Pumpkin Bread Pudding
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
An easy pumpkin bread pudding with a praline topping recipe that will be the star of your Thanksgiving show! I made this for my family for the holidays and it was requested that we need to make this every year.
Every holiday season, I am asked to make multiple desserts and I usually stick to the category of pies- you know, apple, pecan, pumpkin. This year, I decided I wanted to switch up and make a homemade bread pudding. I also wanted a pumpkin dessert on the table. So enter this dessert- pumpkin spice bread pudding.
Oh my. This has all the wonderful warm spices you come to expect from a pumpkin pie, the creaminess of pumpkin, and a delightful crunch of pecans and finishes with a rich carmelly sauce that gets drizzled over it right before serving.
Trust me, you will want to make this dessert for your next get together because of all the rave reviews and “mmmmmm” that you will hear echo across the table. Mmmm, music to my ears.
Get My Thanksgiving Treats Book!
Get all my favorite pie recipes and desserts to serve this Thanksgiving in this digital e-book, Thanksgiving Pies and Treats book! From classics like apple, pumpkin and pecan to out of the box favorites like cherry crumb and Chocolate Irish cream pie. Plus get my go to Thanksgiving desserts and breads! Like my apple crumb cake, my favorite cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bundt cake and more.
My recipe book also includes everything you need to know when making traditional or classic pies for any occasion for beginners, like the right way to blind bake a pie crust. Become a pie making pro in no time!
Why This Recipe Works
- Full of pumpkin flavor with both pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice
- Great way to use up a leftover loaf of bread!
- Can assemble the day before and bake the morning of!
- Can serve as a dessert after Thanksgiving dinner or for a Christmas brunch.
Ingredients Needed
- Day Old Bread – Yes day old. It will hold up better and not get too soggy when you soak the custard mixture in it. I love using either french or Challah Bread.
- Heavy cream
- Half and Half – If you can’t find half and half then replace with half cream and half whole milk.
- Pumpkin Puree – You want the puree not the pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin pie mix has added ingredients that we don’t want. So stick to the 100% puree which is just 100% pumpkin nothing else.
- Granulated Sugar
- Unsalted Buter – You can also use salted butter.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice – If you don’t have any on hand (and I usually don’t) you can make your own pumpkin pie spice mix very easily.
- Brown sugar – I used light brown sugar but you can also use dark brown sugar. If you’ve run out read my full tutorial on how to make homemade brown sugar.
- Pecans – I recommend toasting the pecans first.
How To Make Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Assemble the bread pudding
- Prepare bread. Preheat the oven to 350oF and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Place the bread cubes in the dish.
- Whisk together wet mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, half and half, pumpkin puree, sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
- Pour over bread. Slowly pour the pumpkin mixture over the cubed bread in the baking dish. Be sure to cover all the bread pieces.
- Bake your bread pudding. Bake in the greased baking dish a preheated oven for about 1 hour on middle rack until the custard is set.
Make the praline sauce
- In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, and stir pecans into the cream mixture. Simmer until the sauce thickens, for about 5 minutes;.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour over bread pudding right before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Use Leftover Bread – This will dry out the bread a bit, so it can hold up to soaking in all of that milk mixture. If you only have fresh bread, don’t worry it will still work. Just let it dry out on your counter for a few hours, or toast in the oven for 10 minutes at 250oF.
- Use pumpkin puree – Make sure you grab a can of the puree not the mix which has extra ingredients!
- Make your own pumpkin pie spice mix and save a few dollars and an extra trip to the grocery store!
- Make sure the bread gets good and soaked. And I like to after pouring the custard in, push the bread down into the custard so it ensure that the top pieces are soaked.
- Choose an eggy bread. I love using brioche or challah. But a French bread or white bread will also work.
Recipe Variations
- Add a crunchy topping like a streusel on top before baking.
- Skip the sauce and serve with maple syrup if you’re short on time!
- Make it a bourbon sauce by adding a few tablespoons of bourbon to the praline sauce.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
You can assemble this bread pudding then cover and keep in the fridge in airtight container. Bake the next day as directed. Once bake, store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers should keep frozen for up to 2 months. Just wrap it well and store in a plastic bag. Then let it thaw at room temperature and reheat before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
You can simply serve with the praline sauce (or try some homemade caramel sauce) but for extra decadence I love topping with a dollop of Whipped Cream or try my Stabilized Whipped Cream.
For a bread pudding dessert serve with a scoop of Ice Cream.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes you can. You can substitute the spice with:
-1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon ginger
-1/4 teaspoon cloves
The bread pudding should be golden brown on top, and not liquidy, but still soft underneath.
Yes but you want to let it dry out a bit. Let it sit out on the counter for a few hours, or cube it up and toast in a 250oF oven for 10 minutes before using.
You want to use day old, stale bread for bread pudding (like for this New Orleans bread pudding) because a drier bread will soak up the custard a bit better, but also not become soggy like. If you have fresh bread on hand and want to make bread pudding, then make sure to leave it on the counter to dry out for a few hours or dry it out in the oven. Cube up the bread and toast it in the oven for 10 minutes at 250oF.
I recommend a sturdy hearty loaf of bread that can hold up to soaking up the custard. I love using a loaf of Challah bread, but a brioche bread or French bread also works. Or add more spice and use a a cinnamon swirl bread!
I haven’t tried but I would recommend cooking it on a low setting for about 2-3 hours.
More Recipes To Try
If you’re craving more pumpkin this season, then be sure to try my delicious and easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! Made with real pumpkin and pumpkin spice.
Or my easy pumpkin chocolate chip bread! It’s baked in a loaf pan so it comes together quickly!
Grab My Pie Book Now!
Imagine making a homemade pie from scratch that everyone raves about! This e-book, Thanksgiving Pies And Treats, has the best Thanksgiving Pies and desserts perfect for the holiday season!
Plus learn how to make the best pie crust from scratch and get all my best pie making tips. Get the e-book now!
Pumpkin Praline Bread Pudding
Ingredients
For the bread pudding
- 1 pound (about 1 loaf) day old Bread (challah, brioche, French)
- 1 cup (240 mL) Heavy Cream
- 1 cup (240 mL) Half and Half
- 1 15- ounce can Pumpkin Puree
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) Granulated Sugar
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter melted
- 4 large Eggs room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the praline sauce
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup (240 mL) Heavy Cream
- 1 cup (213 g) Packed Light Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup (86g) chopped, toasted pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare pan and preheat. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter or lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Prepare bread. Tear bread into 1-inch pieces. Place torn pieces of bread into the bottom of the casserole dish. 1 pound (about 1 loaf) day old Bread (challah, brioche, French)
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, half and half, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. 1 cup (240 mL) Heavy Cream 1 cup (240 mL) Half and Half 1 15- ounce can Pumpkin Puree 1 1/2 cups (300 g) Granulated Sugar 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter 4 large Eggs 1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pour over bread. Slowly pour the wet mixture over the bread pieces in the baking dish. Be sure to cover all the bread pieces. I like to squish the bread pieces on top to make sure it's soaked.
- Bake your bread pudding. Bake in a preheated oven for about 1 hour on middle rack until the custard is set. The top bread pieces should be golden brown.
- Make praline sauce. While the bread pudding is baking, make the praline sauce. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and stir in pecans. Simmer until the sauce thickens, for about 5-7 minutes. Remove the saucepan rom the heat and stir in the vanilla. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate. Warm back up again before serving. Serve the sauce over bread pudding. 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) Unsalted Butter 1 cup (240 mL) Heavy Cream 1 cup (213 g) Packed Light Brown Sugar 3/4 cup (86g) chopped, toasted pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
- Storage: Keep wrapped, stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Use Day Old Bread – This will dry out the bread a bit, so it can hold up to soaking in all of that milk mixture.
- Use pumpkin puree – Make sure you grab a can of the puree not the mix which has extra ingredients!
- Make your own pumpkin pie spice mix and save a few dollars and an extra trip to the grocery store!
- Substitute half and half: If you don’t have this ingredient in your store don’t worry. Half and half is basically half cream and half milk. You can substitute equal parts milk and cream for the half and half called for in the recipe.
- Test when the recipe is done: Look for a golden brown top and still slightly soft interior.
- Substitute the pumpkin pie spice:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Can you make this a day ahead? any suggestions
I would let it cool and cover with tinfoil and refrigerate and then warm back up in the oven before serving.
Such a stunning fall dessert! I love the praline topping so much — I could eat it with a spoon!
Thanks! Sometimes I do!
This looks super delicious and it is perfect for this season! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I cant wait to try this out!
thank you for your sweet feedback Ramona
Mmm, this looks and sounds so appealing! I love the addition of pralines – I can never get enough of them. Can’t wait to try this!
I’m excited too!
Adding this recipe to my holiday brunch menu. So delicious!
Fabulous addition!
This is a perfect holiday dessert and a delicious alternative to the usual pumpkin pie. Thanks for sharing!
thanks for popping in, Colleen
My husband is a huge bread pudding fan, as well as anything pumpkin! I have this on my list for Thanksgiving! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Let me know how it turns out for you
I’m a huge bread pudding fan, and this recipe is fabulous! The spice is right on, and the texture is perfectly custardy. Everyone should make this ASAP!
That’s so sweet, Amanda!
I could DRINK that praline sauce on its own, it’s so good! We think this is the perfect breakfast to serve on Thanksgiving morning,
haha – like maple syrup!
Bread pudding is so comforting and this looks like such a tasty variation. That praline sauce sounds amazing!
It sure is – let me know how it turns out for you.
Mmmm that looks so good. I am thinking it would be good with custard.
I cannot wait to hear what you think, Jacqueline, great idea!
I just bought some challah and came across this recipe and knew I had to make it for brunch. It was a hit!! Thank you so much!! Will be making again this Fall at least a few more times!
Excellent seasonal treat; thanks Tawnie.
You had me at pumpkin … and I love bread pudding. What a winning combo and so delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Perfect autumn combo, right?
My husband literally flipped for this recipe, thank you!!
😄😄 Yay!
This looks delicious. A very nice nice prelude to the holidays.
Thanks! It’s a great dessert for the holidays!