Bread Pudding is dense and flavorful comfort food that is loaded with pieces of brioche and plump raisins, baked, and topped with a sweet homemade vanilla glaze. For another delicious bread recipe, try my 5 Ingredient Monkey Bread!
Old Fashioned Bread Pudding
Centuries ago, people would look for ways to not waste any leftover food, including bread, which led to bread pudding. It was referred to as ‘poor man’s pudding’, but has evolved to be included in many upscale restaurants as a dessert. With all the variations of bread pudding recipes, it’s fun to play around with the recipe and try other kinds of bread and added ingredients.
Bread Pudding Ingredients
There are two main parts to the recipe–the bread pudding and vanilla glaze.
Brioche bread: I chose to use brioche, a French bread, in this recipe. It is somewhat of a pastry and bread combo that tasted amazing in this recipe!
Raisins: Raisins are optional.
How to Make Vanilla Glaze
This glaze was just the right amount of sweetness to add to the bread pudding. It wasn’t too overpowering, and it made this recipe more of a dessert. To make the glaze, add the butter, sugar, and heavy whipping cream in a saucepan. Heat up the ingredients over medium heat, stirring until it begins to thicken. Stir in the vanilla and pour the glaze over the baked bread pudding. Let it cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving.
How to Store Bread Pudding
To store leftovers, keep the pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. If you are planning to freeze the pudding, freeze it WITHOUT the vanilla glaze.
Let it come to room temperature before cutting it into individual pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or store the pieces in airtight, freezer-safe containers. Label and date the containers; the pudding will last up to three months.
Variations to Bread Pudding
As I mentioned, there are lots and lots of bread pudding recipes because of the versatility of the recipe. Here are a few things you could try:
- Use different kinds of bread (like cinnamon rolls, baguettes, artisan, or white bread).
- Toast the stale bread pieces in the oven for a few minutes before adding the custard ingredients.
- Make individual bread puddings by dividing the bread and custard evenly between ramekins before baking. Just be sure to check them after 20 minutes or so since the bake time may be a bit different.
- Add granola, dried fruit, cereal, or even marshmallows!
- Top with ice cream, caramel, or a whiskey sauce.
Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread, cut or torn into 1" pieces
- ½ cup raisins
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups (490g) whole milk
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (119g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
- Place bread in an even layer in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Let bread sit out, uncovered, overnight to harden slightly.
- Pour raisins over bread and fold in slightly.
- In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla. Once mixed, pour over bread. Press down to coat all bread. Let soak for 20 minutes.
- After soaking, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean (or internal temperature is 160°F).
- After the bread pudding has baked for about 10 minutes, start making the vanilla glaze. The glaze takes about 20 minutes to thicken.
Vanilla Glaze
- In a saucepan, add butter, sugar, and heavy whipping cream. Set over medium heat and stir frequently until the mixture begins to thicken (about 20 minutes).
- Stir in vanilla and remove the mixture from heat.
- Pour glaze over the top of the bread pudding.
Did you make this recipe?
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do you pour glaze on while still baking, or immediately after removing pudding from oven?
Do u hav a lemon glaze recipe? Plz
After removed.
Hi. Love your recipes. I’m an expat from UK and bread pudding is a staple , we make a tart lemon sauce or hot custard to pour over it
Hi Theresa 😊 lemon sauce and custard topping sounds so good! Could you please post your recipe for them? Thanks for sharing!
Hot custard sauce sounds really yummy for a bread pudding dessert. Thank you for that idea.
I have been making one just like this for years. The first time I made it, my to be husband looked at it and said “I don’t like the way it looks” My reply was “Good. All the more for me” He tried and loved it. I use either a vanilla sauce or hard sauce and he begs me for every so often – 26 years late.
Mine is in the oven right now😋😋😋
I forgot to say I used a loaf of stale raisin bread bought just to make bread pudding 😄
Good idea! Don’t have to buy raisins that way.
When I buy Hawaiian rolls I get extra for bread pudding. I use hallf and half instead of milk.
Can I get an approximate weight on how much bread you use.
Hi Amanda
I havent gotten a response to my question I posted earlier on the candied walnuts so thought I would try here.
Im looking for a toffee bread pudding with candied walnuts recipe or suggestions on adapting a basic or traditional recipe to accommodate.
I would like to use a glaze and caramel sauce to really boost and make extra special for DIL birthday.
Thank you for any help or suggestions.
Would you have s recipe for 9 grain bread?
Looks so yummy I can’t wait to try it.