Best Bread Pudding Recipe | An Easy Holiday Breakfast Idea
- The Chef & The Dish
- Sep 1, 2017
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 19
If you're looking for the best bread pudding recipe or searching for unique holiday breakfast ideas, this warm and comforting Cinnamon & Spice Bread Pudding is everything you want. Created by Chef Gason, private chef to celebrities and athletes in New Orleans, this recipe transforms simple ingredients into a decadent dessert or brunch dish worthy of your holiday table.
It’s incredibly easy to make, smells like pure holiday magic, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Just pop it in the oven and let the aromas of cinnamon, vanilla, and allspice fill your home. Perfect for Christmas morning, weekend brunch, or a cozy dessert everyone will love.
What Is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is a loved comfort dessert with roots in kitchens around the world. At its heart, bread pudding is about turning stale or day-old bread into something indulgent and luxurious. The bread soaks up a rich custard mixture made from milk, eggs, sugar, and warming spices — transforming into a creamy, custardy center with crisp, golden edges.
Popular additions include raisins, chocolate chips, pecans, apples, or rum sauce, but this classic cinnamon-and-spice version is rich and flavorful on its own. Serve it warm, at room temperature, or topped with a sweet sauce — it’s delicious every time.
Bread pudding is wonderful as:
✔ A rustic dessert
✔ A holiday brunch centerpiece
✔ A make-ahead Christmas morning dish
✔ A comforting weekend breakfast
✔ A crowd-pleasing potluck or holiday party dessert
What is the History of Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding dates back to at least the 11th century in Europe, where frugal cooks created a way to use leftover bread rather than waste it. Early versions were made with water, spices, and bread — earning the nickname “poor man’s pudding.”
As cooking evolved and ingredients became more accessible, eggs, milk, and sugar turned the dish into the rich custard-style bread pudding we enjoy today.
Many cultures have their own version of bread pudding:
Canada: Served with maple syrup.
Brazil: “Pudim de pão,” made with sweet condensed milk.
Mexico: Capirotada, filled with spices, nuts, and fruit, served during Lent.
New Orleans: Known for decadent versions served with bourbon or rum sauce.
Chef Gason’s recipe honors New Orleans tradition while keeping the preparation simple, elegant, and delicious.
The Best Cinnamon & Spice Bread Pudding Recipe on the Internet
from Chef Gason
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, more for greasing pan
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅓ cup sugar
½ loaf French bread or brioche, cut into 2-inch cubes (about 5 to 6 cups)
3 eggs, beaten
Pinch salt
METHOD
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk, butter, vanilla, allspice, cinnamon, sugar and salt.
Continue cooking just until butter melts; cool.
Butter a 4-to-6-cup baking dish and fill it with cubed bread.
Add eggs to cooled milk mixture and whisk; pour mixture over bread.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges of bread have browned.
Eat as is, or top with a dusting of powdered sugar or rum sauce
Chef Gason’s Tips for the Perfect Bread Pudding
Use brioche or French bread for the best texture. Slightly stale bread absorbs custard best.
Add-ins to customize: raisins, chopped pecans, chocolate chips, apples, or cranberries.
Use whole milk for a richer custard (you can also swap in half-and-half for an even richer custard!).
Let it rest 10 minutes before serving so it sets fully.
Serve with sauces such as bourbon caramel, rum sauce, vanilla glaze, or even maple syrup for breakfast.
Why This Bread Pudding Is Perfect for the Holidays
This recipe checks all the boxes for the busiest time of the year. It’s the ultimate holiday comfort food.
✔ Minimal prep — just mix, pour, and bake
✔ Smells like Christmas morning — cinnamon, vanilla, allspice
✔ Feeds a group — serves 6, easily doubled
✔ Works as breakfast or dessert
✔ Budget-friendly but luxurious
✔ Uses leftover bread — which is great for reducing food waste, especially after large gatherings where you likely have bread leftover
Bread Pudding FAQs
What’s the best bread to use for bread pudding?
Brioche, challah, or French bread are ideal because they soak up custard without falling apart. Stale bread absorbs even better than fresh.
Can bread pudding be made ahead of time?
Yes! Assemble it the night before and refrigerate. Bake the next morning for an easy holiday breakfast.
Can you freeze bread pudding?
Absolutely. Freeze after baking and reheat in the oven at 325°F until warmed through.
Why is my bread pudding soggy?
You may have added too much liquid or underbaked it. Bake until the center is set but still slightly jiggly.
What sauces go best with bread pudding?
Popular options include vanilla sauce, rum sauce, bourbon caramel, brown-butter glaze, maple syrup, or whipped cream.
Can bread pudding be served for breakfast?
Yes — especially this cinnamon-and-spice version! When you look at the ingredients you'll see it bread, eggs and milk - which is similar to something else, french toast! Consider this a unique holiday variation that feels a bit more special and elevated. This Cinnamon and Spice Bread Pudding is a fantastic holiday breakfast idea paired with a side of fruit like bannanasor berries , perhaps some bacon, and a hot cup of coffee.
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