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The Best Easy Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Homemade Vanilla Sauce

A close-up of a square slice of golden brown bread pudding being generously drizzled with vanilla custard sauce.
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Create the ultimate comfort dessert with this easy, old-fashioned bread pudding recipe. It yields a soft, custardy texture using stale bread, topped with a rich, homemade vanilla sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups stale bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 loaf)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
  • For the Vanilla Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Arrange the bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish. If using raisins, sprinkle them over the bread.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until combined.
  4. Slowly whisk in the whole milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until the custard mixture is smooth.
  5. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes in the baking dish. Gently press the bread down to help it absorb the liquid.
  6. Let the bread soak for 15 minutes at room temperature.
  7. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
  8. While the pudding bakes, prepare the vanilla sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
  9. Remove the butter from the heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a few more drops of milk.
  10. Once the bread pudding is done, let it cool for 10 minutes. Serve the warm bread pudding drizzled generously with the homemade vanilla sauce.

Notes

  • Using day-old or slightly stale bread yields the best custardy texture because it absorbs the liquid better without becoming mushy.
  • For a richer flavor, substitute 1/4 cup of the milk with bourbon or rum.
  • If you prefer a thicker sauce, use less milk when making the vanilla sauce.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://alchemychef.com/easy-old-fashioned-bread-pudding-vanilla-sauce/