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Spiced bread and butter pudding — Fresh homemade recipe photo

Spiced bread and butter pudding

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I bought too much sourdough from the bakery last month. It happened again this week: a loaf sitting on my counter for two days while I cooked dinner, then suddenly I'm cubing it up with no plan.
Bread and butter pudding is what happens when stale bread meets eggs and cream — the kind of dish that's been around forever but keeps turning up as my go-to. The custard soaks into those crusty bits and comes out golden on top, soft underneath. I make it in a 9x13 dish because it feeds four people with leftovers for breakfast.
The trick is letting the bread absorb the custard before baking. I pull it together while dinner cooks, then walk away until that caramelized sugar crust forms — about twenty minutes. Pulling it from the oven at exactly 170°F in the center keeps it from overcooking, which is what turns this into a puddle instead of a pudding.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bread and butter
  • 8 cup sourdough or brioche bread cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 loaf)
  • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
For the custard
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus extra for sprinkling
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Optional toppings
  • whipped cream or crème fraîche
  • caramel sauce

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly butter a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Toss the bread cubes with softened butter in a large bowl until evenly coated. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, turning once, until golden on the edges. This gives you that nice crust while keeping centers soft.
  3. While bread toasts, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until smooth. Don't worry about tiny bits of yolk — they'll blend right in during baking.
  4. Arrange toasted bread cubes in the prepared dish in an even layer. Slowly pour custard over bread, pressing down gently with a spatula so every piece gets soaked. Let sit for 10 minutes (this is the secret step).
  5. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly across the top and place in oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until puffed and golden — I use an instant-read thermometer to check that center hits 170°F, which means it's done but still creamy.
  6. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. The edges will be crisp, the middle custardy. Serve warm with a dollop of cream if you're feeling fancy.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 16gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 185mgPotassium: 340mgFiber: 2gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 280mgIron: 6mg

Notes

Tips & notes:
  • Bread that's a day old works best — it won't turn to mush when the custard soaks in. I keep extras in my pantry for days like this.
  • For a richer pudding, use half-and-half instead of milk and add an extra egg yolk.
  • Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for individual portions (30 seconds) or oven at 325°F for 10 minutes.

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