Pumpkin Bread Pudding w/ Caramel Sauce
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Today, I’m sharing this amazingly decadent Pumpkin Bread Pudding w/ Caramel Sauce Recipe. The pumpkin pie-like flavor makes this bread pudding a perfect fall comfort dessert. It’s definitely a family favorite at our house.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
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. But I have to say, this Pumpkin Bread Pudding 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!
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. It’s great for dessert and, dare I say, Sunday breakfast for the kids.
Ingredients + Tips & substitutions
- French bread, cubed | You need about 6 cups. A hearty bread such as french bread or brioche is recommended.
- Brown sugar | Brown sugar gives this recipe a yummy caramel flavor, but if you only have white granulated sugar, you could also use that.
- Milk | You can use dairy milk or plant-based milk; both work fine. A higher-fat dairy milk will give a richer, more decadent result.
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs | The recipe calls for three large eggs.
- Pumpkin Puree | Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. You can also use homemade pumpkin puree.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice | If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own. See notes below in the FAQ section.
- Butter | I used salted butter.
- Chopped pecans
- Cinnamon sugar | You can purchase cinnamon sugar premade or make it yourself by combining 1/4 cup of sugar and one tablespoon of cinnamon.
- Caramel sauce | For optional topping
How to make Pumpkin Bread Pudding
1 Prep: Heat oven to 350ºF and grease the bottom and sides of springform pan. Add bread cubes to a large bowl and drizzle with melted butter. Stir to coat all bread cubes.
2 Combine the ingredients: Mix brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, milk, vanilla, pumpkin, and eggs in a large bowl until well blended. Pour the liquid mixture over the bread and gently combine. Fold in pecans. Let mixture stand 10 minutes, then transfer to springform pan. Sprinkle reserved pecans and cinnamon sugar over bread mixture.
3 Bake: Bake the Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding for 50 to 65 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (Watch the pecans as they burn easily. If you find your pumpkin bread pudding is getting too brown on the top, cover loosely with a foil “tent.”)
4 Serve: Let the bread pudding stand for 10 minutes, then remove the side of the springform pan. Drizzle with caramel sauce and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- For a pretty presentation and easy serving, use a 10-inch springform pan. A 10-inch cake pan, 10-inch tube pan, or bundt pan will also work.
- Keep a close eye on the pecans on top, as they can burn easily. If you find your pumpkin bread pudding is getting too brown on the top, cover loosely with a foil “tent.”
- To know when your bread pudding is done, insert a clean knife into the center; if it comes out clean, it’s done.
Pin this recipe for later.
Variations
- Change up the bread; you could even use croissant or cinnamon raisin bread – yum!
- Add raisins or chocolate chips.
- Change up the nuts (or leave them out.)
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar or add a brown sugar crumble topping. To make a brown sugar topping, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 4 to 6 tablespoons of salted, melted butter in a bowl. Use a spoon to combine the mixture until crumbs start to form. Sprinkle the topping over the bread pudding before baking.
- Use a vanilla sauce instead of caramel. To make a vanilla sauce, mix three tablespoons of salted butter, one tablespoon of brown sugar, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. For a thicker vanilla sauce, you can add a bit of cornstarch to the mixture.
Storage
Make sure to cool the Pumpkin Bread Pudding completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days; after that, leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm individual portions in 30-second intervals in the microwave.
Faqs
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.
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 might be able to cut down on the additional sugar used.
A hearty bread such as French bread or brioche works great in this recipe. 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.)
Do I need stale bread for bread pudding?
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.
I Don’t Have pumpkin Pie Spice; what else can I use?
Pumpkin pie spice can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, or you can make your own. To make about one tablespoon, combine:
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 lightly heaping teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
What Kind of Milk is Best for Bread Puddings?
Just about any milk-type product will work in this recipe, whether it be dairy or plant-based.
Plant-based milks (like almond milk) make a lighter bread pudding, but if you are looking for a richer, decadent bread pudding, you can use whole milk or even half whole milk, half half-and-half. (The extra fat in the half-and-half will give the pudding an even more decadent-rich flavor.)
No fresh milk on hand? Evaporated milk or even a vanilla protein shake will work too.
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 definitely prep by cutting the bread into chunks 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.
You could also bake the pumpkin pie bread pudding the night before. Let it fully cool, then store it in the fridge. Add the caramel sauce before serving.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes, just use two 10-inch pans.
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)
Did You Make This Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe?
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Print
Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: desserts
- Method: oven
Description
This Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe is amazing! Sweet, rich and full of pumpkin flavors. Tastes almost like pumpkin pie, but in a yummy, custardy, bread pudding form. And the caramel topping? Puts this bread pudding OVER THE TOP!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup cup packed brown sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 3 cups Milk or Silk Almond Milk
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3 Eggs
- 6 cups French bread, cubed
- 1/4 cup Butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Chopped pecans (reserve about 2 tablespoons for topping)
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon sugar
- Caramel sauce for topping
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350ºF.
- Grease bottom and side of springform pan, 10×3 inches.
- Mix brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, milk, vanilla, pumpkin and eggs in large bowl until well blended.
- Add bread cubes to large bowl and drizzle with melted butter. Stir to coat all bread cubes.
- Pour liquid mixture over bread and gently combine. Fold in pecans.
- Let mixture stand 10 minutes, then transfer to springform pan.
- Sprinkle reserved pecans and cinnamon sugar over bread mixture.
- Bake 50 to 65 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (Watch the pecans as they burn easily. If you find your pumpkin bread pudding is getting too brown on the top, just cover loosely with a foil “tent”.)
- Let stand 10 minutes; remove side of pan.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Keep a close eye on the pecans on top as they can burn easily. If you find your pumpkin bread pudding is getting too brown on the top, just cover loosely with a foil “tent”.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
- Calories: 409 (w/o caramel sauce)
- Fat: 13
- Carbohydrates: 67
- Protein: 7
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