It's that time for pumpkin everything, and this is definitely a favorite! It’s like a baked French toast pumpkin pie combined into a bread pudding, and it is delicious!
Make it ahead for a holiday brunch or dessert, and serve it warm or cold. It's super easy to make and will leave your kitchen smelling like fall.
This is a recipe with no refined sugar added, so it's as great for breakfast as it is for dessert. Maple syrup adds the perfect amount of sweetness and a subtle maple flavor that works wonderfully with the pumpkin. The pecans on top add a wonderful nutty crunch.
What You'll Need
- Bread - Brioche makes for a wonderful texture for bread pudding, but you can also use croissants, french bread or even sourdough. You will want to dry the bread out in a low oven so it absorbs more of the custard.
- Pumpkin Purée - Canned is great unless you want to make your own.
- Eggs
- Dairy: Milk and heavy cream.
- Maple Syrup - Be sure to use the real stuff.
- Vanilla Extract
- Pumpkin Pie Spice - Or make your own with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves.
- Pecans for the topping.
FAQs
Bread pudding will take about 45 to 60 minutes in a 350° F oven. It will puff up and spring back when gently pushed with your hand and have an internal temperature of around 160° F. You can also stick a knife in and it should come back mostly clean.
Bread pudding should be cooled on the counter first, then covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Bread pudding can be served cold, warm or at room temperature. To warm it after it has been refrigerated, simply place it in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds until warmed through.
More Recipes You'll Love
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 12 oz bread, such as brioche
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup maple syrup, plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 215° F.
- Cut the bread into 1” cubes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Dry the bread cubes in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until slightly dried. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and pumpkin purée until combined.
- Gently stir in the cubed bread.
- Pour the mixture in an 8” x 8” buttered baking dish and top with pecans.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° F.
- Bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes. The bread pudding will puff up and should spring back when lightly pushed.
- Let cool slightly and serve with a drizzle of maple syrup.
Notes
- Brioche, croissants, french bread or even sourdough bread can be used.
Nancy Taylor says
Can this be put together the night before, refrigerate them cook the next day? Will it take different cooking temperature?
I love all your ideas! This is great for Christmas morning breakfast.
justin says
Hi Nancy. Thanks for the nice comment. Yep, you can prep it the night before, refrigerate and then bake it the next day. Maybe let it sit out on the counter so it isn't so cold and bake time should be the same. Might need some more time if it's straight from the fridge.
You could also bake it the night before and then re-heat it the next day.
Jessica says
This looks fantastic! I need to try this but if I'm not careful I will find myself eating this and only this all day until it's finished!
justin says
Thank you, Jessica. That is one of the problems that comes with making it. Hehe. I ended up eating most of it myself too. 🙂
Melissa Griffiths says
Great tips here for bread pudding! I think I've had every variation of pumpkin so far this season, but not bread pudding - thanks for hooking it up!
justin says
Thanks so much, Melissa! It's one that I hadn't had before either, but it's now on my top pumpkin list. 🙂
Carlos At Spoonabilities says
Bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts and this combination pumpkin and pecan sound amazing!!
justin says
Mine too! Bread Pudding made with croissants is amazing too.
Carlos At Spoonabilities says
I keep coming back to see your bread pudding, and I think I will make it over the weekend:)
justin says
Hey Carlos! Did you end up making the pumpkin-pecan bread pudding?
Michele McChesney Bancroft says
Definitely making this!
justin says
Let me know how it turns out. 🙂