Description
A cozy and comforting fall dessert featuring pumpkin-spiced bread pudding topped with a silky homemade caramel sauce. Easy to make and perfect for gatherings or weeknight treats.
Ingredients
- 6 cups day-old bread, cubed (about 6–7 slices; sturdy white bread or brioche recommended)
- 1 cup (240g) pumpkin puree (plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1½ cups (360ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Butter for greasing the baking dish (unsalted, melted or softened)
- For the Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Cube day-old bread into roughly 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
- Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes and gently stir to coat. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to soak.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish generously.
- Pour soaked bread and custard mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Press lightly on top to compact slightly.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden and custard is set but slightly jiggly in the center. Cover loosely with foil if browning too fast.
- While baking, make the caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt granulated sugar without stirring, swirling occasionally until deep amber.
- Whisk in butter until smooth. Remove from heat and slowly add heavy cream while whisking constantly. Stir in salt and vanilla extract. Let cool slightly to thicken.
- Let bread pudding cool 10 minutes after baking. Serve warm drizzled with caramel sauce.
Notes
[‘Use day-old or stale bread for best texture; fresh bread can become mushy.’, ‘Let bread soak in custard at least 10 minutes for moistness.’, ‘Watch caramel sugar closely to avoid burning; do not stir while melting.’, ‘Salt in caramel balances sweetness and enhances flavor.’, ‘Caramel sauce can be made 2-3 days ahead and reheated gently.’, ‘Add toasted pecans, raisins, or chocolate chips for variation.’, ‘For dairy-free version, use coconut milk and coconut oil; caramel can be made with coconut cream.’, ‘Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of milk to restore creaminess.’, ‘Bread pudding can be frozen; avoid freezing caramel sauce separately.’]
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8th of the bread p
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 210
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
Keywords: pumpkin bread pudding, fall dessert, caramel sauce, easy pumpkin dessert, homemade caramel, autumn recipe, bread pudding recipe