Grandma’s Bread Pudding
This bread pudding recipe is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. This is one of our family’s favorite recipes and is perfect served with a big scoop of ice cream!
Do you have any family recipes that you absolutely love? This bread pudding recipe is one that has been in my husband’s family for years and comes from his Grandmother Linda. My husband loves this recipe so much that his grandma used to bake it for him instead of a cake for special occasions. And honestly, I would choose this recipe over a cake any day too.
Speaking of Josh’s grandma, I really feel like I could write a million blog posts about how wonderful she was. She was such a kind person and had the best sense of humor. It was literally impossible to not crack a smile when you were around her.
My favorite memory of her was the time she got up on the dance floor at our wedding and danced like no one was watching. Although she’s no longer with us, one thing that we will always have are the memories and her amazing bread pudding recipe.
Plus, you know a recipe is good when it comes from grandma. Right?
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients that you may already have on hand! Here’s what you will need to make this easy bread pudding recipe:
- Day-old bread: To start this recipe you’ll need some bread, hence the name bread pudding. I like to use a loaf of challah bread when it comes to making this recipe. Josh’s grandma used slices of toasted white bread when she would make it. Some other great options are French or brioche bread. You also want to use day-old or stale bread so that it absorbs the moisture from the egg and milk mixture.
- Eggs: You will be using 5 large eggs for this bread pudding recipe.
- Milk: I prefer to use whole milk in this recipe, but Josh’s grandmother typically used skim milk. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand!
- Sugar: There’s 1 cup of granulated sugar in this dish to add some sweetness.
- Vanilla & spices: These add a little flavor to the bread pudding. For the spices there is a mixture of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.
How To Make Bread Pudding
To make this bread pudding, start by spraying a 9×13 baking pan well with nonstick cooking spray. Next, cube your day old-bread into 1-inch pieces and place them in an even layer into the prepared baking dish.
Then, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and spices. You will be using 5 whole eggs and 4 cups of milk, which may seem like a lot. Trust me, the first time I made this recipe I sat there wondering if it was too much. As the bread bakes it will absorb the liquid, so don’t worry!
Once you mix up the wet ingredients, pour it over the bread in your pan. Make sure that the mixture fully coats the bread, if you miss some pieces, just press them down into the mixture to make sure they are coated.
You want to let it sit for about 15 minutes, so the bread can absorb some of the liquid before it goes into the oven too. I like to prepare the bread pudding, then once I’m done I preheat the oven. I just let it sit and soak up the mixture while the oven preheats, which is usually right at about 15 minutes. Easy, peasy.
The bread pudding will take about 45 to 50 minutes in the oven. You will know it’s done when the center is puffed up and firm if you gently touch it.
You do want to let it cool for just a little bit once you remove it from the oven so that it’s easy to handle. I really love this bread pudding served with a huge scoop of ice cream and some caramel sauce. But honestly, it’s delicious just by itself!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze bread pudding?
Yes, absolutely! You can slice the bread pudding into pieces, wrap each one tightly, and store them in a large freezer bag or freezer-friendly storage container. To thaw it, simply place it in the refrigerator overnight.
Does it need be refrigerated?
Yes, you do want to refrigerate it. Once it has cooled completely, wrap it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How do you reheat it?
If you want to reheat the whole bread pudding, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and place it in a 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed. For individual slices, I prefer to microwave them in 20 to 30 second increments until they’re warmed through.
Baking Tips
- If your bread is still fresh or not dried out you can cube it into smaller pieces, place them on a baking sheet, pop it in the oven, and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. You don’t want to completely toast the bread, just dry it out.
- I prefer to lightly beat the eggs before mixing them into the wet ingredients. This isn’t necessary, but does help to ensure that the eggs are thoroughly combined.
- Let the bread pudding soak for about 15 minutes while your oven is preheating. This will ensure that the bread really soaks up the egg custard mixture!
Video Tutorial
Grandma's Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 loaf day-old challah bread cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 5 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 cups (960 ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the cubed challah bread into the prepared baking dish and spread it around into an even layer. Set aside.
- In a very large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon until fully combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread in the prepared baking pan, making sure all of the bread is coated. Allow to sit and soak up the mixture for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Once the 15 minutes is over, place the bread pudding in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
All so,,,what about Half n Half?
That would be fine.
HI I am thinking of using Banana Bread. What do you think?
It would probably be okay, but you may want to reduce the sugar since the banana bread will already be sweet.
Hi!
Is there a way I can use fresh apples with this dish? Make an apple compote and pour over, perhaps? Or, bake apples within the pudding?
Thanks!
MJ
Yes, absolutely! You can chop up 1-2 apples and add them to the bread pudding. A compote would work great on top too.
This looks yummy! A question: Can I use evaporated milk, or, a combination of evaporated and whole milk, in this recipe?
That would be fine. You can also make a milk substitute by mixing together equal parts evaporated milk and water.
This recipe is just what I’m looking for and I can’t wait to try it! Any idea how many cups of cubes are in a 20 oz loaf of challah? I have some leftover French bread I’d like to use, but don’t know the weight. It would be helpful to know approximately how many cups the 20 ounces converts to. Thanks! Sharon
It comes out to about 9-10 cups of cubed bread. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
I never buy whole milk. Think evaporated milk undiluted will work?
It would probably be okay, but the bread pudding would be richer. You can mix together equal parts of evaporated milk and water (2 cups of each one) to make 4 cups of whole milk though.
Hi,
In the photos it looks like there is some sort of fruit baked into the top, as well as a drizzle over the bread pudding (perhaps caramel?), but I don’t see that mentioned in the ingredients or instructions – what would they be? Thank you!
There’s no fruit baked into the top, but I did drizzle it with salted caramel sauce. You can find that recipe here: https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/homemade-salted-caramel-sauce/.
Mine is in the oven as I type. I cut the recipe in half (3 eggs, 2 cups milk) but I subbed unsweetened coconut milk because I only had skim in fridge but wanted the fat content. I used a mini loaf of zucchini bread I bought at market that I let get stale. I am baking this in a water bath as I want the custard to be creamy and not break. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Hope you enjoyed the bread pudding, Kelli!
How many people will this 9-13 inch pan serve? I need to serve 15people. Thanks for your help.
It really depends on how large of servings you’re wanting, I usually cut it into 12-15 servings.
Mmmm… I’m drooling. It looks so good. My son would really love this bread pudding.
So excited to make this today! I have the Bricoh Bread. Would love to have a recipe for LEMON SAUCE…to spoon on top. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
So glad you liked the bread pudding, Karen! I’ll certainly add lemon sauce to my list of recipes to work on.
I’ve always heard bread pudding needs to be baked in a “water bath” which is placing the baking dish inside a pan of water that comes up about an inch or two on the side of the baking dish. Supposedly prevents the custard part from curdling. That’s how I bake my bread pudding and haven’t had any liquid in the finished pudding. I use regular whole milk.
A water bath would definitely help the bread pudding heat evenly and prevent the custard from breaking. I haven’t ever had any issues with that happening though, so I don’t find the extra step necessary.
I made this using panettone and added a couple of ripe bananas and dark chocolate chips. Delicious! Great recipe. Thank you .
I love this recipe!!! I am making it for the first time with some “an few day old dried” KING CAKE instead of bread! This is a large cinnamon roll decorated at Mardi Gras season! Cant wait to try it!
I’m going to try this with Hawaiian bread. I bet it will be fantastic!!! I think I’ll cut back on the sugar a bit though as the bread is sweet.
Hello. I am trying to stay away from white flour. How will the pudding taste with whole wheat bread? Thanks!
I think it would taste just fine!
I made this using chocolate bread. I bake my own bread so sometimes I make chocolate bread. I sprinkled a handful of chocolate chips on top. When it came out of the oven I drizzled some caramel on top. The custard was perfect and this bread pudding was an instant favorite. We loved it and could not believe we had eaten the whole pan.
That sounds fantastic, Kathy!
If I am unable to purchase challah bread, what would you suggest?
You can use just about any kind of bread as long as it’s about the same amount. Brioche is another good option.
What’s challah bread
Can you use ordinary bread
It’s a braided egg bread that’s a little sweet. You can use regular bread, just use the same amount.
I just took this bread pudding out of the oven. I added a half a cup of raisins and a half a cup of chopped pecans. I baked it for 50 minutes at 375 degrees. I let it sit for 15 minutes too cool. It does unfortunately, have that moisture on the bottom of the pan. It’s like sugar water. I don’t know why. This was my first attempt at bread pudding. It does taste great though.
Hi, Terry. If there’s a lot of water underneath the bread pudding, I think it may have been because the bread pudding was overbaked and caused the custard to weep (become watery). I would suggest baking it at 350°F (per the recipe) and see if that helps next time. I’m glad you liked it though!
I made this for a last-minute gathering and it was so quick, easy and delicious! It’s not too sweet and the challah is perfectly moist in the middle but crispy on the edges. I made a maple-rum-raisin sauce on the side for those that wanted more sweetness. Next time, I’ll try adding raisins right into this recipe.
I cannot get challah bread in my area. What makes a good sub?
You can use just about any kind of bread! Brioche or French bread are good options. I’ve had some readers mention that they just used different kinds of leftover bread that they had too. Just make sure the bread is about the same weight (20-ounces).
I made this for Xmas dinner. HUGE HIT!!
Thankyou so much for sharing your Grandmother’s recipe! ♡
So happy to hear that, Shelly!
I like using a variety of bread – white , rye , cinnamon raisin . I’ve even used a couple bagels . I use whole milk or 1/2 &1/2 cream , even table or whipping cream . Makes it a little richer . I always make a vanilla sauce to pour over it . My family’s favorite dessert .
Excellent! I also made a vanilla sauce to pour on top and it was amazing! I baked for 45 minutes in a glass dish Make sure to use whole (homogenized) milk otherwise it will probably be runny.
I have made a similar recipe but only use 2 cups of whole milk and there is a thick layer of custard on the bottom. I had some leftover shortbread cookies that went into the last batch (cut sugar in half) and it was to die for! Love bread pudding.
Watery stuff in the bottom usually means overcooked egg/milk mixture. I took mine out at 35 minutes, not 45, and it was great. Start checking it at 35 minutes, maybe, especially if you started with mixtures at room temp.
Hey, I’m excited to try this recipe but there is only two of us. How do I store left overs and for how long?
You can cover it tightly (or store in an airtight container) for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. You can also cut the recipe in half (just use 2 eggs) and bake it in an 8-inch square baking pan.
Would and 8 1/2 by 6 1/2 be big enough?
To cut the recipe in half? I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be okay.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
I’ve been making bread pudding for over 25 years and it’s hit or miss with the heavy custard in the bottom (which is what I shoot for). Sometimes there is and sometimes there isn’t. Is there a secret to getting that thick layer of custard on the bottom and not the watery stuff?
I’m not sure if there’s a secret to getting a thick layer of custard on the bottom. I think this one turns out great, I don’t find it to be too watery or anything.
Maybe the milk makes a difference? Do you always use whole milk or have you used say 2% once in a while which has more water and might either need longer cooking to evaporate that moisture or simply not make a thick a custard? I think there is a trick for getting lower fat milk to behave like whole (something you add) but I don’t know what it is, sorry.
I’ve used 2% and skim milk and don’t notice much of a difference. I just find that whole milk makes it a little richer.
I had leftover pastry cream from cream puffs, so I put a layer of thinned pastry cream on top of my bread pudding (1 cup of pastry cream mixed with .25cup of milk/cream) and it was a lovely layer of velvety custard on top – like the texture Portuguese custard tarts.
If you want your overall bread pudding to be more custardy, I would suggest increasing the liquid ingredients by 1/3 or decreasing the bread amount slightly. I agree with Danielle that whole milk will result in a richer custard – and for me richness is key in a good bread pudding.
If you love custardy desserts – clafoutis is my other go-to brunch/dessert recipe and is great for using up leftover fruit.
This looks delicious! Can it be prepared the night before and cooked the next day?
You could prep the bread in the pan and leave it on the counter to dry out. Then whisk together the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate. The next morning, just whisk the wet ingredients again, pour on top, and let it sit while the oven is preheating.
Hi! im thinking of making this for dessert tonight. what works better clear or dark pan?
thank you!!
I always use a glass or ceramic pan 🙂
Can a mixture of different bread, bagels be used?
Yes, that should be fine!
Dark… the recipe is very forgiving but a dark pan works better than clear.. good luck.. btw.. I use this recipe frequently. It’s a great recipe. Also.. you can improvise and experiment with ingredients and flavors.. I’m making one right now.. I added strawberry preserves, whiskey soaked golden raisins and walnuts. I typically go heavy on the cinnamon and vanilla. A real vanilla bean added is a game changer.. Also add some all spice.. adds a nice richness..
Best bread pudding ever. The 5 eggs and 4 cups milk make it the best