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Our homemade Bread Pudding is baked in a creamy custard and topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar, along with a drizzle of homemade salted caramel sauce. Rich, warm, and wonderfully cozy, it’s the perfect dessert for chilly nights or holiday gatherings.

Bread Pudding comes together easily and gives you a perfectly satisfying treat. Serve it warm from the oven, and don’t skip that homemade caramel sauce!

Bread pudding in a dish on a wooden background.

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When the holidays roll around, all I want is cozy, traditional comfort foods. Bonus points if they are also easy to make. This bread pudding is as close to perfect as you can get. If you’re craving a warm, gooey dessert for the holidays, start here.

While homemade caramel sauce is an experience I think everyone should have at least a few times in their lives, you could easily sub in a high-quality store-bought version here if you wanted to hit the easy button.

Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • This recipe captures all the nostalgic flavors of traditional bread pudding with a few gourmet upgrades.
  • The ingredients are simple and the steps are easy to follow, making it approachable even for beginner bakers.
  • You can personalize it by swapping the raisins, changing up the bread, or adding a splash of bourbon.
  • It makes enough to serve a group and always impresses, especially with the rich salted caramel sauce on top.
  • You can prepare it the night before and bake it the next day, making it an excellent option for stress-free entertaining.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you’re cooking.

For the Bread Pudding:

  • Bread, torn into bite-sized pieces: Sturdy varieties, such as brioche, challah, or French bread, work best. Slightly stale bread helps soak up the custard without becoming soggy.
  • Golden raisins (optional): Add chewy sweetness, but feel free to substitute with regular raisins, dried cranberries, or omit them entirely.
  • Milk: Use whole milk for the best flavor.
  • Heavy cream: Contributes to the creamy custard texture. For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half.
  • Granulated sugar: Sweetens the custard. Adjust to taste or swap a portion for brown sugar for a caramel-like depth.
  • Unsalted butter: Adds richness and buttery flavor. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt slightly.
  • Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances flavor. Table salt can be used, but reduce the quantity slightly.
  • Eggs: Provide structure and help the custard set. Use large eggs at room temperature for the best results.
  • Egg yolks: Extra yolks boost richness and give the custard a silky finish.
  • Vanilla extract: Adds warm, aromatic flavor. You can substitute vanilla bean paste or a splash of bourbon for a twist.
  • Ground cinnamon, for garnish: Beautiful, and adds a warm spice.
  • Powdered sugar, for garnish: Lightly dust on top for a classic look and added sweetness.

For the Salted Caramel Sauce:

  • Heavy cream: Avoid lower-fat alternatives, which may cause curdling.
  • Unsalted butter: Use high-quality butter for the best flavor.
  • Kosher salt: Don’t sub in table salt. It is not the same.
  • Granulated sugar: This is the base for your caramel. Be sure to cook it carefully to avoid burning.
  • Light corn syrup: Helps prevent crystallization and keeps the sauce silky.
  • Water: Aids in melting the sugar evenly.
  • Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor. A touch of bourbon or dark rum can be used for variation.

How To Make Homemade Bread Pudding

Bread pudding takes some steps and a little time to complete, but the result is so worth it! This recipe is a great way to get cooking with your family.

To Make the Bread Pudding:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly mist a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
  2. Spread the torn bread pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for about 15 minutes, until they are lightly crisp.
  3. Layer the toasted bread and golden raisins (if using) into the prepared baking dish.
  4. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, butter, and salt. Heat over medium-low until hot and steamy, stirring occasionally.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks.
  6. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
  7. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  8. Pour the custard over the bread and let it soak for at least 30 minutes, pressing gently to submerge the bread.
  9. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  10. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the custard is set around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center.
  11. Dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Serve warm with salted caramel sauce.

To Make the Salted Caramel Sauce:

  1. In a small saucepan, heat the cream, butter, and salt over low heat until the butter has melted and the salt has dissolved. Keep warm.
  2. In a larger pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water.
  3. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling (not stirring) until the mixture turns a deep amber color.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and carefully whisk in the warm cream mixture. Be cautious—it will bubble up.
  5. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  6. Pour the sauce into a heat-safe container and allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Helpful Tips and Tricks

  • Toast the bread before soaking to keep the texture from turning mushy.
  • Use room-temperature eggs for a smoother, more velvety custard.
  • Swirl, don’t stir the sugar when making caramel to prevent crystallization.
  • Watch the caramel closely once it begins to darken, as it can burn quickly.
  • Serve warm, ideally right after baking.
Baked bread pudding in a white dish with the pan of bread pudding in the background.

Bread Pudding FAQ

What kind of bread is best for bread pudding?

Challah, brioche, or French bread are excellent choices. Any sturdy, slightly stale bread will soak up the custard well.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! Assemble the pudding and refrigerate it overnight before baking. You can also make the caramel sauce a day or two in advance.

Can I skip the raisins?

Yup! The raisins add a bit of sweetness and texture, but the recipe works perfectly without them.

More Delicious Holiday Recipes

Bread pudding, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with salted caramel sauce.
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Bread Pudding

Servings: 12 people
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Baked in a creamy custard and topped with powdered sugar and salted caramel sauce, this bread pudding recipe is comfort food at its best!
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Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding

  • 15 ounces (425.24 g) bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/3 cup (48.33 g) golden raisins, optional
  • 2 1/2 cups (610 g) milk
  • 1 1/2 cups (357 g) heavy cream
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (g) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
  • 3 (132 g) eggs, large
  • 2 (36 g) egg yolks, large
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract
  • ground cinnamon, for garnish
  • powdered sugar, for garnish

For the Salted Caramel Sauce

Instructions
 

To Make the Bread Pudding

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and mist a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Arrange the bread in an even layer on a baking sheet, and toast it for about 15 minutes.
  • Transfer the bread to the prepared baking dish, layering in the raisins as you go.
  • Place the milk, cream, sugar, and salt in a medium pot over medium-low heat.
  • When the liquid is hot and steamy, pour it over the eggs, a little at a time, while whisking.
  • Whisk in the vanilla and pour the custard over the bread.
  • Allow the bread to soak in the custard for at least 30 minutes.
  • Cover the baking dish with foil and bake the bread pudding for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking until the custard is set around the edges and wobbly towards the center (approx. 15 minutes more).
  • Dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar, and serve with salted caramel sauce.

To Make the Salted Caramel Sauce

  • In a small pot, gently heat the cream, butter, and salt until the butter has melted and the salt has completely dissolved.
  • In a larger pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water.
  • Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pot occasionally to distribute the heat evenly.
  • Continue to boil the sugar mixture until the bubbles begin to get smaller and it becomes amber-colored.
  • Reduce the heat to low, and pour in the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps or crystals.
  • Whisk in the vanilla extract.
  • Immediately transfer the hot mixture to a heat-safe vessel to cool.
Serving: 0.083batch, Calories: 480kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 141mg, Sodium: 509mg, Potassium: 216mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 40g, Vitamin A: 958IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 148mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
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Author

  • Allie is the creator and owner of Baking a Moment. She has been developing, photographing, videographing, and writing and sharing recipes here since 2012.

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