Pecan Pie Bread Pudding Recipe (Easy Southern Dessert)
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Pecan Pie Bread Pudding is the perfect Southern dessert for the holidays. It combines rich pecan pie flavor with soft, buttery bread pudding for one comforting dessert everyone loves. The custard-soaked bread bakes up tender inside with a crisp golden top full of crunchy pecans and brown sugar.
This easy bread pudding recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, family dinners, and holiday parties. Serve it warm with bourbon sauce, caramel sauce, or whipped cream for an unforgettable dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
If you love classic Southern desserts, this recipe combines two favorites into one decadent dessert everyone asks for again and again.
Why you’ll ❤️ this recipe.
⭐Rich buttery pecan pie flavor
⭐Soft custard center with crunchy pecans
⭐Easy make-ahead holiday dessert
⭐Perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas
⭐Great use for day-old bread
⭐Feeds a crowd easily
What Is Pecan Pie Bread Pudding?
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding is a Southern-style dessert made with cubes of bread soaked in a rich custard mixture with brown sugar,
It tastes like a cross between classic pecan pie and old-fashioned bread pudding.
‘Made this tonight for company. Everyone loved it! Recipe requested…said it was the best bread pudding he ever had. And, my husband loves bread pudding…and he loved this. So easy to make and so yummy! Thank you for sharing!’ Tammy
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is one of my most favorite desserts to make. It’s a simple, budget-friendly dessert. All bread puddings have basically the same basic ingredients: dried bread and a custard sauce made from milk, eggs, and sugar. To this, you can add any additional ingredients to make the bread pudding your own. For Pecan Pie Bread Pudding, I added
The
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding is crispy and crunchy on the outside. It’s creamy and smooth on the inside, making for one beautiful dessert. The dessert dreams are made of…
This is mind blowing! Made it at Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Making it again for a work function. Best bread pudding ever!!
Barbara
Ingredients
The full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post. You can save a tree and save the recipe to your personal and private recipe box right here on Call Me PMc. This way you’ll never misplace it.
This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients but creates bakery-style flavor.
- day-old Brioche, challah, French bread, and sourdough bread
- milk
- half & half, you can substitute whole milk or heavy cream
- large eggs lightly beaten
- granulated sugar
- vanilla
- salt
- butter, softened
- brown sugar, light or dark, I used light
- pecans chopped
For even more flavor, add bourbon sauce or caramel sauce before serving
Best Bread for Bread Pudding
The best bread for bread pudding is sturdy bread that can absorb custard without becoming mushy. Brioche, challah, French bread, and sourdough all work well.
Day-old or slightly stale bread gives the best texture because it absorbs the custard mixture evenly while still holding its shape during baking.
Avoid very soft sandwich bread because it can become too wet.
How to Make Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
Step 1: Prepare the Bread
Cut the bread into cubes and place it in a greased baking dish.
If your bread is fresh, let it sit out for a few hours or lightly toast it in the oven first.
Step 2: Make the Custard
Whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, melted
Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes.
Step 3: Add the Pecans
Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top. Gently press some into the bread mixture so every bite gets pecan flavor.
Step 4: Let It Soak
Allow the bread to soak for at least 20 to 30 minutes before baking. This helps create a creamy bread pudding texture.
Step 5: Bake
Bake until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
Serve warm with whipped cream, bourbon sauce, caramel sauce, or vanilla ice cream.
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Tips for the Best Bread Pudding
- Use stale bread for the best texture.
- Don’t skip the soaking time.
- Toast pecans first for deeper flavor.
- Use real
butter and vanilla extract. - Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Let the bread pudding rest for 10 minutes before serving.
‘This is mind blowing! Made it at Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Making it again for a work function. Best bread pudding ever!!‘ Barbara
Make-Ahead Instructions
This is a great make-ahead dessert for the holidays.
You can assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Bake the next day before serving.
This makes holiday entertaining much easier.
How to Store Bread Pudding
Store leftover bread pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave or warm larger portions in the oven until heated through.
Can You Freeze Pecan Pie Bread Pudding?
Yes. Bread pudding is an easy recipe to scale to need a crowd if needed, or if you simply want extra to freeze for later.
Allow the bread pudding to cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What Sauce Goes Best with Pecan Pie Bread Pudding?
This dessert is delicious with:
- Rum sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Cream Cheese glaze
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
A warm bourbon or rum sauce complements the buttery pecan flavor especially well.
Common Bread Pudding Mistakes to Avoid
Using Fresh Bread. Fresh bread often becomes soggy instead of creamy. Use leftover bread, or, if you don’t have any, purchase it from the sale rack at the grocery store at a reduced price.
Not Letting the Bread Soak. The bread needs time to absorb the custard mixture fully.
Overbaking. Overbaking can dry out the custard. The center should still have a slight softness.
Skipping the Salt. A little salt balances the sweetness and improves flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bread pudding is that it’s a very budget-friendly, easy dessert to make. Here are a few common questions:
Yes. Assemble it the day before and bake before serving.
Brioche, challah, French bread, and sourdough are excellent choices.
Bread pudding is best served warm with a big scoop of ice cream.
Yes. Freeze tightly wrapped for up to 2 months.
It will keep for about 4 days when stored properly.
More Holiday Dessert Recipes
If you enjoy this Pecan Pie Bread Pudding recipe, try these holiday favorites too:
- Kentucky Butter Cake
- Buttermilk Pie Bread Pudding
- Praline Brownies
- Million Dollar Pound Cake
- Dunin Donuts Bread Pudding
- Southern Pecan Pie Bars
- Easy Strawberry Banana Pudding Recipe (No-Bake Dessert)
- EASY PEACH COBBLER BREAD PUDDING
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bread Pudding
- Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding
Final Thoughts
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding is rich, comforting, and perfect for the holiday season. The combination of buttery custard, crunchy pecans, and soft baked bread creates a dessert that feels special enough for Thanksgiving and easy enough for Sunday dinner.
Whether you serve it for Christmas dessert, a family gathering, or a cozy fall evening at home, this Southern bread pudding recipe is always a crowd favorite.
‘This recipe was simple and delicious! This is the first time I ever made bread pudding. My husband really enjoyed it, so I will be making this again. Thank you!‘ Donna
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
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Ingredients
- 16 -ounce loaf of day-old French bread
- 2 and ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup half & half see notes You can substitute whole milk or heavy cream
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 and ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pecan chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cube bread then place in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, beat eggs, milk, half & half, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Pour over the bread and allow to sit 5 to 10 minutes
- In another small bowl, combine with a fork, softened butter, brown sugar, and pecans. This mixture will have the consistency of wet sand.
- Pour half of the bread mixture into a greased 8×8 inch pan. (Yes, 8×8-inch pan.)
- Top with half of the pecan mixture.
- Spoon remaining bread mixture over and top with remaining pecan mixture. Press down into pan slightly. Pan will be really full.
- Top with remaining pecan mixture.
- Place pan on a cookie sheet with a 1-inch edge to catch any mixture that may boil over.
- Bake at 350 degrees F 45 to 55 minutes.
- The center will be slightly jiggly but will set when cool.
- Allow to cool 20 to 30 minutes before serving so that the slices will hold together.
- It is a thick bread pudding and I cut into 16 equal servings. Obviously, you can cut larger slices.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I updated this post from an earlier version dated September 15, 2012. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.
I have made this wonderful dessert several times. It is a favorite wherever I take it. It is easy to prepare and always a winner!
Making this for Christmas……can I double the recipe without problems? Can I make a day ahead?
You can double and make ahead just cover tightly and refrigerate.
I just made this. It was so easy and yet soooooo decadent. Wish I could post a picture! Thanks for the recipe.
I have had bread pudding made from day old yeast donuts. What do you think about using donuts instead of french bread? Too sweet?
That particular recipe has a rum sauce. I don’t think any sauce would be needed.
I’m probably not the one to ask about something being too sweet. The richer the better in my opinion. 🙂 I think using the donuts would is a fabulous idea. And, you’re right, I don’t think you need a sauce. In this recipe, the brown sugar/butter mixture makes a gooey sauce. Let me know how it turns out.
Could you prepare this ahead and bake later in the day? Wasn’t sure if the bread would soak up too much of the liquid and bake time would need to be adjusted?
I want to bake this tomorrow, but the instructions seem a little confusing. Do you beat the eggs in a separate bowl than the milk mixture? And how do you top with remaining mixture if it’s being layered?
Is it LIGHT brown sugar or DARK brown sugar??
I used light brown sugar.
I just made this for my family and they LOVED it. Said it was the best bread pudding they’d ever had. Also the easiest recipe in the world! Took ten minutes to prepare! you don’t have to be a pro to make this dish.
New on your blog but for sure I will
Try the strawberry cake look yummy.
This recipe sounds yummy but can you tell me what is Half & half that you add. Not an austalian
item I have heard of.
half and half is essentially half milk and half cream
Oh wow. Being a diabetic this is killing me to even look at it.😞