The BEST Bread Pudding Recipe
Indulgent and comforting bread pudding recipe made with French bread soaked in sweet and creamy custard and baked until golden brown. This bread pudding is flavored with lots of warm spices and topped with an decadent maple praline sauce. This is arguably the best bread pudding you've ever had!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 461kcal
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread (16-ounce) 1 to 2 days old, see note
- 4 cups half and half or 2 cups whole milk mixed with 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract NOT vanilla flavoring
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted, melted
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
Instructions
- Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Tear the French bread into about 1-inch pieces and place it in the buttered baking dish and set it aside.
- Add the half and half, eggs, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined. Pour the custard over the bread, making sure all the bread gets covered.
- Gently press the bread into the custard with a wooden spoon so that there are no dry spots, wrap the baking dish in plastic wrap, and refrigerate the bread pudding for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Take the bread pudding out of the refrigerator and sit it on the counter while the oven preheats.
- Once the oven is hot, remove the plastic wrap from the baking dish, pour the melted butter over the bread pudding, and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake the bread pudding for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown on top and set in the center.
- While the bread pudding is baking, make the maple praline sauce by combining butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Bring the sauce to a boil while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the sauce reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 7-9 minutes, or until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of the spoon, stirring regularly.
- Stir in the pecans, vanilla extract, and salt and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove the sauce from heat.
- Serve bread pudding warm with maple praline sauce spooned over top.
Video
Notes
- If using fresh bread, toast it in the oven for about 10 minutes to dry it out.
- This bread pudding makes the perfect make-ahead or overnight dessert recipe. Assemble the bread pudding as directed and allow it to soak in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours until ready to bake.
- The maple praline sauce can also be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Leftover bread pudding can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 67.8g | Protein: 11.8g | Fat: 25.8g | Saturated Fat: 11.8g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 679mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 41.1g | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 3mg