When the holidays roll around, few desserts strike the perfect balance between cozy and indulgent quite like a good old-fashioned bread pudding. This bread pudding with caramel whiskey sauce is everything you want on a chilly Thanksgiving evening — rich, warm, and dripping in a buttery caramel sauce with just a touch of whiskey for grown-up flavor. Made with buttery brioche and soaked in a luscious vanilla custard, this dessert is a comforting nod to the southern bread pudding traditions many of us grew up with, yet elevated just enough to steal the spotlight at your holiday table.
Bread Pudding with Caramel Whiskey Sauce
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
9x13-inch baking dish Ideal for even baking. You could also use a deep ceramic casserole dish.
Large Mixing Bowl Needed to whisk the custard.
Medium saucepan For preparing the caramel whiskey sauce.
Whisk and wooden spoon A whisk helps fully incorporate the eggs into the custard.
Aluminum foil Helps prevent over-browning during baking.
Knife and Cutting Board For cubing the bread.
Ladle or Measuring Cup To pour custard over bread evenly.
Alternative equipment If you want a hands-off version, this recipe can be adapted into a crockpot bread pudding by layering everything in a greased slow cooker and cooking on low for 3-4 hours.
For the Bread Pudding
- 1 loaf brioche bread about 12 oz, day-old, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (for greasing)
Optional: ½ cup golden raisins or chopped pecans for texture
For the Caramel Whiskey Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons whiskey bourbon, Irish whiskey, or any preferred brand
- Pinch of salt
Step 1: Prepare the Bread
Use day-old brioche for the best texture — it soaks up custard without turning to mush. If your bread is fresh, toast the cubes in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to dry them out slightly.
Step 2: Make the Custard
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, both sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. This forms the base of your custard bread pudding recipe — smooth, creamy, and sweet with just the right spice.
Step 3: Combine Bread and Custard
Grease your baking dish with butter. Add the bread cubes, spreading them evenly. If using raisins or nuts, sprinkle them in now. Slowly pour the custard over the bread, ensuring even coverage. Press gently with a spatula so all bread is soaked.
Let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes to fully absorb the custard — don’t skip this step! For deeper flavor, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before baking.
Step 4: Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set (a knife should come out mostly clean when inserted in the center).
Let it rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce.
Step 5: Make the Caramel Whiskey Sauce
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Stir just until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let the mixture come to a boil. Watch closely — it’ll turn a deep amber color in 5–7 minutes.
Remove from heat immediately and carefully whisk in cream (it will bubble up), then add butter, whiskey, and a pinch of salt. Stir until smooth.
Step 6: Serve
Drizzle warm caramel whiskey sauce generously over each serving. It’s the ultimate upgrade to traditional bread and butter pudding — sweet, decadent, and a little grown-up.
Perfect Pairings
This rich bread pudding pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream. If you’re serving it at Thanksgiving, a side of tart cranberry compote or roasted pears can provide a contrast to the sweetness.
For drinks, serve with:
- A hot toddy or spiked apple cider
- Bold black coffee or espresso
- A neat pour of bourbon or a creamy Irish coffee
Looking for a savory counterpoint? Try it after a meal of roast turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, and mustard greens. The richness of the pudding balances out hearty and savory dishes perfectly.
FAQs
1. What kind of bread is best for this pudding?
Brioche is the top choice here due to its buttery texture and soft crumb, making for a truly luxurious brioche bread pudding. You could also experiment with croissant bread pudding for an extra flaky twist, or even sourdough bread pudding for a bit of tang and chew.
2. Can I use bourbon instead of whiskey?
Absolutely! In fact, turning this into a bread pudding with bourbon sauce is a classic southern move. Just swap in your favorite bourbon and enjoy the deeper, slightly sweeter flavor it adds.
3. Can I make this in advance?
Yes, and it’s even better that way. You can assemble the bread pudding, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. Bake it the next day, and it will be even more flavorful. The caramel whiskey sauce can be made in advance and gently reheated before serving.
4. Is this the same as bread and butter pudding?
Not quite. Bread and butter pudding typically uses buttered slices of bread arranged in layers, whereas this best bread pudding recipe uses cubed bread soaked in custard. The texture is more rustic and the flavors more integrated.
5. Can I make a savory version?
You sure can — just leave out the sugar and switch up the custard with herbs, cheese, and veggies for a satisfying savory bread pudding. It’s perfect for brunch or as a side dish at a dinner party.
