I don’t know about you, but some of my favorite recipes weren’t fancy or complicated — just old-fashioned, made-with-love kind of food. Bread pudding is one of those. My mom used to throw it together with leftover bread, some milk and eggs, and somehow it turned into magic. We’d sit around the table with big scoops of warm pudding and maybe — just maybe — a little drizzle of custard if we had the time.
This is my go-to version. It’s simple, cozy, and has that creamy texture with just the right amount of spice. The custard sauce? Optional, but if you’re making this, go all the way. Trust me.
What You’ll Need
Makes about 6 servings — or fewer if people come back for seconds (and they will).
For the pudding:
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6 cups of day-old bread, torn into chunks (nothing fancy — sandwich bread, French, brioche, whatever you’ve got)
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2 cups whole milk
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1 cup heavy cream
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4 eggs
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¾ cup sugar
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
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¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
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Pinch of salt
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½ cup raisins (optional — I skip ’em if the kids are around)
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2 tablespoons butter, melted
For the vanilla sauce:
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1 cup heavy cream
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½ cup milk
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¼ cup sugar
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1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Let’s Make It
1. First, preheat the oven
Set it to 350°F. Grab a 9×13″ baking dish, grease it with butter or spray, and set it aside.
2. Whisk your custard
In a big bowl, crack in your eggs, then add sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Give it a good whisk — you want it nice and smooth. Pour in the milk and cream, and whisk again.
3. Build your pudding
Dump the bread chunks into the greased dish. Scatter raisins if you’re using them. Pour that custard mixture all over the bread — make sure everything’s soaked. Press the bread down gently with a spoon or your hand so it all gets a good dunk.
4. Let it sit for a bit
Give it 15 minutes to soak — perfect time to start tidying the kitchen or make coffee.
5. Melted butter magic
Drizzle the melted butter right on top. It’ll help make the top golden and buttery and just a little crisp.
6. Bake it
Pop it in the oven for about 45–50 minutes. You want the top lightly golden, and the middle should be set (give it a jiggle — if it’s still sloshing around, let it bake a bit longer).
While That’s Happening… The Vanilla Sauce
Totally optional, but also totally worth it.
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In a saucepan, mix the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla.
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Stir gently over medium heat — don’t walk away.
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It’ll thicken just a little. You’re not trying to make pudding here — just something pourable that coats the back of a spoon.
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Turn off the heat and let it sit while the pudding finishes up.
How to Serve
Scoop out warm chunks of bread pudding into bowls. Spoon that dreamy vanilla sauce over the top. If you’re feeling extra, you could add whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
It’s just the kind of dessert that makes people pause between bites and smile — maybe even sigh a little. It’s that kind of good.
