Irresistible Fall Bread Pudding Recipe

So you’re cold, craving carbs, and on the verge of baking something kind of impressive without wrecking your kitchen (or your will to live)? Yeah, been there. Enter: this Fall Bread Pudding with Pumpkin and Caramel Drizzle—aka autumn in a baking dish.

It’s warm, gooey, ridiculously easy to make, and makes your house smell like a Yankee Candle factory exploded (in a good way). Plus, there’s pumpkin, so technically it’s seasonal and you’re being festive. Win-win.

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Why This Recipe is Awesome

Let’s break it down. This recipe is:

Idiot-proof. I mean, if you can tear up bread and mix stuff in a bowl, you’re good.
Crowd-pleasing AF. Friends, family, coworkers, random neighbors who “just happened to stop by”—they’ll all want seconds.
A brilliant way to use up stale bread. AKA your attempt at adulting last week that ended with three leftover dinner rolls.
Totally cozy. Think sweater weather, leaf crunching, rom-com level cozy. That.

Also, that caramel drizzle? Optional—but not really. You want it. Trust me.

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Ingredients You’ll Need for Irresistible Fall Bread Pudding

Here’s your autumn baking squad:

6 cups of cubed bread (Brioche, challah, or French bread—bonus points if it’s slightly stale)
1 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling, unless chaos is your aesthetic)
4 eggs (because pudding without eggs is just… mush)
1 ½ cups milk (whole milk is best, but you do you)
½ cup heavy cream (aka the fancy touch)
¾ cup brown sugar (pack it like your emotional baggage)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or just mix cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and pretend you’re a spice sommelier)
1 tsp vanilla extract (the real stuff, not that fake nonsense)
¼ tsp salt (balances the sweet, like emotional boundaries)

For the Caramel Drizzle:

½ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp butter
¼ cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt (hello, salted caramel dreams)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Yes, actually do this. Don’t be that person who forgets.
Grease a baking dish (9×13 works great, or use whatever you have and embrace chaos).
Tear or cube your bread and toss it into a large bowl. Set aside like it’s your ex’s text.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and salt. Go wild.
Pour the mixture over the bread. Stir gently to coat every piece like you actually care.
Let it soak for 15 minutes. This is not optional. This is flavor absorption 101.
Pour everything into your prepared dish and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until it’s golden and doesn’t jiggle like questionable Jell-O shots.
While that bakes, make the caramel. Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl (don’t stir!) until it turns amber. Then add butter, whisk, then add cream and salt. It might hiss at you. That’s normal.
Drizzle the caramel over the warm bread pudding. Try not to drool.
Serve warm. Preferably with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling extra.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the bread soak. Don’t. Your pudding will be dry and sad, like Monday mornings.
Using fresh bread. Stale is better here. Seriously, when else is being lazy actually a recipe requirement?
Overbaking. You want golden, not fossilized. Watch it near the 40-minute mark.
Microwaving the caramel. Please don’t. It’s not that kind of party.
Not tasting the custard mix. Taste before pouring. You deserve flavorful pudding, not bland goo.

Alternatives & Substitutions

No brioche? Use challah, croissants, or even cinnamon rolls. Yes. I said cinnamon rolls.
Dairy-free? Swap milk with almond or oat milk and use coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
Gluten-free? Use GF bread, but pick a sturdy one. No one wants mush.
No pumpkin spice? Use 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp ginger, and ⅛ tsp cloves. Boom.
Lazy caramel alternative: Warm up store-bought caramel sauce and pretend it’s homemade. No shame.

FAQS about Irresistible Fall Bread Pudding

Can I make this ahead of time?

Heck yes. Prep it, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake the next day and boom—future you is winning.

Can I freeze this?

Yep. Cool it first, then wrap it up like a frozen treasure. Reheat in the oven, not the microwave unless you’re okay with weird texture vibes.

Do I have to use caramel sauce?

Technically no. But like… why wouldn’t you? It’s the best part. Don’t be a monster.

Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling instead of purée?

You could, but it already has sugar and spices—so you’ll need to adjust the recipe. Or just don’t. Life’s easier with purée.

Why is my pudding soggy?

Too much liquid or underbaking. Or you didn’t let the bread soak. Rookie move.

Is this actually pudding? It doesn’t look like pudding…

Welcome to the weird world of naming things. It’s not creamy like Jell-O pudding. Think warm, custardy, baked dessert. Still amazing.

Can I add nuts or raisins?

Sure, if you’re into that kind of thing. Walnuts, pecans, even chocolate chips. Just don’t come at me with raisins unless you’re 90.

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Final Thoughts about Irresistible Fall Bread Pudding

So there you go. A cozy, no-fuss dessert that tastes like a fall festival and makes you look way more “together” than you probably feel. Plus, your kitchen will smell like heaven, and you’ll officially have something to bring to that potluck without panic-googling “easy dessert in 10 minutes.”

Now go impress someone—or yourself—with your new culinary skills. You’ve earned it.

And hey—don’t forget to snap a pic before you eat it. Because if you bake something delicious and don’t post it, did it even happen?