Best Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Best Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce elevates a humble dessert into a showstopper. Cubes of crusty bread soak in a cinnamon-spiced custard, then bake to golden perfection—crisp on top, tender inside. The real magic happens when it's topped with a homemade vanilla sauce: buttery, sweet, and aromatic with real vanilla extract. Whether served warm or chilled, it’s a nostalgic favorite for holidays, potlucks, or any occasion deserving comfort and indulgence.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Additional time 10

Total Time 1 25

Servings: 8

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, southern

Calories: 546

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

Bread Pudding

3 cups whole milk
1 ½ cups white sugar
¼ cup butter melted
3 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 slices hearty farmhouse-style bread toasted and cut into cubes
1 cup raisins

Vanilla Sauce

1 ¼ cups whole milk
½ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter melted
1 egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Equipment

Spatula
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Oven
Small saucepan (for sauce)
9×13-inch baking dish

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
For bread pudding, whisk together milk, sugar, melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Gently stir in bread cubes and raisins. Lightly spoon mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven until browned and set in the middle, 50 to 55 minutes; cover the dish with foil after 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let pudding stand for 10 minutes before serving.
For vanilla sauce, whisk together milk, brown sugar, butter, egg, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a heavy saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour sauce over warm bread pudding or serve on the side in a bowl.

Nutrition

Calories: 546kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 11gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 387mgPotassium: 417mgFiber: 2gSugar: 72gCalcium: 236mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Warm, rich bread pudding drizzled with silky vanilla sauce, this is an old-fashioned dessert at its best.

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Best Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce