This Pumpkin bread pudding is a great fall dessert. Leftover bread combines with a pumpkin custard for a luscious way to end a meal!

I’m excited to be sharing another pumpkin recipe with you! If you saw my pumpkin charlotte recipe you already know I’m a huge fan of pumpkin, and have been since before those PSLs came around.

I always keep some pumpkin on hand in the pantry, just in case I get a craving. (Pro tip: Target always has pumpkin on clearance after Thanksgiving, and it has a long shelf life!)

But while I might be craving a nice slice of pie, I don’t generally crave making a pie crust. Pie crust and I have a history. Pie crust has made me cry.

So, I allow pie crust into my life every once in while, but I like to look for alternatives to get that pumpkin fix. This time, I knew just what to do, thanks to the leftover loaf of bread on the counter.

This pumpkin bread pudding recipe comes together really easily, and because you have that creaminess already coming from the pumpkin to add to the custard, you don’t need to add as much milk or eggs as you would in a regular bread pudding.

I’m not going to call this dessert healthy, but it’s healthy-er? Healthy-ish? Let’s just go with the fact it’s delicious.

how to make bread pudding

Bread pudding of course starts with bread. It’s the base of the recipe, so make sure you use something good.

You can use any bread you like for my Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe. I used an artisan loaf from Costco, but this would be especially good with challah or even a brioche.

Just don’t use sliced sandwich bread, please! You need a good loaf from the bakery section for this. Bonus points if it is slightly stale to soak up the custard even more.

Cut the bread as evenly as possible into 1-inch cubes, and make sure you don’t leave any pieces uncoated with the custard mixture.

Custards can seem really intimidating, but this one is truly easy. All you have to do is whisk the ingredients together and stir it together with the bread cubes.

From there, it’s just a matter of letting the Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe rest before it goes in the oven.

make-ahead bread pudding recipe

The longer you let the bread and the custard rest, the more the bread will soak up the liquid, so this is a perfect dessert to make ahead and leave in the fridge before baking.

You can leave the Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe to rest for as little as 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

If you’re making this Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe for Thanksgiving, I’d recommend making it the night before or early the morning of and baking it while everyone enjoys dinner.

Trust me, you’ll be glad to have one less thing to worry about in those busy few hours leading up to dinner.

pumpkin bread pudding with whiskey sauce

Nothing makes quite as good of a pair as bread pudding and whiskey sauce.

I really enjoy topping my Pumpkin Bread Pudding recipe with a tasty whiskey butter sauce that I like to use for waffles. Butter, whiskey, pumpkin, vanilla…it’s all just too good.

Or just stick with ice cream or whipped cream if you want to keep things simple!

And, just so you know, pumpkin bread pudding is just as good cold as it is warm. Putting that out there just in case there are leftovers.

Looking for more pumpkin ideas? Try my chocolate pumpkin bundt cake, pumpkin scones with white chocolate chips, or My Baking Addiction’s Pumpkin Roll, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Bread.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

© Megan

Prep Time 50 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Yield: 8 Category: Dessert

Pumpkin bread pudding is a great fall dessert. Leftover bread combines with a pumpkin custard for a luscious way to end a meal!

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Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 4 eggs
• 1 can pumpkin puree, 15 ounces
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 pound artisan loaf, challah, or sourdough, cubed (7-8 cups)
• Optional for serving: ice cream, whipped cream, whiskey butter sauce, caramel sauce

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt until well blended.
2. Add bread and stir carefully to combine, making sure there are no dry pieces remaining.
3. Lightly coat an 8x8 square baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour the bread into the dish, arranging evenly in the pan. Pour any leftover custard over the top.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap and bake for 35-40 minutes.
6. Let cool slightly and serve with your favorite topping.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228 Saturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 121mg Sodium: 470mg Carbohydrates: 32g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 19g Protein: 6g