September 3, 2026

Warm Bread Pudding With Homemade Vanilla Cream Sauce

Name: Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb day-old French bread or brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups); 4 large eggs; 2 cups whole milk; 1 cup heavy cream; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp vanilla bean powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 3 tbsp unsalted butter (1 tbsp for the dish, 2 tbsp for the top); 1/2 cup raisins (optional); 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup heavy cream; Pinch of salt; 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder

Bread pudding with vanilla sauce poured over a warm square on a white plate

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This bread pudding with vanilla sauce soaks a pound of day-old bread in a cinnamon custard, bakes it at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, and finishes each square with a warm butter, sugar and cream sauce that takes 5 minutes on the stove. It serves 10 and takes about 1 hour 25 minutes, including the soak and a short rest.

Quick answer

Cube 1 lb day-old bread into a buttered 9×13 dish. Whisk 4 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup cream, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla bean powder, cinnamon and nutmeg, pour it over, and soak 15 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes. For the sauce, simmer 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup cream for 3 to 4 minutes and spoon it over warm servings.

Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

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Prep: 15 minCook: 45 minSoak + rest: 25 minTotal: 1 hr 25 minYield: 10 servings

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Table of Contents

Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce Ingredients

For the bread pudding

1 lb day-old French bread or brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp unsalted butter (1 tbsp for the dish, 2 tbsp for the top)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

For the vanilla sauce

4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder

How to Make Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Spread the bread cubes in the dish and scatter the raisins between them, if using.
Whisk the eggs, milk, 1 cup cream, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla bean powder, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth.
Pour the custard over the bread and press the cubes down so they are all wet. Let soak for 15 minutes, pressing once or twice more.
Dot the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in small pieces.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed and golden and a knife in the center comes out without liquid custard. The center should reach 160°F.
While it bakes, make the sauce: melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cream and the salt.
Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and simmer, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the sauce coats a spoon. Take it off the heat and stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder.
Let the bread pudding rest for 10 minutes, then cut into 10 squares and spoon the warm vanilla sauce over each serving.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 10) (estimated)

Calories: 470
Total fat: 26 g
Saturated fat: 15 g
Cholesterol: 140 mg
Sodium: 350 mg
Carbohydrates: 52 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 31 g
Protein: 10 g

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values for French bread (FDC 172675), eggs, whole milk, heavy cream (FDC 170859), sugar, butter, spices and salt, including the vanilla sauce (about 120 calories of each serving). The optional raisins and the vanilla bean powder are not included.

Why Day-Old Bread Makes Better Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Fresh bread is soft and full of moisture, so it collapses into a wet, heavy mass when it meets the custard. Day-old bread has dried out just enough to act like a sponge: it drinks in the custard and keeps its shape as it bakes, which gives you soft, custardy middles with crisp, golden tops. If your bread is fresh, spread the cubes on a sheet pan and dry them in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bread	Result	Tip
French bread	Classic, chewy-tender squares	The version used for the nutrition box
Brioche or challah	Richer and softer, almost like custard	Dry the cubes first; they absorb quickly
Sandwich bread	Soft and uniform	Use thick slices and dry them well
Croissants	Very rich and flaky	Cut the sugar in the custard by 1/4 cup

Use about 1 lb of bread, roughly 8 cups of 1-inch cubes, for a 9×13 dish.

How to Make the Vanilla Sauce for Bread Pudding

The sauce is the part most people remember about bread pudding with vanilla sauce. Melt butter, stir in sugar, cream and a pinch of salt, and let it bubble gently for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce looks glossy and coats a spoon. Vanilla bean powder goes in off the heat so its flavor stays fresh. It thickens as it cools; warm it for a few seconds before serving if it gets too thick.

Thicker sauce: whisk 1 tsp cornstarch into the cold cream before adding it to the pan, then simmer 1 minute longer.
Brown sugar sauce: swap the white sugar for packed brown sugar for a caramel-style bread pudding sauce.
Lighter sauce: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream; the sauce will be thinner.

When Is Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce Done?

The top should be puffed and golden, and the custard between the cubes should be set, not liquid, when you press the center with a spoon. Bread pudding is an egg dish, so the center should reach 160°F, the temperature FoodSafety.gov lists for egg dishes. If the top browns before the center is set, cover the dish loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

Make-Ahead Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, Storage and Reheating

Where	How long	Notes
Unbaked, soaked pudding	Up to 1 day in the fridge	Bake straight from the fridge and add 10 to 15 minutes
Baked bread pudding, refrigerated	3 to 4 days	Cover tightly; store the sauce separately
Baked bread pudding, frozen	2 to 3 months	Wrap squares; thaw overnight in the fridge
Vanilla sauce, refrigerated	Up to 4 days	Rewarm gently, stirring, until pourable

Refrigerator and freezer times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart for casseroles made with eggs.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking. The FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart gives baked egg casseroles 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Reheat squares in a 325°F oven or the microwave until hot in the center (165°F), then add warm sauce. For another make-ahead breakfast-style bake, try our breakfast egg bake casserole.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best sauce for bread pudding?

A simple vanilla cream sauce made with butter, sugar, cream and vanilla is the classic. Caramel-style brown sugar sauce and a thin custard sauce are the other common choices.