Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (2024)

This bread pudding recipe is easy to make withjust a few simple ingredients. This is one of our family’s favorite recipes and is perfect served with a big scoop of ice cream!

Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (1)

Do you have any family recipes that you absolutely love? This bread pudding recipeis one that has been in my husband’s family for years andcomes from his Grandmother Linda. My husband loves this recipe so much that his grandmaused to bake it for him instead of a cake for special occasions. And honestly, I would choose this recipe over a cake any day too.

Speaking of Josh’s grandma, I really feel like I could write a million blog posts about how wonderful she was. She was such a kind person andhad the best sense of humor. It was literally impossible to not crack a smile when you were around her.

My favorite memory of her was the time she got up on the dance floor at our wedding and danced like no one was watching. Although she’s no longer with us, one thing that we will always have are the memories and her amazingbread pudding recipe.

Plus, you know a recipe is good when it comes from grandma. Right?

Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (2)

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe uses simple ingredients that you may already have on hand! Here’s what you will need to make this easy bread pudding recipe:

  • Day-old bread: To start this recipe you’ll need some bread, hence the name bread pudding. I like to use a loaf of challah bread when it comes to making this recipe. Josh’s grandma usedslices of toastedwhite bread when she would make it. Some other great options are French or brioche bread. You also want to use day-old or stale bread so that it absorbs the moisture from the egg and milk mixture.
  • Eggs:You will be using 5 large eggs for this bread pudding recipe.
  • Milk:I prefer to use whole milk in this recipe, but Josh’s grandmother typically used skim milk. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand!
  • Sugar:There’s 1 cup of granulated sugar in this dish to add some sweetness.
  • Vanilla & spices:These add a little flavor to the bread pudding. For the spices there is a mixture of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.
Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (3)
Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (4)

How To Make Bread Pudding

To make this bread pudding, start by spraying a 9×13 baking pan well with nonstick cooking spray.Next, cube your day old-bread into 1-inch pieces and place them in an even layer into the prepared baking dish.

Then, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and spices. You will be using 5 whole eggs and 4 cups of milk, which may seem like a lot. Trust me, the first time I made this recipe I sat there wondering if it was too much. As the bread bakes it will absorb the liquid, so don’t worry!

Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (5)
Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (6)

Once you mix up the wet ingredients, pour itover the bread in your pan. Make sure that the mixture fully coats the bread, if you miss some pieces, just press them down into the mixture to make sure they are coated.

You want to let it sit for about 15 minutes, so the bread can absorb some of the liquid before it goes into the oven too. I like to prepare the bread pudding, then once I’m done I preheat the oven. I just let it sit and soak up the mixture while the oven preheats, which is usually right at about 15 minutes. Easy, peasy.

Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (7)

The bread pudding will take about 45 to 50 minutes in the oven. You will know it’s done when the center is puffed up and firm if you gently touch it.

You do want to let it cool for just a little bit once you remove it from the oven so that it’s easy to handle. I really love this bread pudding served with a huge scoop of ice cream and some caramel sauce. But honestly, it’s delicious just by itself!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze bread pudding?

Yes, absolutely! You can slice the bread pudding into pieces, wrap each one tightly, and store them in a large freezer bag or freezer-friendly storage container. To thaw it, simply place it in the refrigerator overnight.

Does it need be refrigerated?

Yes, you do want to refrigerate it. Once it has cooled completely, wrap it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How do you reheat it?

If you want to reheat the whole bread pudding, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and place it in a 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed. For individual slices, I prefer to microwave them in 20 to 30 second increments until they’re warmed through.

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Baking Tips

  • If your bread is still fresh or not dried out you can cube itinto smaller pieces, placethem on a baking sheet, pop it in the oven, and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. You don’t want to completely toast the bread, just dry it out.
  • I prefer to lightly beat the eggs before mixing them into the wet ingredients. This isn’t necessary, but does help to ensure that the eggs are thoroughly combined.
  • Let the bread pudding soak for about 15 minutes while your oven is preheating. This will ensure that the bread really soaks up the egg custard mixture!

Video Tutorial

Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (9)

Grandma's Bread Pudding

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

This bread pudding recipe is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. This is one of our family's favorite recipes and perfect served with a big scoop of ice cream!

Print RecipePin Recipe SaveLeave a Review

Ingredients

Servings: 12 slices

  • 1 loaf day-old challah bread cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 5 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 4 cups (960 ml) whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the cubed challah bread into the prepared baking dish and spread it around into an even layer. Set aside.

  • In a very large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon until fully combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread in the prepared baking pan, making sure all of the bread is coated. Allow to sit and soak up the mixture for about 15 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Once the 15 minutes is over, place the bread pudding in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is set.

  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Storage Instructions:Once the bread pudding has cooled completely, cover it tightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing Instructions:Bread pudding will freeze well for up to 3 months. I recommend slicing it into pieces, wrapping them tightly with plastic wrap, and storing them in a freezer bag. To thaw them, place in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.

Bread:I typically use a 20-ounce loaf of challah bread for this recipe. Some other great options are French or brioche bread.

If you have a fresh loaf of challah bread, you can cube it into 1-inch pieces, place them on a baking sheet, and bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the bread is dried out.

Milk:I prefer to use whole milk, but you may use 2%, 1%, skim, or even almond milk.

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Author: Danielle

Did you make this recipe?Mention @livewellbakeoften on Instagram or tag #livewellbakeoften.

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Grandma's Bread Pudding Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (2024)

FAQs

Does bread pudding need to be refrigerated after baking? ›

Bread pudding is best served right away after it's finished baking. However, leftovers can be kept for up to 5 days refrigerated and can be reheated in the microwave.

Why is my bread pudding so watery? ›

Temperature Is Key

Finally, to avoid overcooking it, it's important to know when it's done. To check the inside to see if all the liquid has been absorbed, insert a knife into the middle of the pudding and create a small hole by pushing the bread to the side: If liquid begins oozing into the hole, it's not yet ready.

How do you keep bread pudding from falling down? ›

Therefore, don't dish it out too quickly. It is evident if you do so because rather than looking uniform, the slice of bread pudding slumps over and looks quite sad. To avoid its texture and presentation from declining, wait at least 20 minutes for it to rest without interruption.

Do you eat bread pudding with a spoon or fork? ›

Advice: Ditch the fork – it's completely superfluous – and dig in with the spoon!

Is it OK to leave bread pudding out overnight? ›

Can bread pudding sit out overnight? Do not let your bread pudding sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours after it has been baked. You should make sure you eat it within 4 days.

How do you know when bread pudding is done? ›

Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Another way to judge whether the pudding is fully baked, is to gently press down on the center of the pudding. If any custard comes up to the top, the pudding needs to be baked a little longer.

What is the best thickener for pudding? ›

While cornstarch is the key to making a nice, thick pudding, many old-fashioned pudding recipes actually used to call for flour. So, all-purpose flour is a good alternative to try. Use 2 tablespoons flour for every 1 tablespoon cornstarch in your pudding recipe.

Why did my bread pudding come out eggy? ›

You are probably cooking your egg dishes too hot for too long. Eggs contain a lot of water and also chains of proteins; if you could see them, the proteins would be coiled like little springs.

How do you firm up runny pudding? ›

If you want to try to fix it, you can try dissolving a little bit of cornstarch in water and adding that in. Then try using a handheld or stand mixer to whip the pudding up until is starts to thicken. It will probably never set up completely, though, but it may help a little.

How wet should my bread pudding be? ›

Let's get one thing straight right from the start though: bread pudding shouldn't be soggy. The top should be golden and firm (mine has a nice slightly crunchy texture from turbinado sugar) and the remainder should be moist, soft, and slightly springy.

What is the texture of bread pudding supposed to be? ›

The texture should be like a soft damp cake like mix and have a dense pudding like texture with a crunchy sugar top coating.

Why does bread pudding taste so good? ›

This mixture may contain eggs, butter, milk or cream, sugar, and spices such as cinnamon or vanilla, which gives the dessert a soft and spongy pudding consistency when baked. Even selecting different types of bread adds to the unique texture and flavor of this culinary dish.

Is bread pudding made from old bread? ›

Bread pudding is indeed an old-fashioned dessert, a comforting way to use up stale bread. Any type of bread makes a neutral base for a flavorful custard; use day-old sliced whole-wheat, raisin or sourdough.

Why do the English call bread pudding? ›

Bread pudding originated with 11th-century English cooks who repurposed leftover stale bread. In the following centuries, the dish became known as "poor man's pudding" because of the scarcity of food at the time, with the pudding being made only with boiling water, sugar, and spices.

What is traditionally hidden in pudding? ›

The Christmas pudding coin

Adding silver coins into plum pudding is a fun Christmas tradition. The notion being that whoever finds the coin will have good luck. The tradition may date as far back as early as the 1300s when several small items like dried peas and chicken wishbones were added to the pudding mixture.

How do you store bread pudding after baking? ›

It's best to bake the bread pudding in a foil pan if you plan to freeze it. Allow it to cool, then wrap the whole thing tightly in a layer of storage wrap and at least one layer of foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Freeze any extra sauce separately.

Does cooked pudding need to be refrigerated? ›

Once store-bought puddings are opened or prepared puddings are made, refrigeration is necessary to maintain freshness. Prepared pudding can last: 1 week in the refrigerator. It should be stored in an airtight container to minimize exposure to air and potential contaminants.

Does pudding go bad if not refrigerated? ›

Once prepared, instant or cooked pudding or opened packages of pre-made pudding in cup - all require refrigeration.

How long can pudding stay at room temperature? ›

If you buy the Hunt's Snack Pack pudding that does not require refrigeration, it can sit out for many hours. Other puddings made with perishable ingredients would have about 3 hours max at room temp.

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