Discover the ultimate bread pudding recipe that fills your home with irresistible aromas of brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Perfect for holiday brunches or cozy weekends, this rich, comforting treat is totally addictive. Feel free to get creative with your bread—stale French bread, day-old glazed doughnuts, cinnamon rolls—anything goes! Bake, enjoy, and watch everyone rave about this delightful, fun dessert that warms both your heart and your home.

Ingredients

Pudding

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 loaf or 10 cups of cubed brioche or other stale bread *see note below
• 1-1/2 cups of Half and Half
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup melted butter

Vanilla Bourbon Sauce

• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup bourbon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)

Process

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray to cover the bread pudding while it is baking.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and melted butter until smooth.
4. Stir in the Half and Half, and whip cream and mix well. Add the cubed bread and let the mixture sit for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure the bread absorbs the custard mixture.
5. Pour bread pudding batter into pan. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until center of pudding is firm.

NOTE: This can be made about 1 or 2 days in advance, reheating it at 250°F. for 30 minutes before serving.

Vanilla Bourbon Sauce

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla.
2. Heat until the mixture is warm but not boiling.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the bourbon with a bit of the cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
4. Whisk in the bourbon mixture and continue to cook for another minute until slightly thickened.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted.

Cut pudding into squares and serve with a generous serving of bourbon sauce and a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

NOTE: If your bread is not stale, start by cutting a fresh loaf into small 1” pieces. Place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dry the bread in a 350°F oven, stirring once. Remove when the bread is slightly dry.

Tagged: baking, Bourbon, bourbon sauce, Bread Pudding, dessert, Food, pudding, recipe, recipes, side dish