings with guests or large families. Make it ahead of time so it’s ready to bake when you wake up!
Why You’ll Love this Bread Pudding Recipe:
- Easy: The steps for this recipe are so simple, you’ll be able to throw this together in no time!
- Perfect Texture: Baking this bread pudding in the oven leaves you with an amazing texture that makes every bite irresistable!
- Crowd Favorite: Kids, adults, family and guests alike will all love this!
This makes a great Christmas morning breakfast, especially if you get it prepped the night before. And leftovers will make a nice dessert too.
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How to Make Bread Pudding
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Cut up the brioche into cubes, and bake briefly. Then layer the bread into the bottom of a baking dish.
- Combine ingredients to make the pudding mixture, then pour it directly over the bread cubes. Let it sit so the bread can soak up the liquid. (You can refrigerate it at this point until ready to bake.)
- Then just bake, slice, and serve!
What is bread pudding?
Bread pudding is a custard-based dessert made with stale bread, milk or cream, eggs, and butter. It can be made sweet or savory, but this classic version is sweetened with sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
What’s the best kind of bread for bread pudding?
Hearty loaves like brioche, challah, or French bread are best for bread pudding because they are sturdy and hold up to being soaked without falling apart.
How can you tell when bread pudding is done baking?
The center should be firmly set, not wet, droopy, or soggy. The bread will be beautifully golden brown.
Why is my bread pudding mushy?
Your bread pudding can come out mushy if it is either not fully baked or if the bread was not stale enough. Make sure to bake it until it is no longer wet and soggy, and be sure to toast your bread well before using it.
Do you eat bread pudding cold or hot?
This tastes amazing either hot or cold. I love eating it fresh out of the oven (slightly cooled), but leftovers straight out of the fridge are good too.
Does bread pudding need to be refrigerated?
Yes! Bread pudding should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Can you freeze bread pudding?
Yes, this actually freezes nicely. Let it cool after baking, then wrap it tightly in layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It will keep for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
This old-fashioned bread pudding has a simple yet delicious flavor, so you can top it off with all kinds of things to make it unique. Add fresh berries, powdered sugar, maple syrup, or anything else you might have on hand.
I love having a hot drink ready to pair with this (or a co*cktail if it’s brunch time). Whip up a flat white if you’re a coffee drinker, or make hot chocolates for the whole family.
Make Ahead Instructions
Prepare this bread pudding through step 5, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator overnight. Bake first thing the next morning!
Storage Instructions
Store leftover bread pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, until hot.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze bread pudding whole or cut into individual portions tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Substitutions
- You can use challah or French bread instead of brioche.
- You can use any kind of milk you like, including plant-based milk.
- Use brown sugar in place of the granulated for a richer flavor.
- Brown your butter before using it for a rich, nutty flavor.
- Feel free to swap the cinnamon for a pie spice blend.
- Top your bread pudding with sliced apples or peaches, chopped nuts, whipped cream, caramel sauce, apple cider sauce, or chocolate sauce!
Tips for the Best Bread Pudding
- Make sure to use a hearty loaf of bread that won’t fall apart once wet.
- If your bread is already stale, you can skip step 2.
- If you notice your bread pudding is browning too much during baking, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
More Easy Pudding Recipes We Love
- Caramel Apple Pie Bread Pudding
- Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Irish Bread Pudding
- Banana Pudding
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
Impress guests, family, and everyone in between with this easy bread pudding recipe. It’s so tasty, and the texture is unbeatable!
More Holiday Dessert Recipes to Try:
- Oreo Balls
- Avalanche Cookies
- Cosmic Brownies
- Peanut Butter Brownies
- Caramel Pie
- Rum Balls
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Recipe
Bread Pudding Recipe
4.75 from 4 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 55 minutes minutes
Total: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes
Serves8
Print Rate
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Bread Pudding doubles as one of our favorite breakfast and dessert recipes. Or both in one day. We love it so much.
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Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound) loaf brioche bread 454 grams
- 4 cups milk 908 grams
- ¼ cup unsalted butter 57 grams, melted (½ stick), plus more for greasing pan
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 12 grams
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 133 grams
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs 200 grams
Optional Toppings
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
- Fresh berries
Recommended Equipment
Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Slice the bread into 2-inch cubes and spread them out on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until the bread feels dry but is not browned.
1 (1-pound) loaf brioche bread
Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter. Add the bread to the dish and spread it out into an even layer.
In a large bowl, whisk the milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and eggs together.
4 cups milk, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 4 large eggs
Pour the liquid mixture over the bread. Use a spatula to wiggle the bread around and let it soak into all the cracks between the bread cubes.
Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to absorb the liquid. You can also cover it and refrigerate it overnight.
Bake for 45 minutes, until set and golden brown on the top. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and/or fresh berries, if desired.
Powdered sugar, Maple syrup, Fresh berries
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- You can use challah or French bread instead of brioche.
- You can use any kind of milk you like, including plant-based milk.
- Use brown sugar in place of the granulated for a richer flavor.
- Brown your butter before using it for a rich, nutty flavor.
- Feel free to swap the cinnamon for a pie spice blend.
- Top your bread pudding with sliced apples or peaches, chopped nuts, whipped cream, caramel sauce, apple cider sauce, or chocolate sauce!
- Make sure to use a hearty loaf of bread that won’t fall apart once wet.
- If your bread is already stale, you can skip step 2.
- If you notice your bread pudding is browning too much during baking, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
- Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
Storage:Store bread pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 412kcal (21%) Carbohydrates: 42g (14%) Protein: 12g (24%) Fat: 22g (34%) Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0.2g Cholesterol: 196mg (65%) Sodium: 350mg (15%) Potassium: 223mg (6%) Fiber: 0.1g Sugar: 23g (26%) Vitamin A: 875IU (18%) Vitamin C: 0.01mg Calcium: 193mg (19%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
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