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Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Warm Vanilla Sauce

A rich slice of amazing bread pudding studded with raisins, drizzled generously with caramel sauce.
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This is the ultimate comfort dessert, turning stale bread into a warm, custardy treat with a golden crust. We top it with a simple, homemade vanilla sauce for a truly nostalgic experience.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups cubed day-old bread (French bread or brioche works well)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)
  • For the Vanilla Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Place the cubed bread into the prepared baking dish. If using raisins, sprinkle them evenly over the bread cubes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the 4 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 2 cups milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. This is your custard base.
  4. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down gently so the bread soaks up the liquid. Let it sit for 15 minutes to absorb fully.
  5. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the soaked bread.
  6. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
  7. While the pudding bakes, prepare the vanilla sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch.
  8. Slowly whisk in the 1 1/2 cups milk until smooth.
  9. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. This usually takes about 5 to 8 minutes.
  10. Remove the saucepan from the heat. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolk. Temper the yolk by slowly whisking about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolk.
  11. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Return to low heat for 1 minute, stirring, but do not boil.
  12. Remove from heat and stir in the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
  13. Serve the warm bread pudding immediately, drizzled generously with the warm vanilla sauce.

Notes

  • Use slightly stale bread; fresh bread can become too mushy when soaked in the custard.
  • For a richer flavor, substitute half of the milk with heavy cream in the custard base.
  • If you prefer a New Orleans style, replace the vanilla sauce with a simple bourbon sauce made with butter, brown sugar, and bourbon.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://recipesfleet.com/bread-pudding-recipe-vanilla-sauce/