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Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

A rich, golden slice of bread pudding topped with white vanilla glaze, sitting in a pool of sauce on a white plate.
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This recipe delivers the ultimate comfort dessert using leftover bread. You get a soft custard center, a golden crust, and a delicious homemade vanilla sauce to finish it.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups stale bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (use brioche or French bread for best results)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (for the sauce)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for the sauce)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (for the sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for the sauce)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with the 1 cup of granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until the bread is evenly coated. Spread the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, milk, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth. This creates your homemade custard dessert base.
  4. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes in the baking dish. Gently press the bread down to help it absorb the liquid. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes to soak.
  5. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
  6. While the pudding bakes, prepare the vanilla sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture bubbles.
  7. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully whisk in the heavy cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Return to low heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Do not boil.
  8. Let the bread pudding cool for 10 minutes before serving warm with a generous drizzle of the warm vanilla sauce.

Notes

  • Use stale or slightly dry bread; fresh bread may become too mushy.
  • This recipe works well for holiday bread pudding or as a simple comfort food dessert.
  • If you prefer a richer flavor, substitute half the milk with half-and-half.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://completelyyummy.com/best-bread-pudding-recipe-old-fashioned/