Today, I’m sharing this amazingly decadent Pumpkin Bread Pudding w/ Caramel Sauce Recipe. The Pumpkin flavor makes this bread pudding a perfect fall comfort dessert. It’s definitely a family favorite at our house.

I can’t believe October is nearly over and I haven’t made one single recipe with pumpkin in it! (What kind of blogger am I? Ha ha…) The weather has been quite warm lately, so I haven’t really felt inspired to make any fall recipes.

I have to say, this Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding version was totally worth the wait!

If you make one pumpkin recipe this Fall, you’ve got to make this pumpkin bread pudding.

It’s so good!

(Thanks to Silk for partnering with me on this post!)

What is Bread Pudding?

Bread pudding is a dish made with chunks of bread that is baked in a combination of milk, sugar, eggs, nuts, and fruits. Depending on the ingredients, bread pudding can be sweet or savory. I am definitely partial to a sweet bread pudding dessert!

Leftovers are amazing served both warm or cold (Mmm… Brunch anyone?)

Why You Need to Make this Pumpkin Bread Pudding

This Pumpkin Bread Pudding is sweet, rich and full of pumpkin flavors. It tastes almost like pumpkin pie, but in a yummy, custardy, bread pudding form. And the caramel topping? Puts this bread pudding OVER THE TOP!

It’s a fabulous option for your fall baking. Its great for desert and dare I say, Sunday breakfast for the kids?

What Kind of Bread is Best for Pumpkin Bead Pudding?

When it comes to bread puddings, different breads will yield different results.

Brioche or other sweet breads will make a very sweet bread pudding and you would be able to cut down on the additional sugar used.

A hearty bread such as French bread or brioche works great. But truly any leftover bread works. yes, even leftover hotdog buns. (Which we always seem to have an abundance of!)

I’ve also seen recipes with sourdough, though I’m not a fan of sourdough, so I’ve never tried them. (Let me know if you’ve ever had bread pudding made with sourdough, I would love to know your thoughts.)

Many recipes call for “stale” bread, but stale bread isn’t really necessary. Bread pudding is just a great recipe to use up any old, stale bread you have on hand.

If you do use very dry or stale bread, you’ll want to let the bread soak in the liquid mixture a bit longer than specified in this recipe.

What Kind of Milk is Best for Bread Puddings?

When making recipes I plan on eating (and I definitely planned on eating this one, lol) I try to switch out the dairy products with plant-based products when I can. (Like Silk Almondmilk or Soymilk. You can generally substitute Silk for dairy milk, cup for cup, in almost any recipe.)

This Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding is a perfect recipe to make the switch. (There are also great plant-based butter products you can use to make the bread pudding all dairy-free if needed.)

Plant-based milks make a lighter bread pudding, but if you are looking for a more rich, decadent bread pudding, you can definitely use half milk, half n half. (The extra fat in the half n half will the pudding an even more decadent rich flavor.)

Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Puree?

Yes, of course! If you love making fresh pumpkin puree, go for it. Fresh pureed pumpkin works great in this recipe.

Can this Pumpkin Bread Pudding be Made Ahead of Time?

You could go so far as cutting the bread into chucks the day before and maybe even mixing up the eggs, liquid, sugar and spices in a separate bowl. But I would not let the bread sit in the liquid mixture overnight.

Pro Tip:

For a pretty presentation and easy serving, use a 10-inch springform pan. A 10 by 10 or 13 by 9 baking dish will work as well.

Looking for More Breakfast-y type treats? You might enjoy:

Banana Bread French Toast
Baked Orange French Toast
Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Delicious Caramel Banana Sauce Recipe (amazing on waffles)

If you end up making this recipe, be sure to come back and let us know what you think!