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Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Warm Vanilla Sauce

Close-up of a serving of amazing bread pudding drenched in rich vanilla 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 drizzled on top. It is a sweet way to use stale bread.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups cubed stale bread (about 1 standard loaf)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (for sauce)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for sauce)
  • 1/4 cup milk (for sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for sauce)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cubed bread, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. If you are using raisins, add them now. Toss gently to distribute the spices evenly.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until well combined. This forms your custard base.
  4. Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes. Gently press the bread down to help it soak up the liquid. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes so the bread fully absorbs the custard.
  5. Pour the soaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  6. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
  7. While the pudding bakes, prepare the vanilla sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually whisk in the 1/4 cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Heat gently until warm.
  8. Let the bread pudding cool slightly after removing it from the oven. Serve warm, drizzled generously with the homemade vanilla sauce.

Notes

  • Use day-old or slightly stale bread for the best texture; fresh bread can become too mushy.
  • For a richer flavor, substitute half of the whole milk with half-and-half.
  • If you prefer a New Orleans style, replace the vanilla sauce with a simple bourbon sauce made by adding 2 tablespoons of bourbon to the warm sauce mixture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytipster.com/bread-pudding-old-fashioned-vanilla-sauce/