Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Pumpkin pie’s not the only game in town – get your pumpkin fix with this cozy, comforting pumpkin bread pudding recipe. Eat it plain, add a drizzle of cinnamon syrup, or dress it up with whipped cream–however you serve it, this bread pudding is sure to become a family favorite.

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🍂 Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe for Thanksgiving

Pumpkin pie gets most of the love and attention this time of year, but there’s a pumpkin dessert I love even more: pumpkin bread pudding. It’s got all the familiar fall flavors of pumpkin pie, but in a different (yet equally delicious) package. It’s versatile, too–you can serve it warm with a cinnamon syrup drizzle, or cold with a spoonful of softly whipped cream on top. So if you’re looking to bring something new to the Thanksgiving dessert table this year, allow me to make the case for bread pudding.

What the heck is bread pudding?

Bread pudding is typically made by tossing chunks of stale (or toasted) bread with a simple milk-and-egg custard, then baking it until it’s set. The bread absorbs the custard, and through some culinary magic, these humble ingredients are transformed into an indulgent dessert that can rival any fancy cake. The best bread puddings have a soft, moist interior, with a pleasantly crunchy top. Bread pudding is often served in slices, topped with a dessert sauce, whipped cream, or ice cream.

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Ready to bake? Here’s everything you need to know about the ingredients! (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Bread: As you can imagine, bread is THE most important part of bread pudding! I recommend using a good-quality French bread, or an enriched bread like brioche or challah. You want the bread to be stale before making bread pudding, so if your bread is not already stale, you can either cube it up and leave it to sit overnight, or do a quick toast in the oven to dry it out a bit.
• Pumpkin puree: Make sure you’re using pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
• Evaporated milk: This recipe uses equal parts evaporated milk and regular milk. Make sure you’re using evaporated and not condensed milk — they look similar but are not the same. If you don’t have evaporated, you can use all regular milk instead.
• Milk: As is so often true, fat makes things taste better! I recommend using whole milk if possible — it makes the bread pudding richer and creamier. Half-and-half is another good option. Other milks will work (including non-dairy options!) but the final texture might be less than ideal.
• Pecans: These are optional, but I love a little crunch in my bread pudding. You can omit them entirely, or swap in another nut you like better.
• Spices: We’re using cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, but you can use what you have on hand. Allspice and ginger are also good additions, or if you have pumpkin pie spice, you can use that instead.
• Sugars: A combination of brown and granulated sugar is the best of both worlds: brown sugar provides a deeper flavor, and white sugar helps the top crisp up.
• Eggs: The recipe calls for large eggs, at room temperature.

Here’s a step-by-step of how this recipe comes together. Grab printable instructions in the recipe card below!

1. Toast the Bread

Bread pudding works best with bread that is either stale or slightly toasted–this way, the extra-dry bread can soak up more of the delicious custard without becoming too soggy or mushy. So, if your bread is not already stale, you’ll want to toast it briefly until it dries out. Don’t let it get dark and crunchy, though, we’re not making croutons! Just 10 minutes in a low-ish oven should do it. Cool the bread cubes before moving on to the next steps.

2. Make the Custard

• In an extra large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the pumpkin, evaporated milk, milk, and vanilla, and whisk again until blended.
• Whisk in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

3. Soak the Bread & Bake

• Add the bread cubes (and pecans, if you’re using them). Stir everything together with a spatula, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes to soak up the custard.
• Transfer to mixture to a baking pan and bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes. The pudding is done when it is puffed up, looks crispy on top, and doesn’t jiggle much when you tap the pan.
• Let cool, then serve with cinnamon syrup drizzled on top.

🥄 Optional Praline Topping

One of my favorite variations on this recipe is to add a quick praline topping, made with brown sugar and pecans. It’s definitely optional, since the bread pudding is absolutely delicious on its own, but if you love a good crunchy, streusel-y topping, give it a try! You’ll need:

• 3.75 oz packed brown sugar, (1/2 cup)
• 1.5 oz flour, (1/3 cup)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 oz cold butter, cubed, (6 tbsp)
• 4 oz toasted, coarsely chopped pecans, (1 cup )

Place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cold butter cubes and process in quick bursts until it’s mixed into the dry ingredients and starts clumping together. Add the pecans and pulse a few more times to mix them in. If you’re not using it right away, refrigerate the topping until you’re ready to bake.

Once the bread is properly soaked, scatter about a cup of the praline topping over the top of the bread, and toss it with your hands to work down into the middle of the pudding. Scatter the remaining praline topping all over the top of the bread pudding, covering it evenly, then bake as directed.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

🧡 More Pumpkin Recipes

If you love pumpkin as much as I do, check out my collection of pumpkin dessert recipes! Here are just a few of my favorites:

• Pumpkin Fudge
• 2-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies
• Pumpkin Bread Truffles
• Dulce De Leche Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Spice Mousse Cups
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
• Pumpkin Marshmallows