Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
We love this old-fashioned bread pudding recipe served with a delightful vanilla sauce. It’s a classic!
By Katherine Keenan|Feb 16 2022|
Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce. It's a classic!
Photo Credit: Katherine KeenanWarm your heart with this old-fashioned bread pudding recipe. Lightly spiced with nutmeg and speckled with raisins, we prefer it à la mode and topped with our caramel-like sweet vanilla sauce for bread pudding. It’s a classic!
Yield:
8 servingsTotal Time:
15 minutesIngredients
1 medium-sized loaf white bread (approximately 4 cups when cut into 1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 1.5 quart bread pan. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Toss bread and raisins in large bowl. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan just until butter has fully melted. Pour milk mixture over bread and let sit for 10 minutes, until the bread absorbs most of the liquid. Combine the salt, sugar, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour into the bread mixture and stir to combine. Pour into the greased pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until center is set.
Vanilla Sauce for Bread Pudding:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
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Made this tonight following the directions. While bread puddign isn’t exactly the most challenging thing to come out my kitchen, the recipe was spot on and was loved by all.
Pudding was lovely but don’t know what I did wrong with the sauce. It was more like a caramel sauce, not creamy at all. And not thick. White sugar, brown sugar, butter and cream???? Did I read it wrong.
Yes it’s supposed to be caramel like the cream you are seeing in the photo is whipped cream or as they mentioned served ala mode with ice cream
This is very much like my grandmother’s bread pudding except for one thing. She used more milk or less bread resulting in a layer of custard on the bottom. This is how I make it. Of course you must set the baking dish you are using into another pan with maybe a 1/2” of water.
I had a friend whose father worked in a bakery. He would bring home day-old pastries— Donuts, Danish, etc— and his wife made bread pudding out of them.It was delicious.
My great aunt used to make both bread and rice pudding regularly for my family. We loved both. Don’t skip the raisins!
How many ounces in a “Medium-Sized” white loaf of bread. Important information for the success of the recipe.
Hi there! I did not weigh the bread, but once sliced into 1-inch cubes, the bread should measure about 4 cups. Hope this helps, and happy baking!
I assume you break or cut-up the bread before you use it. Recipe doesn’t say. BTW been using a similiar recipe for over 50 years.
George
Hi there! Yes, slice the bread into 1-inch cubes before using it. Thanks for pointing this out. The recipe has been updated accordingly!
pudding first Dad made ( for the diner ) rice /bread/ grape nut/ with same recipe
very much bottom all custard bread floating on top ///. rice /// grape nuts mixed in big pan/// baked slowly in pan of water as mentioned…… scoped out of pan so bread
grape nuts. //rice were on the bottom …..custard on top for whipped cream … any one remember desert after soup cup/ meal with potato and veg /// 99 cent special
lunch ////
I have made this recipe using fruitcake instead of bread. Fabulous !!
My Mom made this when I was young, She passed when I was 15, I’m now77, through the years I tried to make it, but never was as good, I’m looking forward to trying this one, Hoping I finely got it right. Thanks so much.
Nice story good luck!
My mother used to make a bread pudding that had just bread (obviously), milk, raisins and I think some cinnamon. She would also put the casserole dish in pan with some water in it when she baked it. I guess this as so bread pudding wouldn’t get too dry or burn. Whatever she did, it was so yummy! I loved putting some milk over the pudding when she served it.
my mother use to make chocolate bread pudding and sprinkle it with confectionery sugar. I never learned how she did it.
My grandmother made this with no recipe. This is the closest to hers that I have ever seen. Our sauce had no brown sugar and water instead if milk. I am 70 and the last that knows how to make with no recipe. I think I will put this one in all the kids recipe books!
They look mouth watering. One of your best of the BEST is scallops with Ritz Crackers. I was wondering if you could give it to me?
I would also like the recipe for scallops with Ritz crackers AND the “mock apple pie” made with Ritz, but NO apples!
I use cinnamon raisin bread in a pinch comes out really good
For this to be really old-fashioned bread pudding, the thrifty cook used up any and all of the stale bread products that were on hand. We never used fresh bread. Also, it was custardy, never dry. Loved the raisins in it!
My late mother in law had 10 children and they all rave about her recipe
My daughter told me it’s better to use French bread or Anything other than plain white bread!! What do you suggest??
We always used Italian bread, never the white store bread
I am 87 and I Love your magazine for years but stopped talking it for a while but my daughter put me on line and l am having a wonderful time every day something new can not travel any more but l can now thanks to you.
years ago the we were young, we were always deacons in our church. duties we loved. I was in charge of communion and I always made enough bread so there was sometimes bread let over. we at the bread and drank the wine that was left over, and I took it home and made bread pudding when ever there was enough. We love these old recipes better than the stuff they eat today. Of course back then your article on boiled dinner was a treat. I love New England, there is no other place like it but now we have to live in the south for the weather for my husband who is 98 going on 99. love to you all.
we used to make chocolate bread pudding with white sauce….soooo good.
I have recently started getting this and love the recipes. I love to bake so it is very helpful.
My mom swore by any “buttertop” bread. Added that extra Yum…I use buttertop myself!!! Delicious….
loaf pan is same as a 1 1/2 qt bread pan??
Love seeing people reminisce about the food they remember from New England! I’ve been making bread puddings since bridal days in 1964 in the mid-Atlantic (where we still live). When times were skimpy I used powdered milk and all the leftover bread kept in the freezer as it accumulated. Made a hearty and healthy family breakfast. I’ve done the gourmet versions, too, with Portuguese, Italian, French and/ or Challah breads– and added apricot jam, some orange zest and juice and cream cheese with a little honey. I still use a mix of whatever breads I have leftover for the two of us. Those who remember placing the pan in a water bath may know that bread pudding is made with eggs, milk and sugar that form a wonderful custard. This is the preferred method for baking a custard. As someone said, you don’t need a recipe [as long as you are sure to have at least one egg for every cup of milk]. This recipe is really good as a basic. You can be thrifty with stale bread and rolls. You can use your imagination and make it fancy. A touch of real maple syrup, some currant jelly or jam can sub for the vanilla sauce, or the sauce can have a bit of rum or bourbon. Real comfort food!
Bread pudding is one of the easiest desserts to make – thrifty way to use older bread of most any kind. Maybe not Rye bread!
I grew up with my mother making bread pudding. I quite often us the cinnamon raisin bread or another of the flavored breads. Makes a wonderful treat at any time. Also have sliced and made French toast with it, great change of pace.
We live at 7100 feet altitude. Any suggestions (if needed) for high altitude?
How many eggs in this recipe?
My family made bread pudding with 4 cups of milk, 2 eggs , raisins and nutmeg and sugar. Just enough bread cubed to cover the top of casserole dish. It was delicious’
Love, love all the recipes. So glad you be able to get the recipes.
Love to cook and always enjoy reviewing your recipes and reading the comments. Have copied and used quite a few with plans to make more! Thanks!
Always wanted to make bread pudding, and finally found the time. This is a really easy recipe, and it came out perfect. Love, love, love it and so glad my first try on bread pudding was fantastic. Will definitely serve over the upcoming holidays for family and friend gatherings. Thank you!