Today I whipped up a Caramel Bread Pudding Recipe that blends hearty brioche cubes, whole milk and heavy cream, and eggs, sugar, vanilla. I love the idea of luscious caramel sauce built with butter and water coating every piece. My recipe offers a truly delightful twist on an old favorite.

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I’ve always been into recipes that can play double duty as both a dessert and a special breakfast. This caramel bread pudding caught my eye because it combines familiar ingredients in a fun way.

I like using 6 cups of cubed day old brioche or French bread that soaks up the custard mixture made with 4 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, and 1 cup heavy cream, giving it a smooth, rich texture. And then there’s the caramel sauce – a quick magic trick of 1 cup granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, and about 1/3 cup water, finished off with a splash of heavy cream.

It reminds me a bit of those easy Bread Pudding recipes I’ve seen online, and it has a hint of something special like a breakfast bread pudding or even a biscuit pudding idea. I hope you give this recipe a try because its mix of flavors and textures really stands out even if its not overly fancy.

Why I Like this Recipe

I love this caramel bread pudding recipe for so many reasons. First, I really enjoy how the custardy egg and cream mixture soaks into every piece of the brioche. It makes each bite wonderfully moist and full of flavor. Second, I like how its versatile enough to serve either as a special breakfast or a lovely dessert, which makes it perfect for any time I want a sweet treat. Third, even though the caramel sauce step can be a bit tricky with the bubbling heavy cream, I get a rush of excitement when I see the deep amber color of the caramel – it’s like a mini adventure in my kitchen each time I make it. Lastly, I just appreciate that the recipe is easy enough for me to follow, even if I mess up a comma or forget to stir for a minute, it always turns out delicious.

Ingredients

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Brioche is soft and starchy; it soaks up custard real well.
Eggs add protein and help bind all the ingredients together.
Whole milk and heavy cream make it rich and creamy with smooth texture.
Granulated sugar sweetens it and gives that classic caramel goodness.
Unsalted butter deepens the caramel sauce with a buttery, indulgent flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

6 cups cubed day old brioche or French bread

4 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar (for making the caramel)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (for the caramel)

1/3 cup water (used in the caramel)

1/2 cup heavy cream (to finish the caramel sauce)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a baking dish that can hold the bread and custard mix.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well mixed.

3. Add 6 cups of cubed day-old brioche or French bread into the egg mixture and let it soak for about 10 minutes so the bread soaks up all the custardy goodness.

4. Transfer the soaked bread into the prepared baking dish, making sure the bread is spread evenly.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the custard is set and the top is lightly golden.

6. While the pudding is baking, make the caramel sauce by combining 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

7. Let the sugar dissolve and cook until it turns a deep amber color, stirring carefully so it doesnt burn.

8. Once the caramel is ready, add 6 tablespoons unsalted butter gradually stirring after each addition, then remove from heat.

9. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream to the caramel, being careful as it may bubble up, until the sauce is smooth.

10. When the bread pudding is done, let it cool just a bit then drizzle the warm caramel sauce evenly over the top, serve, and enjoy!

Equipment Needed

1. Oven – preheated to 350°F for baking the pudding.
2. Baking dish – a dish big enough to hold your bread custard mixture; lightly grease it before use.
3. Large mixing bowl – to whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
4. Whisk – to beat and combine the custard ingredients well.
5. Measuring cups and spoons – essential for measuring liquids and spices accurately.
6. Medium saucepan – for making the caramel sauce over medium-high heat.
7. Stirring utensil (like a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon) – needed for stirring the caramel and adding butter gradually.

FAQ

Question: Can I use a different kind of bread than brioche or French bread?

Answer: Sure thing, you can. If you don't have brioche, you may use challah or even a sturdy white bread, but keep in mind the flavor and texture might change a little bit.

Question: How do I avoid burning the caramel sauce?

Answer: The key is to use medium heat and keep a close eye on it. Stirring constantly helps and don't walk away – it's easy to go from perfect to burnt in just a sec.

Question: Can I make the pudding ahead of time?

Answer: Yeah, you can prepare it a day in advance. Just cover the pudding and store it in the fridge. Reheat it in the oven before serving to get that nice warm caramel flavor back.

Question: What should I do if my pudding turns out a bit too dry?

Answer: Sometimes if the bread isn't soaking up enough of the custard, you can drizzle extra cream sauce or even a bit more warmed caramel over the top before serving, it really helps to add moisture.

Question: Do I have to finish the caramel sauce with heavy cream?

Answer: While it's recommended because it gives the sauce its silky texture, you can experiment with alternatives like whole milk if you dont have heavy cream, but the sauce may be a bit lighter in texture.

Caramel Bread Pudding Recipe Substitutions and Variations

If you don’t have day-old brioche or French bread, you can use challah or even a sturdy white bread as a fine alternative.
Not got whole milk? Try using 2% milk or even soy milk – they work pretty well in this recipe.
For heavy cream, you can swap in half-and-half; it might give your pudding a lighter texture, but it still tastes great.
If you’re out of granulated sugar for the custard, light brown sugar can be used for a subtle hint of caramel flavor.
And if unsalted butter is scarce, using salted butter works too – just cut back on the added salt in the recipe.

Pro Tips

1. Make sure your bread is really a bit stale by leaving it out or warming it in the oven for a few minutes before you cube it – this helps it soak up the custard much better, so you dont get soggy bits.
2. When you mix the custard, try not to overbeat the eggs. A light mix is better so you dont end up with a rubbery texture after baking.
3. Keep a close eye on the caramel sauce as it cooks. Once it starts to get a dark amber colour, lower the heat right away to prevent it from burning and turning bitter.
4. Let the pudding cool a bit before drizzling the caramel on top. This really helps the flavors settle and stops the caramel from melting the warm custard too much.

Caramel Bread Pudding Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventsi

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

550

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven – preheated to 350°F for baking the pudding.
2. Baking dish – a dish big enough to hold your bread custard mixture; lightly grease it before use.
3. Large mixing bowl – to whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
4. Whisk – to beat and combine the custard ingredients well.
5. Measuring cups and spoons – essential for measuring liquids and spices accurately.
6. Medium saucepan – for making the caramel sauce over medium-high heat.
7. Stirring utensil (like a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon) – needed for stirring the caramel and adding butter gradually.

Ingredients

6 cups cubed day old brioche or French bread
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar (for making the caramel)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (for the caramel)
1/3 cup water (used in the caramel)
1/2 cup heavy cream (to finish the caramel sauce)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a baking dish that can hold the bread and custard mix.
In a large bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well mixed.
Add 6 cups of cubed day-old brioche or French bread into the egg mixture and let it soak for about 10 minutes so the bread soaks up all the custardy goodness.
Transfer the soaked bread into the prepared baking dish, making sure the bread is spread evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the custard is set and the top is lightly golden.
While the pudding is baking, make the caramel sauce by combining 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Let the sugar dissolve and cook until it turns a deep amber color, stirring carefully so it doesnt burn.
Once the caramel is ready, add 6 tablespoons unsalted butter gradually stirring after each addition, then remove from heat.
Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream to the caramel, being careful as it may bubble up, until the sauce is smooth.
When the bread pudding is done, let it cool just a bit then drizzle the warm caramel sauce evenly over the top, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.