This bread pudding is light and fluffy with a crispy, toasted, sweet crust. The cinnamon offers a nice subtle spice to what is normally a rich, decadent dessert.

This dish is also a much faster variation than what you might have made before: When using a softer bread like challah, we don’t soak the bread for hours considering that it can soak down into mush quickly. Utilizing a fresh loaf means you will still get that soft, fluffy texture, however without sacrificing the shape and beauty of the bread.

Find out how to make timeless bread pudding in your home. And if you do want to utilize a various sort of bread, or if you have stale bread you are seeking to use up, we’ll reveal you how to utilize those in this dish.

What Is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is a rich, comforting dessert that’s made by soaking bread cubes in a sweet, spiced egg custard and after that baking it up until the custard is set and the bread is golden brown. Bread puddings are especially precious due to the fact that they use simple components that become an unique meal as soon as baked. Plus, bread pudding can be made with stagnant bread, so you never need to let a loaf go to waste once again.

Active Ingredients in Bread Pudding
The great thing about bread pudding is that it requires fairly easy active ingredients, ones you likely currently have on hand, so you might even be able to make this today, so long as you have bread.

Cooking spray: Use it or butter to coat the within a baking dish so the sweet custard doesn’t burn during baking.
Challah bread loaf: Cut a fresh loaf into 1 1/2- in. You can utilize practically any other type of bread for this traditional recipe.
Large eggs: Essential to the custard that makes this a cohesive dessert.
Whole milk: Adds liquid so the custard is easier for the bread to soak up.
Heavy light whipping cream: For richness in the custard.
Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness while also offering a lovely caramel taste from the molasses. You can use granulated sugar if it’s all you have.
Unsalted butter: Helps the bread brown perfectly during baking. Also includes richness.
Vanilla extract: For warm and cozy flavor that stabilizes all the ingredients in this dish.
Ground cinnamon: Balances the decadent flavors of bread pudding with a little heat.
Kosher salt: Provides a balance of sweet and salted that elevates all the flavors of the dish. Use half the quantity if you’re using table salt.
Turbinado sugar: For that beautiful sugary crunch on top.
Ice cream or sweetened whipped cream: For serving. You might likewise utilize a sauce rather (more on that listed below).
What is the best bread for bread pudding?
Challah bread is an excellent choice for bread pudding. It leads to a dessert that is light and fluffy– and if you’re utilizing fresh challah, it does not require a long take in the custard. But you can use nearly any type of bread you have or desire, from French loaves to even plain (unfrosted) layer cakes. Depending on how stagnant the bread is, and how dense the loaf is, you might require to soak the bread longer in the custard before baking so it can soak up the mix.

How To Make Bread Pudding
Regardless of the truth bread pudding is served at almost every fancy restaurant you’ve ever been to (due to the fact that it’s a great way for them to use up yesterday’s unused bread), this is in fact a simple recipe for the typical home cook to make. Here’s a short summary– and full directions and detailed photos are even more listed below:

Action 1: Add bread cubes to a baking meal coated with cooking spray.
Step 2: Make the custard mixture by heating milk, cream, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a pan until the butter is melted. Remove the pan from the heat, and temper the eggs: Slowly including a few of the warm milk to the cold eggs is called tempering. You do not wish to dump the eggs directly into the warm milk because they might cook and make your custard look like rushed eggs. To ensure you get that silky smooth texture, you want to slowly bring their temperature level up until they reach room temperature, at which point they are safe to contribute to the staying warm milk.
Action 3: Pour the custard over the bread cubes. Press the bread into the custard to get as much covered as possible. Leading with the turbinado sugar.
Step 4: Bake till the custard is set. The bread edges will brown somewhat. Let cool a little and serve warm, or cool completely to space temperature level. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream (or among the sauces we recommend below).
Can you make bread pudding beforehand?
Yes, you can make bread pudding ahead of time. Like a breakfast casserole, bread pudding can sit a number of hours before it’s baked. But there are a few things you’ll want to change about this dish if you go that route: Use stale bread, not fresh. The harder bread is required so that it won’t rapidly soak up the custard and turn mushy. Cover, and let being in the refrigerator 4 hours or as much as 8. Include the turbinado sugar prior to baking.

Tips for the Best Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is amazingly simple and proof-positive you can make something stunning out of remaining scraps. We have a couple of additional tips that will assist ensure your dessert is much better than you could hope:

Pick the bread that’s right for you: This dish was developed utilizing fresh challah bread. You can use almost any type of bread you desire, and stagnant bread, too.
Prevent particular breads: A bread pudding is not the location for rustic, seedy breads. The final result will not have the texture of the creamy, fluffy dessert you’re seeking.
Let the pudding stand: Like lasagna, you should let bread pudding cool slightly before scooping into it and serving. If you scoop in too soon, the bread mixture will be loose and break down. Provide it about 15 minutes to cool enough that it holds its shape when served.
Variations
This bread pudding dish is fairly traditional, with simply the custard, some cinnamon, and a scattering of sugar. You can be a little creative if you desire:

Add mix-ins into the bread pudding, such as chocolate chips and dried fruits.
Modification the spices, and include cardamom, nutmeg, and allspice along with the cinnamon.
Add fresh fruit, such as blueberries or apple. Tender fruits, like raspberries, or additional juicy ones, such as oranges, won’t be a great option here.
How To Serve Bread Pudding
Keep things easy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’ll melt magnificently over the bread pudding and form a sauce of its own. Whipped cream will do the same.

Or, rather of ice cream or whipped cream, we love a flavorful sauce. Attempt Bourbon Sauce, Praline Sauce, and even Apple Cider Caramel Sauce with this bread pudding dish.

How To Store Bread Pudding
If you have remaining bread pudding, you can wait for a future dessert. Wrap the baking meal with storage wrap, and move it to the refrigerator. It can remain there up to 3 days. The bread might soften more, however it’ll still be tasty.

Can You Freeze Bread Pudding?
We don’t recommend freezing remaining bread pudding (the small servings can dry out and harden in the freezer), however you can freeze a whole bread pudding, once baked and cooled. Bake from cold, including a number of extra minutes to get it warmed throughout.