Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Vanilla Sauce
This old-fashioned Southern bread pudding turns leftover bread into a warm, custardy dessert topped with a rich homemade vanilla butter sauce.
There are some desserts you don't appreciate until you're older. For me, bread pudding is one of them.
My mama used to make bread pudding when I was growing up, and I wouldn't touch the stuff. Something about the words bread pudding just didn't appeal to me as a kid. I knew better than to offer it to my own grandkids, either. It's one of those quintessential old-fashioned desserts that children don't always understand.
Well, 67-year-old me finally understands.
This particular bread pudding came about because I was cleaning out my freezer. I had bags of frozen sourdough and leftover bakery rolls taking up valuable space, and I was seriously considering tossing them.
But there was so much bread! Surely there was a better way.
There certainly was.
I thawed and dried the bread, turned it into this simple old-fashioned bread pudding, and finished the whole thing with the most luscious warm brown sugar vanilla sauce.
And suddenly I understood what Mama knew all along.
An Old-Fashioned Dessert Made from Leftovers
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how economical it is.
Bread pudding wasn't invented because somebody went shopping for fancy ingredients. It was a practical way to turn stale bread into something delicious.
That's exactly what happened in my kitchen.
The bread was already here and was honestly headed for the trash. I keep basic baking staples on hand, so I only needed eggs, milk, cream, butter, sugar, and a few seasonings.
Not counting the leftover bread, I estimate that I used about $5 worth of ingredients for an entire 9x13-inch pan of dessert, including the sauce. Ingredient prices will vary, of course, but that's still pretty remarkable.
You could easily pay more than that for one serving of warm bread pudding at a restaurant.
They might call it a specialty dessert.
I'd just say, "Yeah, my grandma used to make that."
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding at a Glance
Difficulty: Easy
Pan: 9x13-inch baking dish
Oven: 350°F
Bread: About 8 cups dried bread cubes
Best feature: That incredible brown sugar vanilla sauce
Perfect for: Using leftover bread, inexpensive desserts, family dinners, holidays, and old-fashioned comfort food
What Kind of Bread Can I Use for Bread Pudding?
This is a true use-what-you-have recipe.
I used a combination of leftover same-day sourdough (yeasted and fluffier than most sourdoughs) and bakery rolls because that's what I found in my freezer. The sourdough added a subtle tang that was especially delicious against the sweet custard and brown sugar sauce.
You can also use:
- French or Italian bread
- Dinner rolls
- Brioche
- Challah
- Sandwich bread
- Hamburger or hot dog buns
- Croissants
- Leftover homemade bread
- A combination of several different breads
In other words, don't feel like you need to buy special bread to make bread pudding. Using leftover bread is the whole point!
Avoid strongly savory breads flavored with garlic, onion, cheese, or herbs.
Should Bread Be Stale for Bread Pudding?
Yes. Drier bread absorbs the custard much better than very fresh, soft bread.
My bread had been frozen, so I thawed it completely, cut it into cubes, and spread the cubes out to dry.
To speed up the process, I placed them in a 250°F oven, stirring occasionally, until they were dry and firm.
You're drying the bread, not making toast, so it doesn't need to become deeply browned.
Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here's a quick glance at what you're going to need. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand in your kitchen.
For the Bread Pudding
- 8 cups dried bread cubes
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
For the Brown Sugar Vanilla Sauce
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
And let me tell you: do not skip this sauce.
It isn't just a garnish. It's part of the finished bread pudding.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding
This is such a simple process! If you have bread, you're halfway there!
Prepare the Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cube eight cups of dried bread.
Make the Custard
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour the custard slowly and evenly over the dried bread.
Gently toss or press the bread so that all of the pieces come in contact with the custard.
Allow the bread to sit for 20–30 minutes before baking. About halfway through the soaking time, gently press the bread down again so the dry pieces have another chance to absorb the liquid.
Bake the Bread Pudding
Transfer to a prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350°F for approximately 40–50 minutes. Begin checking around the 40-minute mark.
The top should be lightly golden and the center should be set, but don't overbake it. Bread pudding should remain soft and moist inside. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil.
Make the Brown Sugar Vanilla Sauce
While the bread pudding is finishing, prepare the sauce.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, heavy cream, milk, and salt.
Cook gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sugars have dissolved and the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Don't let the mixture come to a hard boil.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
That's when the magic happens.
Pour the Sauce Over the Warm Bread Pudding
Allow the bread pudding to rest for about 5 minutes after removing it from the oven.
Slowly pour the warm brown sugar vanilla sauce over the entire pudding, distributing it as evenly as possible.
If necessary, gently separate a few of the bread pieces with a knife or poke a few small holes so the sauce can work its way into the pudding.
At first, the top may look quite wet. Give it time.
Allow the sauced bread pudding to rest for another 10–15 minutes. The dried bread will continue absorbing that buttery brown sugar sauce as everything settles.
Then serve it warm.
What to Expect from this Bread Pudding
Friends, if you could receive a hug from a bowl, it would be from this bread pudding. It's classic. It's reminiscent. It's warm. It's buttery. It's creamy. It's sweet. It's absolute perfection. And it's so, so, so easy to make and serve. I loved it warm and the sauce on top? Dreamy.
Why the Sauce Matters
When my bread pudding first came out of the oven, I thought it looked a little dry.
Then I poured on the sauce.
It went from looking dry to looking almost too wet, which made me wonder whether I'd overdone it.
But that's where the resting time comes in. The sauce works its way down through the bread, bringing butter, brown sugar, cream, and vanilla along with it.
I stole a little bite of bread with some of the sauce before it had finished resting and—oh my.
Suddenly I wished I hadn't spent my childhood turning up my nose at Mama's bread pudding.
Variations
Once you have the basic bread pudding down, there are all sorts of ways to change it.
Raisin Bread Pudding
Add ¾–1 cup raisins along with the bread cubes. If your raisins are particularly dry, soak them briefly in hot water and drain thoroughly before adding.
Pecan Bread Pudding
Add ¾–1 cup chopped pecans. Toast them first for even more flavor.
Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding
Add 1½–2 cups finely diced firm apples and increase the cinnamon slightly. Pecans would be delicious in this version, too.
Peach Bread Pudding
Fold in 1½–2 cups well-drained diced peaches. Fresh peaches or canned peaches will both work.
Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
Add ¾–1 cup chocolate chips to the bread mixture before baking.
Chocolate Pecan Bread Pudding
Combine chocolate chips with toasted pecans for an extra-rich variation.
Praline Bread Pudding
Now we're talking!
Add toasted pecans to the bread pudding and additional chopped pecans to the brown sugar sauce for a simple praline-inspired variation.
For a true Southern praline bread pudding, you could also make a dedicated praline sauce with butter, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and plenty of toasted pecans.
That one deserves a recipe of its own.
Don't Throw Away That Leftover Bread!
This recipe completely changed the way I looked at the bread taking up space in my freezer.
Before you throw away leftover bread, consider freezing it instead. Once you've accumulated enough, you can turn it into:
- Bread pudding
- Homemade breadcrumbs
- Croutons
- French toast casserole
- Savory breakfast casserole
- Dressing or stuffing
Leftover dinner rolls, buns, sourdough, French bread, and other odds and ends can become ingredients for an entirely different meal or dessert.
Sometimes the most old-fashioned kitchen habits are still the smartest ones.
Storage
Cover leftover bread pudding tightly and refrigerate it for up to 4–5 days.
Reheat individual servings gently in the microwave until warm.
Because the sauce has been poured directly over the pudding, the flavor continues working its way into the bread as it rests.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but dried or stale bread works better because it absorbs the custard without immediately turning mushy. If your bread is fresh, cube it and dry it in a low oven first.
Absolutely. Sourdough is wonderful in a sweet bread pudding. Its slight tang provides a lovely contrast to the sweet vanilla custard and brown sugar sauce.
Heavy cream makes this bread pudding especially rich, but you could substitute additional whole milk if necessary. The finished pudding won't be quite as rich.
Not at all! Raisins are traditional in many bread pudding recipes, but they're completely optional.
Don't judge this particular bread pudding until you've added the sauce. The warm brown sugar vanilla sauce is intended to soak into the pudding and is an important part of the finished dessert.
Give it 10–15 minutes. The warm pudding and dried bread will continue absorbing the sauce as it rests.
Certainly. If you prefer, reserve some of the sauce for drizzling over individual servings. But don't be afraid to pour plenty over the warm pudding—the sauce is what makes this recipe special.
Yes. Once completely cooled, wrap individual portions well and freeze them in airtight freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently. For the very best texture, however, I prefer this bread pudding fresh or refrigerated rather than frozen.
A Dessert I Finally Grew Into
I can't help laughing when I think about how thoroughly I rejected bread pudding as a child.
Mama would make it, and I wanted no part of it.
All these years later, I found myself standing in the kitchen watching the clock because I was having trouble waiting ten whole minutes for the sauce to soak in.
Apparently some desserts just take us a while to appreciate.
And maybe that's part of what makes old-fashioned recipes like this so special. Our grandmothers weren't necessarily trying to make something trendy or impressive. They were looking at stale bread and thinking, There must be a better way than throwing this away.
A little milk. Some eggs. Butter and sugar.
And suddenly the leftovers became dessert.
Turns out Mama knew what she was doing all along.
Other Desserts from Backyard Texas Grill
If you love sweet treats, especially Southern ones, we've got them in spades! Here are some of our most popular:
Peach Dump Cake: Our most recommended dessert. So delicious and easy to make!
Blueberry Cobbler: Cobbler in cast iron? Yes, please!
Pig Pickin' Cake: Funny name. Delicious cake!
Lemon Icebox Pie: Bright and tart, just like a key lime pie.
Baked Rice Pudding: From our sister site, Out of the Box Baking!
Cast Iron Skillet Pecan Pie: Not just for Thanksgiving, friends!
Cowboy Brownies: A new recipe that merges chocolate brownies and luscious blobs of cowboy cookie dough. So yummy!
Texas Sheet Cake Brownies: Friends, there are no words. You have to make this one ASAP!
Thanks for Stopping By!
If you make this bread pudding and love it, please leave a comment or review. And before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards
About the Cook
Janice is a Texas author, baker, blogger, and longtime home cook who loves rediscovering the practical recipes generations before us knew by heart. At Backyard Texas Grill, she shares Southern comfort foods, family favorites, backyard recipes, and the occasional kitchen experiment that starts with, “I really need to use this up.” Sometimes those experiments turn into the best recipes of all.
Old-Fashioned Southern Bread Pudding
This old-fashioned Southern bread pudding transforms leftover bread into a warm, custardy dessert with crisp golden edges and plenty of old-fashioned flavor. Serve it warm with a rich homemade vanilla butter sauce spooned over the top.
Ingredients
- For the Bread Pudding
- 8 cups day-old bread, cut or torn into 1–1½-inch pieces
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup raisins, optional
- For the Vanilla Butter Sauce
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Place the dried bread pieces in the prepared baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), and salt.
- Pour the custard evenly over the bread. Gently press the bread down into the custard so all of the pieces have a chance to absorb the liquid. Sprinkle in the raisins, if using.
- Allow the bread to soak for 20–30 minutes before baking. If some pieces still look dry, turn or gently press them into the custard again.
- Bake uncovered for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set but still moist. Don't overbake—the interior should remain soft and custardy.
- Allow the bread pudding to rest for about 10–15 minutes before serving.
Make the Vanilla Butter Sauce
Notes
About the bread: This is a wonderful way to use a mixture of leftover breads. Sourdough, French bread, dinner rolls, bakery rolls, or plain white bread can all work. In fact, a combination gives the pudding interesting texture.
Dry the bread first: Day-old bread is ideal. If your bread is fresh or has been frozen, cube it and dry it in a 250°F oven for about 20–30 minutes. You're drying the bread, not trying to brown it.
Don't rush the soak: Very dry bread may need the full 30 minutes to absorb the custard.
Raisins are optional: Leave them out if you prefer a plain bread pudding, or substitute dried cranberries or chopped pecans.
Vanilla sauce: The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. If it becomes too thick, gently reheat it with a splash of cream or milk.
Bourbon variation: For a more traditional adult version, add a tablespoon or two of bourbon to the finished sauce after removing it from the heat.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate leftover bread pudding for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Bread pudding can be frozen, preferably without the sauce, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
Serving suggestion: This one is especially good served warm, with plenty of vanilla butter sauce spooned over each serving.
