Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce
This bread pudding with bourbon sauce recipe is decadence at its best! Moist, dense yet light, kissed with classic spice flavor. The sauce makes it over-the-top indulgent!
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Why You’ll Love This
This easy bread pudding recipe with bourbon sauce is sure to make a huge impression on your holiday guests! They will request that you make it every year.
Family members have repeatedly asked me to make a bread pudding worth posting for you and them alike. There are a million recipes out there, and I’ve combed and researched for quite a while to find what I thought would be the perfect one for everyone.
I ended up going with a basic base and adding my touch to the pudding and the bourbon sauce. OMG, you guys, this will be your go-to recipe for any occasion, I promise.
The sauce…dare I say addictive! I could just drink this stuff, don’t judge.
Are you looking for more fun desserts to serve during the holidays? Try our Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake, Gramercy Tavern gingerbread, Pumpkin Bread Pudding, or Southern sweet potato pie.
Why do I need to use stale bread for bread pudding?
Since the bread is the base of this recipe, it’s essential to use a good-quality one. It being stale allows it to absorb the custard mixture effectively.
You want bread that will hold up well (so your dish doesn’t go mushy and soggy) and has excellent flavor and texture on its own, so it actually enhances the taste of the dessert. Good quality ingredients are key to a fantastic bread pudding.
My sister brought us a New Orleans-style French bread, and I wasn’t using it immediately, so I popped it into the freezer. Well, it didn’t hold up well during the freezing, so I used it in this recipe. It was stale enough to soak up the pudding base perfectly.
How to Make this Bread Pudding Recipe with Bourbon Sauce
It’s a personal preference. We prefer ours to be more compressed and soft.
You will know it’s done when a knife inserted comes out clean. You can also use an instant-read thermometer. At 350°F, it’s done.
How to Make A Bourbon Sauce For Bread Pudding
Again, a good-quality bourbon makes this sauce shine! Don’t go for the cheap bottom-shelf bourbon. We use Four Roses Small Batch, which is delicious!
While the pudding cools slightly, make the bourbon sauce.
Sit back and listen to the ohs and ahs of everyone devouring this stunning dessert!
You can certainly add dried fruits or even chocolate chips, but we recommend trying it without first.
Tips
- If your bread is fresh, cut it into 1-inch cubes, spread it out into an even layer on a large baking sheet, and dry it in a 300-degree F oven for about 15-20 minutes.
- Be sure to gently warm any leftover bourbon sauce before serving. It might crystallize a little in the refrigerator.
Variations
- You can also use Italian bread, brioche, challah, croissants, cinnamon raisin bread, and even our panettone recipe.
- Feel free to toss in about 1 cup of raisins or other dried fruit.
- Try adding about 1 cup of chocolate chips.
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts.
- You can serve an alcohol-free version by topping the bread pudding with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, or maple syrup.
FAQ
Yes, doing so yields a more flavorful bread pudding. Make the bread pudding as instructed up to the soaking overnight. Cover the unbaked bread pudding tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
Although I have never used sliced bread, you can certainly give it a try. This bread pudding recipe requires thick, cubed bread. I think you would need a lot more regular sliced bread.
You know bread pudding is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Alternatively, you can use an instant-read thermometer; it should read 160°F.
Yes, feel free to use any whiskey you prefer. You can use any other brown or amber-colored, grain-based alcohol. Brandy and rum are your best bet. But the flavor will differ. Clear alcohols do work, but deliver a lot less flavor than dark alcohols.
Let the bread pudding cool completely, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
It also reheats beautifully. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and reheat for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through (depending on the size and whether it came straight from the fridge). Or you can reheat individual servings in the microwave for about 1 minute.
Wrap the completely cooled pudding in the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months.
More Dessert Recipes
Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 8 large eggs
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound loaf of day-old French bread, cut into 1″ cubes (about 8 cups)
Bourbon Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup good quality bourbon
- 3 long slices orange peel, without pith
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
Bread Pudding
- Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and place in a very large bowl to sit out for 24 hours.1 pound loaf of day-old French bread, cut into 1″ cubes
- Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs to blend. Add the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine thoroughly.8 large eggs, 3 1/2 cups whole milk, 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and stir to coat and blend evenly. Pour into the buttered baking dish spread out evenly, and press down for a more uniform slice or leave as is for crusty edges on top. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight. (overnight preferred)
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Uncover the pudding and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. ( the pudding will fall as it cools)
Bourbon Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Whisk in the brown sugar, cream, bourbon, orange peel, and the pinch of salt. Simmer whisking often until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Cool slightly.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup good quality bourbon, 3 long slices orange peel, without pith, 1 pinch kosher salt
What brand of bourbon whiskey do you recommend because I don’t consume alcohol.
Hi, Leo! We use Four Roses Small Batch. We have tried their single barrel and it was way too strong. I hope you enjoy the recipe! Thank you so much for coming by.
I have never made bread pudding. Do you pour the sauce over all of it when warm, or over individual pieces when served? Is the sauce warm when you do either? Thank you
Hi Sandra! We pour the sauce over individual servings. Thanks so much for coming by!
Confused about the orange peeling?
I’m not sure what you are asking. But you will peel long strips of orange peel off the orange (without the white part) and steep them in the sauce to add flavor. This method makes it easy to remove the peel unlike using orange zest. I hope this helps.