Are you looking for creative brunch ideas? This Pecan Pie Bread Pudding recipe will be sure to please everyone! This dish combines the yummy flavor of pecan pie with a delicious bread pudding and an easy-to-make rich caramel sauce. It's a popular brunch recipe that tastes like an All-American Pecan Pie, just without the crust. It's an easy yet delicious dish that will wow your guests.
I have always been a member of any bread pudding fan club, but traditional pecan pie...not so much. Depending on the recipe, it's over-the-top sweetness with lots of light corn syrup and dark corn syrup, and that odd texture was just something I never liked. Now pecans I can deal with. That sweet, nutty buttery flavor goes down pretty easily. And I have a few favorite desserts that have pecans as the main ingredient. So why not combo the best parts of two completely different desserts and come up with an easy pecan pie bread pudding recipe. The perfect fall dessert.
Ingredient Notes
- Day old bread - Challah, Baguette, French Bread: The main goal of any bread you want to use is that it be stale. Fresh bread won’t soak up the liquids as well and will become a soggy mess. I had a challah loaf that was a few days old, and I then left it on the counter to dry out even more for a few hours.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk - I used 6 ounces of a can to reduce some of the sweetness. Now if you love the sweetness of pecan pie, replace the 8 ounces heavy cream with the remaining can of condensed milk. Use 14 ounces condensed milk and no heavy cream if you are seeking a sweeter flavor. Bread pudding with condensed milk is pretty tasty, just a bit too sweet for me.
- Browned Butter - I used browned butter in my recipe. You can easily follow along with the steps in our blondie recipe to make browned butter. Just remember to start with about 25% more butter (2-3 additional tablespoons) because it will cook down to the amount you need. Now if you don't want to make the effort for browned butter, just go with melted butter.
- Bourbon - I used Makers Mark bourbon. It's one of my favorites for baking. I love the flavor that comes through in the recipe. If you don't want to use Bourbon, try rum. If you want alcohol free, just skip this ingredient.
- Caramel Sauce - In my mind pecan pie bread pudding with caramel sauce is a must. We use our homemade caramel sauce, but any store bought brand you love will work.
How To Make Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
- Add all the other ingredients except bread and pecans. Stir to combine.
- Stir in bread and pecans and place, covered, in refrigerator over night to allow flavors to combine and bread to soak up the custard.
- Bake the next day.
Pro Tips FAQ
You could go with the oven, bake covered with foil in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Or microwave on medium heat until it is the temperature you like.
Yes! Bread pudding can be served either hot, cold, or room temperature. It's just a matter of personal preference.
No, but the toasting brings out the delicious nutty flavor that we love in pecans.
Plan for 4-5 days stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with foil.
You can use a 13 x 9" pan instead. You will need to modify the cooking time down to 40 - 45 minutes since you won't have a thick bread pudding, like what you would have in the 8 ½ x 11"
The center will be a bit jiggly, and the edges will be browned. The best way to know is to use an instant-read thermometer to test the temperature. You are looking for 160°F. This is the best way to determine doneness. My "bit jiggly" could be very different from your "bit jiggly."
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Challah Loaf (Day Old) Cut into 1" bread cubes (450 grams)
- 6 Large Eggs
- 6 ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk (170 grams)
- 8 ounces Heavy Whipping Cream (227 grams)
- ½ cup Maple Syrup (156 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt (1.25 grams)
- ½ cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar (125 grams)
- ½ cup Browned Unsalted Butter (113 grams)
- ¼ cup Bourbon (60 grams)
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract (13 grams)
- 1 ½ cup Coarsely Chopped Toasted Pecans (185 grams)
Instructions
- If your pecans are not already toasted, do this now. Heat oven to 350° F. Place in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 6-8 minutes. Stir once. Remove from oven and remove from pan to prevent continuous cooking and burning.
- Coat an 8 ½" x 11" (1 ½ quart) baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, (or large bowl with an electric mixer) beat eggs on medium speed until fluffy.
- Stir in the sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, salt, brown sugar, browned butter, bourbon, and vanilla until combined.
- With a rubber spatula, stir in the bread pieces and 1 cup of the chopped toasted pecans until evenly moistened.
- Pour the custard mixture into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup pecans.
- Cover the casserole dish and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Heat oven to 350° F. Bake the bread pudding for 65 - 75 minutes. You are looking for an internal temperature of 160°F. It will become golden brown around the edges. If you find it's browning quicker than you want, cover the edges with foil to prevent burning.
- Let cool for at least 5 minutes. Top with your favorite caramel sauce, sweetened whip cream, or vanilla ice cream to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Fall Desserts
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Jackson says
Excellent recipe. Exactly the flavors I was looking for.
Hubert Johnson says
Exquisite food.
Pam says
Hi!
I am going to make this Friday for a brunch on Saturday. I choose my recipes by ingredients and the photos, which your pic looks SO good! My question is how sweet is it with the 6 oz of condensed milk plus the other sugars? I was thinking perhaps the half cups of maple syrup and brown sugar would add enough sweetness. I don’t like sugary desserts. Thanks in advance!
Tim says
Bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts, so I've tried quite a few. This one, with ice cream, is obscene! I made it with rum instead of bourbon, mainly because I don't care for bourbon. Excellent! Be very careful with cooking time, so a thermometer is important.
serena says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's one of my favorites 🙂
Karen says
What can you substitute the maple with?
serena says
I haven't tried it with any substitutions. You might want to give corn syrup a try. But I think the maple syrup will yield a better flavor.
Vivian says
Everyone loved it! Scrumptious for a breakfast buffet. It was the sweet to balance the savory items on the menu. I served it as French toast with maple syrup but you could totally serve it as dessert with ice cream and caramel sauce. Spot on and delicious!
serena says
So great to hear everyone enjoyed it! Happy New Year!
Jill says
Loved this recipe! Definitely a keeper, Thank you!!
serena says
Thanks Jill!
Kristina says
A definite keeper!
serena says
Thanks!
Maur says
I will be adding this recipe to my list for the fall bake-off. So good!
serena says
So perfect for the fall season!
Andrea White says
What a great dessert idea! Love it!
serena says
Thanks Andrea 🙂
Lindsay Howerton-Hastings says
We LOVE this recipe! Gets gobbled up every time.
serena says
So glad you are enjoying it!
Swathi says
Pecan pie bread pudding looks delicious.
serena says
Thanks!
Gwynn Galvin says
Oh my goodness! Combining the flavors of a pecan pie into a bread pudding is right up my alley!
serena says
It's so delicious!
Tyanne says
Such an amazing flavor for bread pudding!
serena says
Thanks Tyanne!
Sabrina says
Just like pecan pie but easier! Love it!!!
serena says
Easier for sure!