Our 19 Best Bread Pudding Recipes for Using Up Stale Bread

Chocolate Bread Pudding
Photo: Andy Lyons

Consider your quest for the best bread pudding recipes complete. We've got a flavor for virtually any craving. Chocolate, pumpkin, blueberry, apple, and even savory meat- and cheese-filled bread puddings can all be found here. If you've got bread going stale (and, really, even if you don't), put it to use and pick from these ideas for bread pudding.

01 of 19

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Blueberry Sauce
Kritsada Panichgul

For a taste of summer freshness and indulgence, bake up this blueberry bread pudding. The addition of toasted pecans and coconut add an almost tropical element to the dessert, but the bread, melted butter, and cream maintain the cozy bread pudding flavors you expect.

02 of 19

Chocolate Bread Pudding Casserole

Chocolate Bread Pudding
Andy Lyons

If French toast had a more buttery, chocolaty cousin, it would look like this holds-nothing-back dessert masterpiece. Chopped chocolate pieces situated between the bread slices are decadent enough, but we also drizzle chocolate ganache atop the warm casserole for a double-the-chocolate bread pudding when you want indulgence.

03 of 19

Butternut Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Butternut Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Andy Lyons

This is the bread pudding with bourbon sauce to make on repeat all fall. Unexpected butternut squash, cranberries, and pears add the best seasonal flavors. But the literal icing on the dessert is the silky, bourbon-infused caramel sauce

04 of 19

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Mocha Cream Sauce

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Mocha "Cream" Sauce
Blaine Moats

It can be our little secret that this slow cooker dessert is deceptively healthy. The dark chocolate and coffee-infused cream sauce do a stellar job at disguising the multigrain bread and chia seeds hiding below.

05 of 19

Tres Leche Bread Pudding

Tres Leches Bread Pudding
Jason Donnelly

You've heard of tres leches cake, but have you tried a bread pudding recipe with three milks? Regular dairy milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk join with dried fruit, pistachios, cinnamon and chocolate for a dessert with layer upon layer of flavor.

06 of 19

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
Amy Allen

Cinnamon, apples, caramel, apple pie spice. These individual apple bread puddings feature so many holiday flavors, we like to hand them out as gifts or party favors. Don't drizzle with that delicious caramel until it's time to eat the pudding.

07 of 19

Make-It-Mine Sweet Bread Pudding

Make-It-Mine Sweet Bread Pudding
Jason Donnelly

The options with this dessert bread pudding are nearly endless! Bookmark or pin it, and each time you make the warm dessert, you can experiment with new flavors. We're wild about this combination: challah bread + figs + walnuts + caramel ice cream topping.

08 of 19

Mexican Bread Pudding

Mexican Bread Pudding
Jason Donnelly

Piloncillo (a pure cane sugar) and canela (Mexican cinnamon) are the two ingredients that give this bread pudding casserole Mexican dessert flair. If you can't find them, substitute brown sugar and regular ground cinnamon. Just be sure to keep the raisins and pecans!

09 of 19

Pumpkin-Biscotti Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce

Pumpkin-Biscotti Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce
Kritsada Panichgul

A three-to-one ratio of bread to biscotti leads to the perfect fluffy-yet-crunchy texture in this rich bread pudding. It's equally delicious at brunch (no one will say no to starting the day with brown sugar caramel!) as it is at dessert.

10 of 19

Banana Bread Pudding and a Kiss

Banana Bread Pudding and a Kiss
Blaine Moats

As long as you've got banana bread on hand, this easy bread pudding recipe only requires five ingredients and is as simple as cubing the bread, pouring over a sweetened egg and cream mixture, baking, and topping with a bit of chocolate.

11 of 19

Chocolate-Cherry Bread Pudding

Chocolate-Cherry Bread Pudding
Peter Krumhardt

For a healthier version of chocolate bread pudding, turn to a recipe full of bittersweet chocolate and tart cherries. Even with a drizzle of icing, our tasty slow cooker bread pudding stays under 200 calories per serving!

12 of 19

White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Hard Sauce

White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Hard Sauce
Blaine Moats

You had us at "hard sauce." What goes into the sauce, you wonder? Basic ingredients already in your kitchen: egg yolks, butter, sugar, whiskey (at least this is always in our kitchen!), and water. Drizzle that over your cherry-studded white chocolate dessert for a bread pudding with whiskey sauce those over 21 will rave about.

13 of 19

White Chocolate and Apricot Bread Pudding

White Chocolate and Apricot Bread Pudding
Jason Donnelly

Give your white chocolate bread pudding fruit-forward flavor with dried apricots that compliment the smooth white chocolate and decadent cream. A sprinkling of fresh raspberries and grated white chocolate offer hints to the fruit and chocolate flavors to be scooped out of the slow cooker dessert.

14 of 19

Cherry-Plum Bread Pudding

Cherry-Plum Bread Pudding
Karla Conrad

Ripe plums, healthy whole grain bread, and sweet cherries make this hearty breakfast bread pudding one you'll be excited to get out of bed for. For a simple yet elevated bread pudding sauce, top with crème fraiche. Or make your inner kid smile, by sprinkling with powdered sugar.

15 of 19

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Sauce

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Sauce

If the words "bread pudding with rum sauce" stop you in your tracks, here's your dream dessert. The star of these parfait bread puddings isn't the bread (warm cinnamon rolls, drool!), but rather the homemade salted rum caramel sauce that's drizzled over each layer. We understand if you want to double the sauce recipe and start adding it to all kinds of desserts.

16 of 19

Tiramisu Bread Pudding

Tiramisu Bread Puddings
Blaine Moats

Instant coffee crystals add full-bodied flavor to this bread pudding recipe inspired by classic Italian tiramisu. A rich cream cheese topper serves as a bread pudding sauce once it melts into the warm dessert.

17 of 19

Chocolate-Walnut Bread Pudding with Coffee-Kahlua Cream Sauce

Chocolate-Walnut Bread Pudding with Coffee-Kahlúa Cream Sauce
Jason Donnelly

If you're the type who wouldn't dare make chocolate chip cookies without walnuts and you consider yourself a coffee lover, this may be the best bread pudding recipe you've ever tasted. The adults-only creamy bread pudding is studded with walnuts and chocolate, then smothered in a coffee- and coffee-liqueur infused cream sauce. Resisting it is impossible.

18 of 19

Spice Tea Breakfast Bread Pudding

Spice Tea Breakfast Bread Pudding
Kritsada Panichgul

Try our tea-infused version of classic bread pudding for a unique twist on an old favorite. Orange spice tea mingles with dried cherries, persimmon, and vanilla for a delicious breakfast dish.

19 of 19

Campfire S'mores Bread Pudding

Campfire S'Mores Bread Pudding
Andy Lyons

Celebrate the best of your favorite campfire treat: s'mores! This delicious dessert features marshmallows, melted chocolate, and graham cracker crumbs. Bonus: The bread pudding is made up of hot dog buns, carrying the campfire theme even further.

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