Bread pudding is an often requested sweet treat in the RecipeGirl house. It’s sweet and comforting, and we love the bread soaked in egg and cream. Add pumpkin and spices, and that transforms bread pudding into something really spectacular! This is a lovely dessert to serve for fall parties and celebrations. And it’s one to consider for your Thanksgiving menu too!

Ingredients needed:

whole milk heavy whipping cream Italian bread butter brown sugar cinnamon nutmeg ginger eggs unsweetened canned pumpkin purée white sugar salt

How to make Pumpkin Bread Pudding:

The first step is to butter and sugar a baking pan. Rub it with butter. Sprinkle some white sugar inside the pan and shake it around to coat the bottom and the sides. Heat the milk and cream together. Pour half of the hot milk mixture into a bowl with the bread cubes. Mix butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and egg yolks. Add pumpkin purée and the rest of the hot milk mixture. Add the soaked bread to the pumpkin mixture. Whip egg whites, white sugar and salt into stiff peaks. Then fold this mixture into the bowl with the pumpkin bread cubes too.  Scrape the whole mixture into the prepared pan, and bake for about 40 minutes.

How do you know when bread pudding is done?

Insert a knife into the center. If it comes out with liquid on it, then it needs to bake a bit more. If the knife comes out clean, it’s done!

Slice and serve. You can serve it warm or cold. And if you make it ahead of time, you can warm up individual slices in the microwave. Top individual servings with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or bourbon cream sauce (recipe below!) Pumpkin bread pudding is also delicious served all by itself with no topping.

How to make Bourbon Cream Sauce:

Heat 1 cup of heavy cream. That’s just enough to melt 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips. Let that sit for a minute or two. Then stir until melted and smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup bourbon. Pour lightly over individual servings for a delightful finishing touch.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding topped with the Bourbon Cream Sauce is so good!!  Enjoy!