Our 20 Best Bread Puddings Deliver Old-Fashioned Comfort

Best Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
Photo: Melissa Goff

Rustic and homey, bread pudding combines day-old bread with simple ingredients like half-and-half and eggs to make a baked dish that's sweet, warm, and deeply satisfying. This old-fashioned comfort food dessert is easy to prep, you can make it ahead of time, and it's endlessly customizable. Think of those slices of bread as your canvas to experiment with add-ins, sauces, and toppings. Try 20 of our favorite bread pudding recipes, from fruit-forward to custardy to chocolatey.

01 of 21

Coconut Bread Pudding

Coconut Bread Pudding
SunnyByrd

"Amazingly good," says Christopher Sage, who added two shots of dark rum to to the dessert to complement its coconut flavor. "It was gone far before all the other dessert trays at our potluck. Five stars for this one!"

02 of 21

Bread Pudding II

Bread Pudding II in a stainless steel dish
TTV78

"I had lost my original bread pudding recipe, and this sounded good. So, guess what. I'm keeping this one and tossing the original if it shows up." —JOY21

03 of 21

Best Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Best Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
Melissa Goff

"It has become a family tradition on the first snow day of the year. And if that doesn't happen, which can be the case here in central Virginia, we know it'll be the featured dessert at Easter and anytime a comfort food is in order," Gail Cobile says of her mother's recipe.

04 of 21

Easy Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Easy Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
T-fal

"I thought I loved regular bread pudding, but this is the best I've ever eaten. My entire family loved it. Will be making this again," Cheryl Mungin Lovette says.

05 of 21

Coffee Liqueur Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Coffee Liqueur Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
Coffee Liqueur Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce. Kim's Cooking Now

"Incredible. As far as I'm concerned, bread pudding always needs some sort of alcohol in it," Daniel says. "This bread pudding had the flavor of the coffee liqueur all throughout."

06 of 21

Gramma's Apple Bread Pudding

Gramma's Apple Bread Pudding
Kim's Cooking Now

This grandma-certified recipe weds cinnamon-spiced apple bread pudding with sweet, creamy vanilla sauce.

07 of 21

Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding

Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding
TTV78

"It's to-die-for pudding! Perfect combination of milk, French bread, banana, and choc chips. I loved it so much that I had to make the second batch on the same day!" —SUTTHINAN

08 of 21

Capirotada a la Antigua (Mexican Bread Pudding)

Capirotada a la Antigua (Mexican Bread Pudding)
Allrecipes

"Capirotada is a traditional Mexican dessert, similar to what we know of as a bread pudding. In this variation, a baguette is sliced and toasted then layered with fruit in a dish and drizzled with a spiced fruit syrup. This dish is often eaten in Mexico around Easter time," recipe creator Gigi says.

09 of 21

Grilled Blackberry Brioche Bread Pudding

Grilled Blackberry Brioche Bread Pudding
Mackenzie Schieck

Toasting brioche bread on an outdoor grill contributes to this blackberry bread pudding's summery flavor. Recipe creator Julie Hubert suggests serving the dessert with whipped cream or ice cream.

10 of 21

Outstanding Rhubarb Bread Pudding

Outstanding Rhubarb Bread Pudding
Wendy Patterson

"I don't like rhubarb. But oh, how I have tried to like it," Angela Jones Jursik says. "I've tried it in cakes, pies, cobblers, crisps, etc. This recipe was rhubarb's last stand. If I didn't like this, I was giving up on rhubarb for good. And oh, boy! It is amazing. I can't wait for my rhubarb patch to ripen up this spring so I can make it again."

11 of 21

Lois' Bread Pudding

Lois' Bread Pudding
Tammy Lynn

"I added another cup of bread cubes and about a teaspoon or more of vanilla. It was perfect," Natalie Johnson says. "Brought my mom to tears, because it was like what her mother used to make for her."

12 of 21

Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce

Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce
marilynmendoza

"Ten stars for the sauce! Just like the pralines from Aunt Sally's in New Orleans. You can make a dessert out of the sauce itself. Serve it over ice cream or on your finger; it's heavenly either way," Cheryl Teresa Vargas says.

13 of 21

Southern Bread Pudding

Southern Bread Pudding
Deb C

This simple recipe calls for little more than white sandwich bread, raisins, butter, eggs, and half-and-half.

14 of 21

My Peach Bread Pudding

My Peach Bread Pudding
Cookin Up A Storm

Peaches, rum, nutmeg, and cinnamon join forces in this dessert. Top it with ice cream and sprigs of mint.

15 of 21

Shahi Tukray (Indian Bread Pudding)

Shahi Tukray (Indian Bread Pudding)
Diana71

Frying the bread, soaking it in a sweet mixture of half-and-half and condensed milk, and baking it for 25 minutes delivers next-level results.

16 of 21

Nutella® Bread Pudding

Nutella® Bread Pudding
easma

"This recipe had me at Nutella! I prepped all my ingredients the night before, and I had this assembled today by the time my oven preheated. Easy and delicious," Bobbie says.

17 of 21

Panettone Bread Pudding with Spiced Orange Sauce

Panettone Bread Pudding with Spiced Orange Sauce
abapplez

"This is a delicious variation on a classic made with the light and heavenly Italian Christmas bread. Panettone is similar to brioche but studded with raisins and candied orange and lemon peel. A luscious sauce made with orange liqueur makes this dish perfect for the holidays," Lizzie Mac says.

18 of 21

Budin (Puerto Rican Bread Pudding)

Budin (Puerto Rican Bread Pudding)
Siyence

"I am Puerto Rican, and this took me back home. Amazing and very authentic recipe." —seawitch

19 of 21

Custard Bread Pudding

Custard Bread Pudding
Valerie Jensen

"Without a doubt, bread pudding is my husband's favorite dessert," Bonny Flemister say. "He has eaten bread pudding all over the country and probably in every restaurant in New Orleans. I have made different recipes many, many times at home. I made this recipe last night. He says this is absolutely, positively the best he has ever eaten."

20 of 21

Butterscotch Bread Pudding

Butterscotch Bread Pudding
LRandall

"Definitely not enough stars," says Sarah Z. "You must try this! I can't begin to describe how amazing this is. I don't recommend reheating the next day. It tastes much better cold, after it has been in the fridge overnight."

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Want More Comfort Food Dessert Ideas?

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Bread Pudding | Photo by Meredith.
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