If you’re in the mood for pumpkin spice and you love the rich warmth of a bread pudding, this is the recipe for you! In this post I’m going to show you how to make a simple and delicious pumpkin bread pudding!
What is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is not a “traditional” pudding. Instead, it’s a delicious dessert made from stale bread.
I know. I know. Stale bread?
Yep, you start with stale (or toasted/dried out) bread. Then you take that bread and soak it in a mixture of milk, cream, eggs, sugar, and spices. And that, my friends, is where it starts to get exciting, especially in the fall, with those rich autumn flavors of cinnamon and spice. (Yum!)
The finished product is a soft, custard-like texture.
What Type of Bread Should I Use?
That’s really up to you. I started with a loaf of French bread but you could use any number of breads: brioche, Challah, or even croissants or biscuits! Talk about flexible!
This delicious dessert is commonly served with a sauce, such as caramel, bourbon, or vanilla custard. In this case, I made a vanilla cream sauce and added pumpkin spice and cinnamon. Delicious!
Talk about a great way to use up leftover bread. And best of all, bread pudding is simple!
My Bread Pudding Journey
I’ll confess, when I was a child I wouldn’t go near bread pudding. Every time my mama would make it, I would turn my nose up and say, “No thanks.” I think the “look” of it was off-putting to me. I’m not sure. But I’m making up for my skepticism these days by making as many different bread puddings as I can!
I started with an orange cranberry bread pudding. Then I made an apple version. And lemon coconut. And lemon blueberry. Oh, and peach. (Yum!) I could keep going, because I also came up with a crockpot version and a savory bread pudding, perfect for breakfast.
You get the idea. I’ve more than made up for snubbing this special treat all those years ago.
And tonight was no different. I wanted to make a pumpkin-themed bread pudding, so I took an earlier recipe and tweaked it for this very thing. And, boy oh boy! Talk about a winner. You’re going to love this one, and not just during the holiday season. This warm, rich bread pudding is perfect, year ‘round!
Pumpkin Bread Pudding Ingredients
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick look at what you’ll need. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand in your kitchen.
- 1 loaf bread (French, challah, or brioche) cubed and dried (or toasted)
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 3 cups whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Pumpkin Spice Cream Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 C brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- vanilla extract
How to Make this Simple Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Cube and dry the loaf of bread. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
Place pumpkin puree into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.
Add brown sugar, eggs, 1m melted butter, vanilla, and spices. Mix well.
Slowly work in the milk, being careful not to over-splash.
Pour the filling over the cubed bread.
Add pecans (optional) and mix well.
Allow to soak for half an hour.
Spray (or butter) a 9×13-inch dish.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Place the soaked bread into the prepared dish.
Place in preheated oven and bake for an hour or until golden brown and set.
Remove and set on wire rack to cool.
Make pumpkin spice sauce:
Create a slurry of cornstarch and 2 – 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream. Set aside.
Place brown sugar, egg, melted butter, and remaining heavy cream in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring non-stop.
Work in the slurry, whisking non-stop.
Simmer until it thickens slightly. You’re looking for a honey consistency.
Remove from heat and add spices and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
Pour over bread pudding.
Allow to sit until the cream sauce begins to work its way down into the pudding.
Serve and enjoy!
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay good for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dessert.
What to Expect from this Dessert
Y’all, it’s perfect! Those warm spices from the Pumpkin Spice come shining through: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove. This, along with the slight crunch from the pecans and the creamy sauce, makes this one of the most ideal fall treats I’ve come up with so far!
Variations on this Recipe
There are so many fun changes you can make to this recipe. Here are a few that come to mind:
- Chocolate chips: You can throw in a cup of chocolate chips to add a new flavor profile.
- Chopped Bacon: It’s a great idea to add chopped bacon to this recipe!
- Peanut butter chips: This fun addition will be beautiful with pumpkin!
- Caramel sauce: Add caramel to your cream sauce. Yum!
- Sweet Potato: You can easily swap sweet potato puree for the pumpkin. Leave the rest of the recipe the same.
Other Pumpkin Desserts from Out of the Box Baking
- Pumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookies
- Deep Dish Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Spice Bars
- Super Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake
That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe.
If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you’re at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!
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Easy Pumpkin Bread Pudding
If you’re in the mood for pumpkin spice and you love the rich warmth of a bread pudding, this is the recipe for you! In this post I’m going to show you how to make a simple and delicious pumpkin bread pudding!
Ingredients
- Bread Pudding Ingredients
- 1 loaf bread (French, challah, or brioche) cubed and dried (or toasted)
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 3 cups whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- Pumpkin Spice Cream Sauce Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 C Brown Sugar (Packed)
- 1 Tbl. Cornstarch
- 1 Lg Egg
- 2 Tblsp salted Butter
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- vanilla Extract
Instructions
Cube and dry the loaf of bread. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
Place pumpkin puree into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.
Add brown sugar, eggs, 1mmelted butter, vanilla, and spices. Mix well.
Slowly work in the milk, being careful not to over-splash.
Pour the filling over the cubed bread. Add pecans (optional) and mix well.
Allow to soak for half an hour.
Spray (or butter) a 9x13-inch dish.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Place the soaked bread into the prepared dish.
Place in preheated oven and bake for an hour or until golden brown and set.
Remove and set on wire rack to cool.
Make pumpkin spice sauce: Create a slurry of cornstarch and 2 - 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream. Set aside.
Place brown sugar, egg, melted butter, and remaining heavy cream in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring non-stop.
Work in the slurry, whisking non-stop.
Simmer until it thickens slightly. You’re looking for a honey consistency.
Remove from heat and add spices and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
Pour over bread pudding.
Allow to sit until the cream sauce begins to work its way down into the pudding.
Serve and enjoy!
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay good for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dessert.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 346Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 151mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 26gProtein: 6g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.