Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream and Butterscotch Sauce, an exquisite Fall dessert for your Thanksgiving dinner. Easy to make, beautifully moist and a big hit with the whole family, my pudding uses canned pumpkin for the custard, and it's rich and such a treat!
What a treat this pumpkin bread pudding is! I must say, if on its own it's delightful, served with ice cream and butterscotch sauce is just WOW. I used it for my Sticky Toffee Pudding too, and what a great sauce it is! Definitely on my favourite pumpkin desserts list now, and a repeat is on my to-bake list really soon.
It's it amazing that you don't need to worry about making a dessert batter, but just use some good old bread that you might not really like to eat anyway? Because the secret to a good bread pudding is using old bread, at least 1-2 days old. Not proper stale bread, but not fresh either.
The pumpkin custard is dead easy to make, since we basically just mix the ingredients together. And the butterscotch sauce is as easy. Not sure why I was under the impression it takes time and effort to make it, I was obviously so wrong about it.
And let's not forget the vanilla ice cream, a classic, but it works like a treat with this pudding. So, why not make it at home? My Easy Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (No Churn) can't be simpler. So let's say how to put everything together.
Jump to:
Ingredients needed
- bread slices - 3 cups cubed bread
- eggs
- full-fat milk
- single cream - half-half
- pumpkin puree
- light brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- pumpkin pie spice - or just cinnamon
- butter
- dark brown sugar
- double cream - heavy cream
- salt
Step-by-step photos and instructions
This is a basic recipe that can be tweaked to your liking. More sugar can be added, as well as any other flavours. I used vanilla extract, but you can go for anything else you like, even some booze: bourbon or rum make an excellent choice.
- beat the eggs, add the cream (or half-half), milk, sugar, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice (or just cinnamon) and mix well
- cut the bread into cubes, and slowing pour the custard over so that the bread can soak up all the mixture
- set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge
Note! Don't leave the custard to sit at room temperature for longer than half an hour to an hour, since the eggs are raw. However, in the fridge it can be left for up to 24 hours.
- bake for 45 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit)
How to make butterscoth sauce
If you want to make the sauce at home, it's ready in less than 5 minutes, and you only need 5 INGREDIENTS. But all means, ready-made one is ok to use, but if you plan on making other pumpkin recipes, like pancakes, this butterscoth sauce is just amazing at replacing the good old maple syrup.
- melt the butter, then add the dark sugar
- stir well to break up any lumpy bits the sugar might have, then add the single cream (or half-half)
- stir for 3-4 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved, and the sauce thickens slightly (but do not boil it)
- remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract and salt
Again, you can swap the vanilla extract for rum, bourbon or any other extract of your choice.
- leave to cool before drizzling over the pumpkin bread pudding
Can you make the pumpkin bread pudding ahead?
Absolutely! You can either pour the custard over the bread, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight to bake it in the morning or before you want it served, or you can bake it and refrigerate after.
It should last at least 2-3 days in the fridge if it's baked already. The butterscotch sauce can be made in advance too and stored in an air-tight glass container, like Mason jar, and refrigerated.
Other pumpkin desserts
Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese
Pumpkin Pie Recipe with Condensed Milk
If you’ve liked my PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
For the pumpkin bread pudding
- 6 slices bread (3 cups cubed bread)
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup full-fat milk
- ½ cup single cream (half-half)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or just cinnamon)
For the butterscotch sauce
- 50 g butter
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cups double cream (heavy cream)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the pudding, cut the bread slices into cubes, and add them to an oven-proof dish.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs, add the milk, cream, sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract.
- Whisk well to get a smooth custard-like consistency.
- Slowly pour it over the bread, and set aside for at least 30 minutes so that the bread can soak up the custard.
- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- To make the butterscotch sauce, melt the butter in a pan, add the sugar and stir to get any lumpy bits from the sugar dissolved.
- Add the cream, and continue to stir until the sugar had dissolved completely, and the sauce is smooth, it takes about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, add the salt and vanilla extract and allow it to cool.
- Serve the pudding with ice cream and butterscotch sauce.
Notes
- To see the measurements in cups and ounces, please click on the US CUSTOMARY link.
- The amount of ingredients listed can be adjusted depending on the number of servings you need, just click on the number next to SERVINGS.
Jay
Delicious!
Daniela Anderson
Thank you, Jay!