A comfort food classic, we’ve been making our bread pudding recipe since 1950, when it first appeared in a Betty Crocker cookbook. Since then, it’s become a favorite with our fans! Over the decades, our recipe hasn’t changed much. In the beginning, we called for breadcrumbs, but changed it years ago to bread cubes, preferring the added texture the cubes provided. Other than that, our bread pudding has basically remained the same. Why mess with perfection?
A simple, cinnamon custard mixture is baked with bread cubes and raisins into a dessert casserole. The warm-from-the oven bread pudding is served in bowls with heavy whipping cream poured over the top. It’s a perfect dessert as a delicious compliment to any meal. No wonder it’s a beloved classic!
Our easy to make, pantry friendly recipe only takes a few ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Bread: The best breads for bread pudding have a slightly chewy texture like rustic Italian or French baguette. These breads have textures that are sturdy enough to not break apart when tossed with the other ingredients and baked.
Milk: Milk adds moisture to the bread pudding and a rich dairy flavor, which is why we recommend 2% or whole milk. We don’t recommend non-fat, as it tends to result in a waterier pudding.
Sugar: Granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to this bread pudding recipe.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Butter, eggs, cinnamon, and salt.
Just a few pieces of basic kitchen equipment is all you’ll need for this easy bread pudding recipe.
Saucepan: A small, 2-quart saucepan is just the right size to heat your milk and butter.
Large mixing bowl: To combine all your custard ingredients with your bread cubes, a large mixing bowl will be necessary.
Baking Dish or Casserole: A 1 1/2-quart casserole or a 9x9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish is the perfect size this bread pudding recipe.
Other Equipment You’ll Need: Measuring cups, measuring spoons, and mixing spoons.
Here are the basic steps for making our best bread pudding recipe.
Heating the milk and butter together gives the butter a chance to melt so that it mixes in well and is distributed evenly with the bread cubes.
The custard ingredients are combined with the bread cubes and raisins and stirred to moisten. The cubes should have soaked up most of the custard before it all gets poured into the casserole dish.
The bread pudding is perfectly done if puffy, golden brown, and a knife inserted an inch from the edge of the baking dish comes out clean. A knife inserted in the center of the bread pudding may not come out clean, even when the pudding is done, as residual heat will continue to cook the casserole after it comes out of the oven.
We know the best bread pudding recipe is the one you customize to your own tastes, so here are a few easy changes you’ve told us about.
We’ve heard from you that dried cherries, chopped nuts, or dark chocolate are a great replacement for the raisins in our bread pudding recipe. And although we haven’t had a chance to try it ourselves, some of you have used gluten-free bread and said it worked great! To finish, pour cream over your bread pudding or top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
If you’re ready to expand your bread pudding repertoire, try our bread pudding with bourbon sauce. For a more hands-off approach, we suggest our slow-cooker bread pudding.
For the best flavor and texture, it’s best to serve this bread pudding recipe while it’s warm from the oven. If you find yourself with leftovers, though, here’s how to store and reheat them.
Place leftovers in an air-tight container or wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
Freezing is not recommended, as the texture of the bread will not hold up well to freezing, thawing, and reheating.
Spoon a serving into a microwavable bowl. Cover and microwave on medium-high (70%) about 1 minute or until warm in the center.
Who doesn’t love the nostalgic and comforting flavors of bread pudding? According to the hundreds of reviews for this recipe, no one. Our community loves our bread pudding recipe for so many reasons, like how simple and versatile it is, with ingredients that can be substituted for ones they like better or already have on hand. They tell us that it’s a great way to use up their leftover bread and can switch up the toppings by using caramel or butter-rum sauce. Perhaps their favorite thing about it, though, is how much their family and friends love it, and how often they’re asked to make it again and again.
Heat oven to 350°F.
In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk and butter, stirring, over medium heat until butter is melted, and milk is hot.
In large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Stir in bread cubes and raisins. Add in milk mixture and stir to thoroughly coat the bread.
Pour the bread mixture into ungreased 1 1/2-quart casserole and spread out evenly.
Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge of casserole dish comes out clean. Serve warm with cream poured over the top, if desired.
If you are using a bread with good texture, like a rustic Italian or French baguette, you’ll want to make sure you let it soak long enough for it to absorb most of the custard before putting it into the oven. This will ensure the custard is evenly distributed. Otherwise, you may have a dry upper half and soggy lower half of your bread pudding.
Such a homey, simple dessert would be welcome at the end of any meal as a dessert, but it would also be delicious served at brunch or even a special holiday breakfast!
| Food Component / Nutrient | Amount | % , Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 9g | % Value Not Available |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | % Value Not Available |
| Cholesterol | 60mg | % Value Not Available |
| Sodium | 280mg | % Value Not Available |
| Total Carbohydrate | 25g | % Value Not Available |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | % Value Not Available |
| Protein | 5g | % Value Not Available |
| Iron | Value Not Available | 4% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | ||
