Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding

A close up of a square of the bread pudding showing the texture.

This Pumpkin Praline Bread Pudding bakes up rich, warm, and full of fall flavor — tender pumpkin-soaked brioche, toasted pecans, and a brown-butter caramel sauce that melts right in. It’s easy to make, perfect for holidays or cozy nights, and guaranteed to disappear fast.

Course Desserts

Cuisine American - Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Chilling time 8

Total Time 9

Servings

Calories 553kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

4 large eggs
30 ounces pumpkin puree 2 15-ounce cans or 4 cups homemade
2 ½ cups half and half
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup bourbon may use ginger ale instead
12 ounces of bread cubes from challah or French Bread brioche or French bread - about 10 cups fresh cubes

Bread Crumbs

1 ½ cups breadcrumbs I used Panko
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Caramel Pecan Sauce

1 cup pecans chopped and toasted
1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
½ cup butter
4 tbs bourbon optional
1 tablespoon white corn syrup I use Karo
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Pudding:

Whisk together all ingredients except the bread in a large bowl until well blended. Add bread pieces, stirring to thoroughly coat
Pour in a greased 13x9 inch pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill overnight or up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°. Remove the pudding from the fridge and let stand for 20 minutes.
Remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle on bread crumb mixture, and cover with aluminum foil.

Breadcrumbs

Mix bread crumbs, cinnamon, and ¼ cup brown sugar.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes or until the center reads 170℉ on an instant read thermometer.

Sauce:

During last 15 minutes of baking, prepare Caramel-Pecan Sauce:
Heat pecans in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove pecans and add butter.
Melt and heat until golden brown.
Add brown sugar, bourbon, and syrup.
Cook brown sugar, butter, bourbon, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and pecans.
Remove bread pudding from oven; drizzle with Caramel-Pecan Sauce.
Bake 5 minutes longer or until sauce is thoroughly heated and begins to bubble.

Notes

Storage:

Let the pumpkin bread pudding cool completely then cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

You can freeze this for up to 3 months but I don't care for the texture after it's been frozen and thawed.

Tips:

- Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling!
- Soaking overnight allows all the flavors to blend before baking.

- Slightly stale bread works best.

- Be sure to press down the bread cubes into the custard mixture so that all the bread gets soaked in the custard.

Nutrition