Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Rich, comforting pumpkin bread pudding is welcome on the Thanksgiving table and all throughout the fall. Warm and cozy spices, tender bread, and a hint of maple syrup make this delectable dessert an absolute keeper.

When the weather starts to cool, all I want to do is bake! And I love baking all of the pumpkin things, like pumpkin cupcakes, baked pumpkin spice donuts, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, and so much more. I also love throwing together a pumpkin bread pudding with any leftover bread I have on hand—it’s such a wonderful take on a pumpkin dessert!

This beautifully colored, creamy pumpkin bread pudding is a fall favorite! It’s sweet and tender, with a gorgeous mellow smoothness from the pumpkin. This season, think beyond the pie and make a sumptuous pumpkin bread pudding!

Cozy Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe

A bread pudding essentially takes stale bread and folds it into a rich egg- and cream-based custard that’s baked until it’s set. You can use any kind of bread to make bread pudding, although in this recipe I like to use a sweeter bread like challah bread or brioche. The resulting bread pudding is delightfully sweet and soft.

This pumpkin bread pudding is special because it calls for, well, pumpkin! Think of a traditional bread pudding, but stir in pumpkin puree and a trio of ground spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Then, drizzle in a little maple syrup for that classic fall flavor and you’ll have the makings of a truly unique fall or Thanksgiving dish. I’m not saying you have to give up the pumpkin pie, but you might want to consider adding this one to the holiday dessert table—or this Slow Cooker Bread Pudding, which saves you room in the oven!

Recipe Ingredients

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Nonstick cooking spray – Always essential when baking!
• Eggs – We want both the egg yolks and egg whites to create a rich, creamy filling.
• Pumpkin – Use one full can of plain pumpkin puree.
• Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar.
• Maple syrup – For a sweet hint of maple flavor.
• Ground spices – Cinnamon, cloves, ginger. Feel free to add a dash or nutmeg, too. Or, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice.
• Milk – I like to use whole milk, but 2% will also work.
• Heavy cream – If you’re out of heavy cream you can substitute half-and-half with good results.
• Stale bread – Use challah, brioche, French bread, or another rich bread.
• Walnuts – For extra crunch.

Variations

I love throwing in add-ins to this bread pudding. Some of my favorites include:

• Chocolate chips. Chocolate and pumpkin are delightful together!
• More nuts. Pecans or chopped and toasted almonds are wonderful in this bread pudding.
• Raisins. Instead of or in addition to chocolate chips, add raisins.
• Vanilla. A hint of vanilla is lovely. Add 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract along with the maple syrup.

How to Make Pumpkin Bread Pudding

1. Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Coat the inside of an 8 x 8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter, and set it aside.
2. Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, canned pumpkin, brown sugar, and maple syrup until well combined. Add the spices, milk, and heavy cream, and whisk again. Add the cubed bread and walnuts and toss together until the bread is well-coated in the custard mixture.
3. Place the pudding mix in the baking pan: Pour the bread and custard mixture into the baking dish, spreading it out evenly along the bottom.
4. Bake: Bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean and it’s no longer wet inside. Let cool for 5 minutes. Then, serve with desired toppings, such as whipped cream, caramel sauce, or bourbon sauce.

How to Store Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Store leftover bread pudding in an airtight container or tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Place the baking dish in the oven to gently rewarm, or place a portion of bread pudding on a microwave-safe plate and reheat it in 30-second intervals until warm.

Serving Suggestions

It’s perfectly fine to serve pumpkin bread pudding plain, or eat it straight from the fridge as a sweet, cold snack! But I also like to dress it up with:

• Whipped cream – Homemade or store-bought whipped cream is absolutely delicious with bread pudding.
• Caramel sauce – A rich and silky caramel sauce would be perfect with pumpkin bread pudding.
• Chocolate sauce – As mentioned, chocolate and pumpkin are wonderful together! Drizzle portions of pumpkin bread pudding with a generous spoonful of chocolate sauce for a real treat.
• Vanilla ice cream – Serve warm pumpkin bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream!

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Share With Us!

I hope you enjoy this delicious Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe! If you give it a try, please share your experience in the comments below. Don’t forget to tag me on social media @allthingsmamma and use the hashtag #allthingsmamma.