The Best Bread Pudding Recipe with Maple Praline Sauce

If you're looking for the ultimate comfort dessert, this indulgent bread pudding is it. Made with chunks of soft French bread soaked in a rich, spiced custard and baked until golden and crisp on top, this dessert is pure nostalgia. But what takes it over the top? A buttery maple praline sauce poured warm over every slice. It's the perfect dessert to serve for holiday dinners, Sunday suppers, or any time you want to treat yourself.

For more comforting desserts, try our spiced sweet potato bread with pecans and maple pecan blondies recipes next!

Why You'll Love This Bread Pudding

• Cozy and nostalgic: It tastes like something your grandma would make, in the best way.
• Super customizable: Use up leftover bread or swap in your favorite mix-ins like raisins or chocolate chips.
• Perfect for make-ahead: Prep it the night before and bake it fresh the next day.
• That sauce though: The maple praline topping is rich, nutty, and unforgettable.

Ingredients (With Easy Substitutions!)

For the Bread Pudding

• One loaf of day-old French bread: A crusty French loaf works great, but you can also use brioche, challah, or croissants for a richer base. If using fresh bread, toast it in the oven first to help it soak up the custard better. Try our pumpkin bread pudding with salted caramel next!
• Half and half: You can substitute with a mix of whole milk and heavy cream if needed. For a lighter version, whole milk on its own works, but the texture won't be quite as rich.
• Large eggs: These help set the custard and give the pudding structure.
• Granulated and dark brown sugar: You can use all brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor or all white sugar for a lighter taste.
• Pure vanilla extract: Try to avoid imitation vanilla for best flavor.
• Warm spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves give the pudding its signature comforting taste. Feel free to adjust the spice levels to your liking.
• Salt: Just a touch to balance the sweetness.
• Unsalted butter: Melted and drizzled over the top before baking for a golden, crisp finish.

For the Maple Praline Sauce

• Unsalted butter
• Dark brown sugar: You can sub light brown sugar, but dark gives a richer flavor.
• Pure maple syrup: Make sure it's real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
• Heavy cream: Essential for that creamy, luxurious texture.
• Chopped pecans: Add a delicious crunch. Walnuts work in a pinch. Pecan lovers, don't miss our southern pecan pie recipe!
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

How to Make Bread Pudding (Step-by-Step Summary)

• Prep the bread: Tear or cube your day-old French bread into 1-inch pieces and place them in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Make the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until smooth.
• Soak the bread: Pour the custard evenly over the bread, making sure every piece gets soaked. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to gently press the bread down into the liquid.
• Chill it: Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to let the bread fully absorb the custard.
• Bake the pudding: When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Take the dish out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Remove the plastic wrap, drizzle the melted butter over the top, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until golden and set in the center.
• Make the sauce: While the pudding bakes, make the sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cream. Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 9 minutes until thickened.
• Finish the sauce: Stir in the pecans, vanilla, and salt, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Serve and enjoy: Serve the bread pudding warm with plenty of warm maple praline sauce drizzled over each slice.

Pro Tips for Success

• If your bread is too fresh, toast it in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to dry it out.
• Let the bread soak in the custard for several hours to absorb all that flavor.
• You can make the praline sauce ahead and warm it just before serving.
• Don't skip the melted butter on top before baking-it adds flavor and helps the top crisp up.

Storing Instructions

• Store leftover bread pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm individual slices in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds, or reheat the entire dish in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
• The maple praline sauce can also be made ahead and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
• You can also freeze baked bread pudding (without sauce) for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.

FAQs

More Irresistible Desserts You Will Love!

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

John 15:5

If you tried this Bread Pudding with Maple Praline Sauce recipe, leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! Don't forget to tag @thepinkowlkitchen on Instagram with your creations.

📖 Recipe

The Best Bread Pudding Recipe with Maple Praline Sauce

Ashley Boyd

Made with chunks of soft French bread soaked in a rich, spiced custard and baked until golden and crisp on top, this bread pudding is pure nostalgia. But what really takes it over the top? A buttery maple praline sauce, poured warm over every slice. It's the perfect dessert to serve for holiday dinners, Sunday suppers, or any time you want to treat yourself.

4.70 from 33 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Soaking Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings 12 servings

Calories 384 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Measuring cups and spoons
• ▢
  Mixing bowls
• ▢
  9 x 13 baking dish
• ▢
  Small saucepan

Ingredients

  

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For the Bread Pudding

• ▢ 1 16 oz loaf French bread - 1 to 2 days old
• ▢ 4 cups half and half - or 2 cups whole milk + 2 cups heavy cream
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup dark brown sugar - or light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted

For the Maple Praline Sauce

• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 cup chopped pecans
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

 

• Prepare the bread: Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Tear the French bread into 1-inch cubes and scatter evenly in the dish. Make sure bread is packed in but not overly compressed.
• Mix the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the half and half, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
• Soak the bread: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread. Gently press the bread down with a spoon or clean hands to help it soak up the liquid. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap.
• Chill the pudding: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This allows the bread to absorb the custard and develop flavor.
• Bake the pudding: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the dish from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature while the oven preheats. Remove the plastic wrap, drizzle melted butter evenly over the top, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
• Make the praline sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
• Finish the sauce: Stir in the chopped pecans, vanilla extract, and salt. Simmer for another 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
• Serve: Slice and serve the warm bread pudding with a generous spoonful of warm maple praline sauce over the top.

Video

Notes

• If your bread is too fresh, toast it in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to dry it out.
• Let the bread soak in the custard for several hours to absorb all that flavor.
• You can make the praline sauce ahead and warm it just before serving.
• Don't skip the melted butter on top before baking-it adds flavor and helps the top crisp up.
• Store leftover bread pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm individual slices in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds, or reheat the entire dish in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
• The maple praline sauce can also be made ahead and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
• You can also freeze baked bread pudding (without sauce) for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
   

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 56.5g | Protein: 9.8g | Fat: 21.5g | Saturated Fat: 9.8g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 566mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 34.2g | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 2.5mg

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