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Kick fall off with this delightful Pumpkin Bread Pudding. The decadent custard flavor with the addition of spiced pumpkin makes this dish the perfect dessert for your Thanksgiving dinner. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or even brunch.

The key ingredients that make this dessert special start with bread and pumpkin. Then the eggs, cream, and sugar are added with a blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

I love that this dessert gets crispy on top but is super moist in the middle. If you want to throw some extra flavor into this dessert, top it off with some warm caramel sauce.

Which Bread is Best for Bread Pudding?

The type of bread you choose for bread pudding is very important. Most people try to use white bread but it just does not cut the mustard when it comes to the bread for this recipe.

I like to use French bread or brioche bread. It has a sturdy structure that holds up well to the custard.

The Best Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe

For this easy dessert, you need the following simple ingredients —

• 16 Ounces stale bread — use French Bread, Texas Toast, or Thickly Sliced Bread
• 1 Can Pumpkin Puree (15 ounces)
• 1 ½ Cups Half and Half cream or heavy cream
• ½ Cup Whole Milk
• ½ Cup Brown Sugar, packed
• ½ Cup White Granulated Sugar (you can also use maple syrup if you prefer)
• 5 Eggs
• 3 Teaspoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Salt

Optional Garnishes:

• Chopped Pecans
• Whipped Cream
• Caramel Sauce
• Powdered Sugar
• Chopped Walnuts
• Glaze

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray your cake pan with the nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Place the pumpkin puree, half and half, milk, pumpkin pie spice, salt, eggs, both sugars and vanilla in a large bowl and mix until fully combined.

Chop your bread into large chunks (about 1-inch by 1-inch is the size I go for, but eyeballing it is just fine).

Add the cubed bread to the bowl with the other mixed ingredients, make sure they’re nice and coated, then let them soak for about 10 minutes.

Gently place the pumpkin mixture in your prepared pan, making sure that it’s an even layer, and bake for 40-45 minutes or until firm and not soggy.

Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before garnishing and serving. Top the bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and some fresh mint sprigs. Enjoy!

This is the perfect fall dessert this time of year, especially if you serve it with a scoop of ice cream.

Tips: 

(Overall, this great recipe is very easy and it’s about impossible to mess up for any level of cook.)

You can use any old bread that’s nice and thick. If the bread is too thin, the bread cubes will just turn into a mushy mess. If you only have fresh bread, leave it lying out for the day and it will be stale later.

This delicious pumpkin bread pudding is great for using up leftover bread or stale older bread, if you have it. Do not use moldy bread.

Be sure to get 100% pumpkin for your puree and not the pumpkin pie mix.

This dish is great hot or even at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Place it in the fridge.

Make a bourbon sauce to drizzle over the bread pudding for extra flavor.

Check Out These Other Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Pie Tartlets
• Best Homemade Pumpkin Muffins
• Pumpkin French Toast