There’s something incredibly soothing about a warm dish of classic bread pudding. Soft cubes of day-old bread soak up a rich vanilla custard, bake until golden, and turn into a dessert that feels both nostalgic and luxurious. Paired with a silky homemade vanilla custard sauce, this classic recipe transforms simple ingredients into a cozy treat that never goes out of style. It’s the kind of dessert that makes your whole kitchen smell like home.
Classic Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Day-old bread, cubed | 6 cups |
| Whole milk | 2 cups |
| Heavy cream | 1 cup |
| Large eggs | 4 |
| Granulated sugar | 3/4 cup |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tablespoon |
| Ground cinnamon | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Ground nutmeg | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Salt | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Raisins (optional) | 1/2 cup |
| Unsalted butter, melted | 2 tablespoons |
Vanilla Custard Sauce
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Heavy cream | 1 cup |
| Milk | 1/2 cup |
| Sugar | 1/4 cup |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tablespoon |
Instructions
Preheat oven and prepare baking dish
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish so the pudding releases easily after baking.
Whisk custard base
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
Add dairy
Pour in the whole milk and heavy cream, whisking until the custard mixture is silky and well blended.
Arrange bread and raisins
Spread the cubed bread evenly in the prepared dish. If you’re using raisins, scatter them across the bread so they’re evenly distributed.
Pour custard over bread
Slowly pour the custard mixture over the bread, pressing down lightly so every piece soaks up that rich flavor.
Drizzle with butter
Pour the melted unsalted butter evenly across the top for extra richness.
Let it sit
Let the mixture rest for about 15 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard thoroughly.
Bake
Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top turns golden and the center no longer has a loose jiggle.
Prepare vanilla custard sauce
While the pudding bakes, make the sauce by warming the heavy cream, milk, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly without boiling. Remove it from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Serve
Spoon the warm bread pudding into bowls and finish with a generous drizzle of the warm vanilla custard sauce.
