The Autumn Favourite Sticky Salted Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
Spiced apples and a deep amber salted caramel make this the autumn pick for dessert. Make the caramel while the custard soaks so both finish warm at the same time.
salted caramel apple
19 Bread Pudding Recipes: Dessert, Breakfast & Savory
Curated by Sally ThompsonUpdated November 12, 2026
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Day-old bread is the reason this dish exists, and most of these recipes start with a loaf or a box of cinnamon rolls that has gone past its prime. If you're planning a weekend brunch, looking for a holiday dessert, or using up the last of a brioche, this collection covers each of those situations.
The custard does the real work. Eggs and milk soak into the cubes and set in the oven, and you know it's ready when the center barely wobbles and the top has turned bronze. If you see dry dust at the bottom of the dish before baking, the bread needs more soaking time.
Below you'll find dessert bakes, breakfast and brunch versions, topping ideas, sauces for bread pudding, and a few savory options, so you can match a recipe to the occasion.
What Is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is a baked dish of cubed bread soaked in a custard of eggs, milk or cream, and sugar. The bread drinks up the liquid, and the eggs set around it as it bakes, so the texture lands somewhere between pudding and casserole. Stale bread works best.
The range here is wide. Sweet versions use apple, banana, chocolate, or spiced sweet potato, while savory ones lean on cheddar or mushrooms. Breakfast versions often swap in cinnamon rolls or French toast slices. The dish is done when the middle barely wobbles and the top has turned bronze.
How to Choose the Best Bread Pudding Recipe
Start with the bread you have. Brioche and challah are rich and sturdy enough to take a heavy custard, while fresh sandwich loaves turn to paste. For a weeknight, the banana loaf version or the microwave mug is the quickest route.
For weekend brunch, choose the cinnamon roll or French toast casserole, both of which can be soaked the night before. For a holiday table, the Christmas brioche or the Puerto Rican and Mexican bakes give you a centerpiece with a regional tradition behind it.
Want something without sugar? The mushroom and leek bake is the savory pick, and it pairs with a green salad or soup.
Dessert Bread Pudding Recipes with Fruit and Spice
Fruit and warm spice are the most common dessert pairings in this group. Apples, bananas, and sweet potato soften as they bake and blend into the custard, so the bread tastes less plain. The hot cross bun version carries the same idea into an Easter table.
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Failure-Proof Banana Bread Pudding
Day-old banana bread becomes the base here, so you don't need to buy a loaf for this dessert. Ripe bananas folded into the custard give a soft, banana-forward finish.
banana loaf base -
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Pecan Praline Sauce
Sweet potato gives this baked dessert a dense, spiced crumb, and stale French bread keeps it from turning mushy. A pecan praline sauce is the finishing touch.
sweet potato pecan praline -
Hot Cross Bun Bread Butter Pudding
Leftover hot cross buns soak up a spiced custard and bake into a spring dessert with the Easter spice intact.
Easter spiced buns
Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipes
Chocolate changes the custard from a plain soak into a dessert with a clear, sweet flavor. White chocolate melts smoothly into the milk for a mild finish, while chocolate chips stay in pockets that melt unevenly, which some bakers prefer.
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White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Challah
White chocolate melts into the custard for a mild, creamy sweetness, and a matching sauce turns it into a plated dessert. The challah base holds its shape well.
white chocolate sauce -
Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
Chocolate chips are folded into brioche, so you can skip the overnight soak many bread puddings call for. Expect melty pockets rather than an even chocolate layer.
no overnight soak
Bread Pudding Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
These use breakfast bread you may already have: cinnamon rolls, French toast slices, or sticky buns. Most can be soaked the night before, so the morning bake is mostly oven time. They lean sweeter and more cinnamon-forward than the fruit desserts.
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Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding: The Proper Weekend Indulgence You Need
Stale cinnamon rolls skip the bread-cutting step and bake into a brunch casserole with sticky, spiced edges. Assemble the night before, then bake in the morning while the coffee brews.
brunch cinnamon rolls -
Bread Pudding French Toast with Challah and Brioche
This bake-style take on French toast gives caramelized edges and a custardy center in one pan. Slice it square for a brunch crowd.
French toast casserole -
Easy Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding
Raw dough replaces stale bread here, so the cinnamon filling bakes gooey under a golden top. Use it when you want a brunch treat without a day of waiting.
raw dough, no stale bread
Bread Pudding Topping Ideas
Toppings change the finish more than the base does. A caramel note on pumpkin, a maple finish on coconut, and a piloncillo syrup crust on the Mexican version each shift the sweetness in a different direction. Add sauces after baking, or the top softens.
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Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
Pumpkin puree and brioche make a fall dessert where the bread keeps its structure through the bake. A caramel sauce on top echoes the squash's natural sweetness.
pumpkin with brioche -
Coconut Bread Pudding with Maple Syrup
Whole-grain bread gives this coconut version a nutty base, and the maple syrup sweetens it without a heavy sugar syrup. The base feels less heavy than brioche versions.
whole-grain maple syrup -
Mexican Bread Pudding with Piloncillo
Piloncillo and water boil into a spiced syrup that bakes into a dark, sticky crust. It's a Lenten dish in many households and works for any festive table.
piloncillo syrup crust
Dessert Sauces for Bread Pudding
Sauces add gloss and a second flavor layer. The lemon version comes together in about fifteen minutes with a cornstarch slurry and cold butter, so it stays bright against sweet custard. The salted caramel sauce is deeper and is best spooned warm over the apple pudding.
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Lemon Sauce for Bread Pudding
Cold butter and a cornstarch-thickened lemon sauce make a quick finish that cuts through the custard's sweetness. Spoon it over warm slices so it stays smooth.
cornstarch lemon glaze
Savory Bread Pudding Recipes
Savory bread pudding swaps sugar for herbs, cheese, and vegetables. The cheddar chive version is cheesy and custardy, closer to a side dish, while the mushroom and leek bake depends on dried bread for structure. Both suit a dinner table without a sweet finish.
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Eggy Comfort Savory Cheddar Chive Bread Pudding
Cheddar and chive replace the sugar entirely, so this one bakes as a cheesy side for a winter dinner. Cut it when just set; the cheese firms as it cools.
cheddar chive savory -
Mushroom Bread Pudding with Gruyère
Dried bread and sautéed leeks give this savory bake a firm structure, and mushrooms add earthy depth. Serve it as a dinner side rather than a dessert.
mushroom and leek side
Microwave and Slow Cooker Bread Pudding
The microwave version is a single-serving option that is ready in about twelve minutes. The slow cooker version holds a low, steady heat for a few hours, so the center stays moist without the bread turning to mush.
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The 5-Minute Microwave Bread Pudding
Soaking the cubes in custard before microwaving keeps this single-serve version soft, not rubbery. It's the one to make in a mug when the oven stays off.
single-serve microwave mug -
Slow Cooker Bread Pudding
Low, steady heat from a slow cooker keeps the center moist without an oven. Plan on a few hours and a cinnamon-scented kitchen.
slow cooker hands-off
Regional and Holiday Bread Pudding Recipes
Regional and holiday bakes bring their own traditions. The Mexican version builds on a piloncillo syrup, the Puerto Rican one relies on condensed milk and a water bath, and the Christmas brioche version suits a holiday brunch.
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Puerto Rican Bread Pudding with Condensed Milk
Condensed milk gives this Puerto Rican bake a thick, custard-like body, and a water bath keeps the eggs from curdling. Budget a long afternoon of mostly hands-off time.
water bath condensed milk -
Christmas Bread Pudding with Brioche
Buttery brioche takes up the spiced custard without going to mush. It's a holiday brunch dish that bakes while the rest of the morning runs.
holiday brioche brunch
Storage and Food Safety Tips for Bread Pudding
Egg and dairy custards need the same care as any casserole. The USDA sets 165°F (74°C) as the safe internal temperature for casseroles, so check the center with a thermometer rather than trusting the top. You can read the chart here: USDA casserole temperature chart.
Per USDA FSIS, cooked leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and should reach 165°F (74°C) when reheated. Don't leave the dish out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the room is above 90°F (32°C).
Chill any leftover sauce, and spoon it on just before serving.
Quick Comparison
| # | Recipes | Best For | Time | Occasion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Autumn Favourite Sticky Salted Caramel Apple Bread Pudding | autumn dessert with caramel | 1 hr 40 min | autumn dessert |
| 2 | Failure-Proof Banana Bread Pudding | using up a loaf of banana bread | 1 hr 10 min | everyday dessert |
| 3 | Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Pecan Praline Sauce | autumn dessert with pecans | 1 hr 15 min | autumn dessert |
| 4 | Hot Cross Bun Bread Butter Pudding | Easter brunch or spring dessert | 1 hr 40 min | Easter |
| 5 | White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Challah | white chocolate and sauce fans | 2 hr | family gathering |
| 6 | Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding | skipping the overnight soak | 1 hr 25 min | everyday baking |
| 7 | Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding: The Proper Weekend Indulgence You Need | make-ahead brunch casserole | 1 hr 45 min | brunch |
| 8 | Bread Pudding French Toast with Challah and Brioche | one-pan brunch bake | 1 hr 30 min | brunch |
| 9 | Easy Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding | cinnamon bun lovers without stale bread | 1 hr 25 min | brunch |
| 10 | Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce | fall dessert with brioche | 1 hr 25 min | fall gathering |
| 11 | Coconut Bread Pudding with Maple Syrup | maple-sweetened everyday dessert | 1 hr 10 min | everyday dessert |
| 12 | Mexican Bread Pudding with Piloncillo | Lenten or festive table | 55 min | Lent or festive |
| 13 | Lemon Sauce for Bread Pudding | topping for plain custard | 15 min | dessert topping |
| 14 | Eggy Comfort Savory Cheddar Chive Bread Pudding | savory winter dinner side | 1 hr 10 min | winter dinner |
| 15 | Mushroom Bread Pudding with Gruyère | savory dinner side | 2 hr 11 min | dinner side |
| 16 | The 5-Minute Microwave Bread Pudding | single serving in a mug | 12 min | single serving |
| 17 | Slow Cooker Bread Pudding | hands-off baking with a slow cooker | 3 hr 20 min | hands-off dessert |
| 18 | Puerto Rican Bread Pudding with Condensed Milk | weekend baking project | 6 hr 5 min | weekend baking |
| 19 | Christmas Bread Pudding with Brioche | Christmas brunch | 2 hr 15 min | Christmas brunch |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can bread pudding be made the night before?
In most cases, yes. Soak the cubes in custard, cover the dish, and refrigerate it overnight. Bake from chilled and add a few minutes, checking that the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
What should I serve with a savory bread pudding?
A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness well. The mushroom and leek bake also suits a bowl of soup alongside it.
What's the best bread for bread pudding?
Stale brioche, challah, and French bread hold their shape best under a heavy custard. Soft sandwich bread tends to turn mushy, so dry it out or use a sturdier loaf.
Which sauce goes best on bread pudding?
Salted caramel pairs well with apple and pumpkin versions, while lemon sauce suits a plainer custard. Serving sauce on the side keeps the top from getting soggy.
Why is my bread pudding watery in the middle?
The bread usually hasn't soaked long enough, or the custard was too thin. Pull the dish when the center is just set and let it rest a few minutes before cutting.
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