This easy old-fashioned bread pudding recipe is a classic dessert made with pantry ingredients and topped with a vanilla caramel sauce. It’s sweet, flavorful and a family favorite!

Need more easy dessert recipes? Try this classic pound cake or a slice of banana bread!

Bread pudding with caramel sauce in a white baking dish.

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Easy Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

During the holidays, I’m all about easy dessert recipes. This homemade bread pudding is a go-to, as well as no-bake banana cream pie, chocolate lasagna, and my raspberry jello pretzel salad.

This easy bread pudding recipe is similar to overnight french toast made with stale leftover bread cubes coated in a mixture of eggs, milk, and cream. Topped off with a sweet vanilla caramel bread pudding sauce it’s a simple holiday dessert idea!

Bread Pudding Recipe Ingredients

A classic recipe that is simple to make and even better with stale bread.

Bread pudding ingredients on counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • French bread: Day-old bread that has been cubed is best. Leave out leftover bread to dry hard and crunchy. This will soften and have a moist texture once baked.
  • Eggs: This will hold together the bread when baking.
  • Milk: Soaks into the bread giving it that creamy moisture. When baked it is similar to french toast.
  • Heavy cream: Gives the mixture a sweet creamy flavor.
  • Sugar: Adds sweetness and balances out the vanilla sauce ingredients.
  • Vanilla extract: Balances out the flavors and gives that savory flavor we all love!
  • Ground cinnamon: This is a warm spice that pairs perfectly with the bread pudding.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Type of bread: French bread or French baguette, challah bread, Italian bread, brioche or white bread all work for the best bread pudding.
  • Raisins: Add in about 1/2 cup dried fruit before baking.
  • Nuts: Pecans are my favorite. Add in about 1/2 cup. You could include both raisins and nuts if preferred.
  • Chocolate chips: If you love all things chocolate, you can mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.
  • Powdered sugar: Before serving, sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar.

How to Make Bread Pudding

This decadent breakfast or simple dessert comes together quickly with out-of-this-world flavor. It has the best gooey texture similar to the inside of my overnight cinnamon rolls.

Showing how to make bread pudding in a 4 step collage.
  1. Whisk: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
  2. Combine and bake Cut stale bread into 2″ chunks and place in prepared baking dish. Pour custard mixture over bread cubes and soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Bake in oven at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, until center is set and no longer runny.
  3. Make vanilla sauce. Combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Once it comes to a full boil, cook for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Then stir in the vanilla.
  4. Drizzle and serve: Drizzle vanilla sauce over warm pudding and enjoy!

Expert Tips

  • Stale bread: Leave the bread out overnight to stale (so that it doesn’t get soggy!). If you only have fresh bread, simply toast it in the oven for about 5 minutes.
  • Allow bread to full soak: For best texture give time for the bread to be fully saturated in the egg mixture.
  • Softer pudding: If you prefer a softer center, you can remove it a little early from the oven, or add an extra 1/2 cup of milk.
  • Crisp top: If you like your bread pudding with a crispier top, bake for 2-4 minutes longer with the oven at 400°F.
Bread pudding in a white dish.

Recipe FAQs

How to know when the pudding is done cooking?

I like the edges to be crispy and the center to be soft but not soggy. You’ll know it’s done when the edges are golden and the center is no longer runny.

Do you eat bread pudding warm or cold?

Bread pudding can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. If you prefer it warm you do not need to refrigerate the bread pudding before serving it.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

If you are wondering if you can prep this pudding the night before, then yes! Mix it together, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temp the next day and proceed with baking.

What to serve with it?

Along with the caramel vanilla sauce, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream when serving. You could also try chocolate sauce and whipped cream for something different.

How to freeze bread pudding?

After baking, don’t add vanilla cream sauce. Cool completely then wrap tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store in freezer safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Before serving, reheat and drizzle with sauce.

Spoonful of bread pudding.

Other dessert recipes I love to serve to guests include creme brulee, Mexican rice pudding and for sharing this funnel cake recipe!

More Delicious Desserts

Spoonful of bread pudding.

Bread Pudding Recipe

5 from 20 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 9
This easy old-fashioned bread pudding recipe is a classic dessert made with pantry ingredients and topped with a vanilla caramel sauce.
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Ingredients 

Bread Pudding

  • 6 cups cubed stale French bread *see note
  • 3 large eggs , beaten
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Butter Caramel Sauce

  • ¼ cup butter , I used salted
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Bread Pudding

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
  • Ina medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir in stale bread and let sit 5 to 10 minutes, or until well coated. Spread evenly into the baking dish.
  • Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until center is set and no longer runny. Tent with foil if it starts to brown too fast.

Butter Caramel Sauce

  • In a medium saucepan, stir together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and heavy cream over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes. Once it comes to a full boil, cook 1 minute and remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla.
  • Drizzle over bread pudding. Serve while warm.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Expert tips:
  • Stale bread: Leave the bread out overnight to stale (so that it doesn’t get soggy!). If you only have fresh bread, simply toast it in the oven for about 5 minutes.
  • Allow bread to full soak: For best texture give time for the bread to be fully saturated in the egg mixture.
  • Softer pudding: If you prefer a softer center, you can remove it a little early from the oven, or add an extra 1/2 cup of milk.
  • Crisp top: If you like your bread pudding with a crispier top, bake for 2-4 minutes longer with the oven at 400°F.
Substitutions and variations:
  • Type of bread: French bread or French baguette, challah bread, Italian bread, brioche or white bread all work for the best bread pudding.
  • Raisins: Add in about 1/2 cup dried fruit before baking.
  • Nuts: Pecans are my favorite. Add in about 1/2 cup. You could include both raisins and nuts if preferred.
  • Chocolate chips: If you love all things chocolate, you can mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.
  • Powdered sugar: Before serving, sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar.
Make-ahead: Prepare the bread pudding and place in the baking dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temp the next day and proceed with baking.
Freeze: After baking, don’t add vanilla cream sauce. Cool completely then wrap tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store in freezer safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Before serving, reheat and drizzle with sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 726kcal, Carbohydrates: 118g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 103mg, Sodium: 1037mg, Potassium: 301mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 44g, Vitamin A: 605IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 163mg, Iron: 7mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.