BACK TO ALL RECIPES

Bread Pudding

Paul Johnson

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED September 16, 2026

Nana always made it a point to try not to let anything go to waste, and this is exactly the kind of dessert that came from that mindset. Bread pudding is toasted bread soaked in a sweet custard that bakes into pure comfort. It is rich and soft and the kind of dessert that feels old-school in the best way. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and even better the next day. The one upgrade Nana never had? The vanilla butter sauce. It takes something already good and makes it the kind of dessert people talk about for weeks. Just a few basics, done right, and suddenly you’ve got a dessert everyone keeps going back for. — Justin Ellen

 

The following may contain affiliate links for which we earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting us in this way!
Print

Bread Pudding

Prevent your screen from going dark

Makes 8 servings 1x

Time About one hour

Units Scale

Ingredients

Bread:

  • 1 loaf (about 15 ounces / 425 g) brioche or challah (slightly stale is best), cut into 1-inch cubes

Custard

Custard

  • 2 cups (480 g) whole milk
  • 1 cup (240 g) heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Optional Add-Ins

  • 1/2 cup (75 g) raisins or dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup (55 g) chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup (85 g) chocolate chunks

Vanilla Butter Sauce

  • 1/2 cup (113 g) salted butter
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 g) heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
  • Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Toast the bread: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly dried out. (This helps prevent a soggy bread pudding.)
  2. Make the custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and melted butter until smooth and fully combined.
  3. Assemble and soak: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, or an 8×8-inch dish for a thicker pudding. Add the toasted bread cubes and scatter any optional add-ins evenly throughout. Pour the custard evenly over the top and gently press the bread down so it fully absorbs the liquid. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. While it soaks, increase the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
  4. Bake: Bake the pudding for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden, the edges are set, and the center is slightly jiggly but not wet.
  5. Make the sauce, serve, and store: In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt. Heat over medium, stirring, until smooth and slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour the warm sauce over the bread pudding just before serving. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warm before serving.

— Excerpted from Better Than Grandma’s © 2026 by Justin Ellen. Photography © 2026 by Paul Johnson. Reproduced by permission of Rolling Pin Press. All rights reserved.

Log in, or become a member today.

Join in: enjoy 7 days free, plus 40% off your first year with access to 1,000+ highly vetted recipes from the How To Cook Everything series and beyond, essays from Mark, and original pieces from our contributors.

Join annually and save 40%
Log in to your account

GetBetterFasterHealthierSmarterTastier

in the Kitchen

Through our (more than a thousand, and growing) highly vetted recipes from the How to Cook Everything series, original food essays and reporting, thoughtful podcast conversations and introductions to new and responsible food products, we aim to showcase what’s possible, from farm to fork, and power a growing movement that encourages people to think about food not as a commodity, but as central to our health and happiness.

Start your free trial

We hope you join us on this journey. We’d love to have you as a part of the Bittman community. As a member, you'll have access to:

  • New recipes every week
  • 1000s of recipes from How to Cook Everything and beyond
  • First access to in-person events with Mark and Kate
  • Exclusive discounts from our favorite brands
  • Q&As with Mark and the team

 

Subscribe to our free newsletter

Join over 105,000 passionate individuals who receive our weekly emails. It’s 100% free and you can unsubscribe anytime. Plus, we’ll email you a sampling of what premium members receive on a weekly basis.