Bread Pudding
For this classic Bread Pudding, challah bread is soaked in a rich custard spiked with spiced rum and vanilla, and baked until golden. It’s a great make-ahead dessert, and wonderful with ice cream!
Bread pudding is proof that some of the most delicious things are also the easiest.
Like Creme Brulee, bread pudding is a dessert that anyone can pull off. Heck, my toddler could probably make it.
Because it’s so easy and so deliciously comforting, it’s a good option to make for many occasions, whether it’s the holidays, or a special weekend dinner.
My little brother is obsessed with bread pudding, and has requested we make it for every holiday and any other excuse that could possibly suffice.
In other words: we’ve tried bread puddings of all kinds.
I’ve made chocolate bread pudding, fruity bread puddings, and have experimented with various breads and flavorings in the custard.
But this is my favorite version of all.
It’s pretty classic, and is flavored with a subtle spiced rum and raisin combination.
I like challah here since it’s easy to find (TJ’s has a great price on it), has a slightly sweet flavor, and a light and fluffy texture.
However, you could also use brioche or cinnamon bread.
How to Make Bread Pudding:
For a proper bread pudding, you need to stale the bread first, so the bread can absorb the custard.
I usually do this by cutting the bread into cubes, then leaving it out overnight, uncovered.
If you’re in a hurry, you can also bake the bread in a 300F oven for about 10 minutes, to dry out the bread.
To make the custard, whisk to combine eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, and spiced rum:
Toss the bread into the custard, and also add some dried raisins:
Let the bread sit in the custard for 15 minutes, to gently absorb the liquid, and toss very gently when redistributing the bread.
Pour the bread mixture into a baking dish:
I’m technically using a 10″ diameter quiche dish (affiliate) because I think it’s pretty, but pretty much any baking vessel can be used.
You can bake in individual ramekins for single-serving portions, or bake it all in an 8×8 dish. Just make sure you keep your eye on it, and bake for less time in the single serving dishes.
Bake the bread pudding for just under an hour, until it still glistens in the center, but has crusty, golden edges on top.
As the dish cools, it will “deflate” slightly and settle down further:
The raisins should now be juicy and plump, and the bread and custard will have combined into a new texture that’s creamy and rich.
Baklava and Peanut Butter Pie are some of my favorite make-ahead desserts for special occasions. Enjoy!
How to Store Bread Pudding: This keeps best in the fridge for up to 5 days, but it can also be frozen.
Can Bread Pudding be frozen? Yes, for up to 2 months.
Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed challah bread* slightly stale
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups milk
- 3 eggs**
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp dark spiced rum
- 1/2 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the heavy cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and rum. It should be a gorgeous mocha color.
- Add the stale bread cubes and raisins, toss gently, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Toss the bread halfway through so the cubes can evenly soak up the liquid.
- Pour all of the liquid and bread cubes into an 8x8 baking dish***, keeping in mind it will look like too much liquid, but it’s not. It will absorb during baking.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until it has set and soaked up the liquid. It should be golden on the edges, but still glisten a bit in the center.
- Serve as is, or with ice cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, or chocolate sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Post updated in November 2018. Originally published in January 2012.
Made this pudding for Xmas party. Everyone loved it. Added roasted walnuts. Yum!
Colleen, that’s awesome! Love the addition of the roasted walnuts.
Substitute Goldschlagger for the rum, and Tres Leches for the vanilla. We had to rename it, “Oh My Gosh Breadpudding”!
Wow, those substitutions sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing, Julia.
Here in Nola we use stale Leidenheimer or Zips French bread. The bread pudding gets baked in bain marie. It is womderdully fluffy. Serve with whiskey sauce, white chocolate sauce or spiked Creme Anglaise.
That sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
I soak my raisins overnight, and keep my raisin water to use in something else.
Oooh, I love bread pudding, too, and this one was a hit with my family!
That dark spiced rum in here, beautiful!!
This is a classic recipe. Love it with a drizzle on top, too!
Such a classic, perfect recipe!
This bread pudding is the best!
A perfect bread pudding!
I’m making this for a Friendsgiving this weekend!
My family enjoyed this! PErfect for holiday mornings!
This recipe is perfection! I couldn’t love this bread pudding more!
I’m thinking about making this recipe for an office potluck. Will the alcohol bake out or can i use a substitute?
Hi Diana, if you google this topic, you’ll see that there’s a lot of discussion about this. The general consensus is that most will bake out, but not all. One site for instance says that at 15 minutes of bake time, 40% of the alcohol will remain. The alcohol remaining continues to go down after that, but it’s impossible to determine how much exactly at the end of baking. This is ultimately going to be your call. There are 2 tbsp of spiced rum for the whole dish, so the amount in my eyes after baking would be negligible, but if someone doesn’t want any traces of alcohol, they should probably avoid it. This has to be your decision, but hope this helps.