Pumpkin Bread Pudding

If you love pumpkin desserts, you’ll also love this Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread Pudding; a fantastic way to welcome fall. Made with cinnamon swirl bread, plenty of warm spices, and real pumpkin, this easy dessert (or breakfast!) will surely impress.

overhead shot of slice of pumpkin bread pudding topped with whipped cream and caramel with text overlay for facebook


 

This easy and flavorful bread pudding is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert- the perfect end to any holiday meal. The pumpkin and cinnamon flavors make it a great recipe to serve all fall and winter, and it is so easy to make you will be able to easily make one for all your get-togethers. 

Good bread pudding is often made with any kind of crusty thick bread, like challah bread or french bread. But this recipe takes the fall flavors up a notch by making it with cinnamon swirl bread! 

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe

Cinnamon bread pieces soaked in a rich pumpkin custard and baked to perfection, this homemade bread pudding is perfect for the fall season.

  • Great any time of year – Although pumpkin is loved during fall, our family enjoys pumpkin recipes like this one all year round!
  • Use up leftover bread – When you have a loaf of bread that’s on the verge of going stale, bread pudding is the perfect recipe to use it up.
  • Serve for breakfast or dessert – While bread pudding is commonly served as a dessert, it would also be a great breakfast recipe for Saturday mornings!
close up overhead shot of pumpkin bread pudding

Ingredients

You only need a few ingredients to make this great fall dessert! That’s why this cinnamon bread pudding in one of our favorites!

  • Eggs – Use fresh, quality eggs are best! You need 5 for a great custardy texture without it being too “eggy”. Egg yolks give off the most flavor, so if you are worried, use 3 whole eggs and 4 egg whites. Some yolk is essential to make a custard base.
  • Whole milk – You can use a different fat percentage or even a non-dairy milk, but whole milk will give it the a richer flavor and texture. Some use part heavy cream too, but I found this to be a little too rich for my taste.
  • Canned pumpkin – make sure you use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mixture.
  • Sugar – Using a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar sweets and adds a hint of molasses flavor.
  • Vanilla extract – use a good quality pure vanilla extract, not imitation flavoring.
  • Pumpkin pie spice mix – Use a pre-bought pumpkin spice, or make your own. You can also substitute apple pie spice mix in.
  • Salt – just a touch helps bring out the sweetness and pumpkin flavor.
  • Cinnamon swirl bread – Find this in your grocer’s bread aisle! You can also use a loaf that has raisins in the swirls. Stale bread or day old bread works best because the dry parts soak up the custard well.
close up shot of bite taken out of slice of pumpkin bread pudding

How to Make Bread Pudding

This recipe is so easy to make! 

  1. Prepare oven and pan. Preheat the oven and prepare the baking pan.
  2. Make pumpkin-spiced custard. In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except for the bread. Set side.
  3. Slice bread. Slice the bread using a serrated knife (bread knife). Since cinnamon swirl bread is usually pre-sliced and on the thinner side, you want to use slightly larger cubes so they don’t disintegrate. 
  4. Let bread soak. Gently toss the cubed bread into the pumpkin custard and allow to rest for so the bread can soak up some of the liquid.
  5. Add to pan. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan.
  6. Press. Use a spoon or spatula to press down on the egg mixture, evenly distributing it and really pressing it down to help create the right texture.
  7. Bake. Bake until set, for bread puddings that usually means it will be slightly spongy, but with an internal temperature of 160°F. Actual cooking times might vary depending on the depth of your baking dish.
  8. Cool and enjoy. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then serve with caramel sauce and whipped cream!

How to Serve Pumpkin Bread Pudding

You can serve this delicious bread pudding with just about any other fall dessert you’d like to. Traditional pumpkin pie, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or any other things pumpkin would all pair nicely together.

I like to serve mine after dinner, especially Thanksgiving dinner. But you don’t need a special occasion to make this easy bread pudding recipe! Serve it in any of the fall months.

overhead shot of baked pumpkin bread pudding

Variations

This pumpkin bread pudding is great because it is so versatile, and served so many different ways. 

  • For any meal – Serve it for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. 
  • Hot or cold – You can serve it hot or cold (it’s amazing warm from the oven, but leftover bread pudding is awesome straight from the fridge, too).
  • Sauces – Top with a sauce like caramel sauce, a bourbon sauce, or a traditional vanilla sauce. Fudge is also delightful.
  • Topping – Serve it with homemade whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.
  • Add ins – Fold a cup of raisins or chocolate chips into the custard.
  • Muffins – Use a batch of our Pumpkin Muffins with streusel for a fun twist.

You can’t make a wrong choice here! 

Storage and Freezing

Storage: Store any bread pudding leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Reheating: To reheat and serve the next day, cover the container with foil and bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for 45-60 seconds, or until warmed through, but like any bread, it has the tendency to get a little chewy.

Freezing: In fact, it freezes really well. Wrap any baked leftovers in aluminum foil and/or freezer paper well. Or place in a plastic freezer bag and try to get out as much air as possible to prevent ice crystals.

collage of pumpkin bread pudding for pinterest

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overhead shot of slice of pumpkin bread pudding topped with whipped cream and caramel with text overlay for pinterest
overhead shot of slice of pumpkin bread pudding topped with whipped cream and caramel

Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe

4.75 from 8 votes
Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread Pudding is the best way to welcome fall! With cinnamon swirl bread, warm spices, and real pumpkin, it's the BEST!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Coat a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice mix, and salt. Set aside.
  • Working with a few slices at a time, cut the bread into 1 1/2” cubes.
  • When all the bread has been cut, gently toss into the pumpkin mixture to coat.
  • Allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Carefully spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to evenly spread the mixture around and to press down on the mixture.
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the mixture is set and doesn’t jiggle when you wiggle the pan.
  • Allow to cool before serving. Serve with caramel sauce and whipped cream.
  • If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.

Notes

Nutrition is calculated without caramel sauce and whipped cream. 

Nutrition

Calories: 237 kcal, Carbohydrates: 43 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 60 mg, Sodium: 227 mg, Potassium: 262 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 23 g, Vitamin A: 5678 IU, Vitamin C: 2 mg, Calcium: 110 mg, Iron: 2 mg
Author: Jenni Ward
Calories: 237
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread pudding recipe, cinnamon bread pudding, homemade bread pudding
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Jessica Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe is amazing and so perfect for fall. Wish I could eat it every day, but might regret that soon enough.

  2. 5 stars
    so delicious! i love bread pudding and love using things other than normal plain bread for it! yummmmmm!