In the Fall, my family celebrates the changing of the season. We also celebrate our ancestors. And one of the ways in which we do so is by making some of our passed loved ones’ favorite family recipes. On my mom’s side, one of those famous recipes is my late great grandmother’s bread pudding. Recently, I decided to recreate her delicious dessert slash breakfast but make it my own by adding a taste of the Autumn season. I added pumpkin and pumpkin spice and tweaked the sugar and ingredients just a bit. Here, I’ll provide you with my delicious (and lower sugar) pumpkin bread pudding recipe.
What IS Bread Pudding, Anyway?
Bread pudding is what it sounds like – bread made into a gelatinous type substance similar to a pudding. But I wouldn’t say it’s exactly pudding like the kind that comes in a cup. It’s WAY tastier and cozier than your run-of-the-mill snack pack. Bread pudding has an interesting history and dates back centuries. It was once called the “poor man’s meal”, because people who couldn’t afford fresh bread and ingredients could make this dish with stale, leftover bread crumbs and milk. To put it simply, bread pudding is cubed or ripped-up pieces of bread (either stale or fresh), baked in a pool of milk, and sometimes sweetened with sugar and other spices. And, if you’re like my family, fruit and other yummy toppings make this poor man’s dish a delectable dessert.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread Pudding
I’d like to preface with this – bread pudding is one of those recipes that you can play around with. You can experiment with different types of sugar including white, dark and light brown sugar. You can even try sugar-free sweeteners like stevia and splenda if you require a sugar-free or low-sugar diet. Don’t be afraid to try different spices, types of milk, and toppings as well. Make it your own!
First, Gather Your Ingredients
The star of the show is most definitely the bread. For my modified familial bread pudding recipe, I opted for a package of week-old Hawaiian bread rolls. Now, because the rolls were still rather soft, what I did was slice them into cubes and leave them out in the open in a bowl. I just covered the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. A day or two later and the cubes were somewhat crusty, making them the perfect texture for a pumpkin bread pudding.
Once my bread cubes were ready, I gathered my ingredients and prepared for a delicious treat. In addition to the bread, I gathered my can of condensed milk, eggs, light brown sugar, canned pumpkin, vanilla and spices including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom. I also pulled my large 9×13 casserole dish from the cabinet, as well as a large mixing bowl and whisk.
Next, Let’s Prep Our Ingredients
You’ve gathered the ingredients, now it’s time to prep everything to go in the casserole dish. First, I whisk my four eggs in a small bowl. Then I bring the condensed milk just to a scald in a small pot on the stove. DO NOT BOIL. Then I poured my scalded milk over the bread cubes. In a separate mixing bowl, I whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, spices, and add the eggs. Mix it well. Then I add my pumpkin mixture to my milk-soaked bread cubes. NOW, WE BAKE!
Now, We Bake Our Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe
This is the BEST part…when this pumpkin bread pudding bakes in the oven, the aroma is divine! Truly it will fill your house with the most amazing Autumn smells. So, I pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. I lightly grease my baking dish and pour my bread mixture into the dish. Next, I bake my pumpkin bread pudding for 45-50 minutes until a knife comes out clean. Then serve and ENJOY.
Toppings, Fillings, and Other Things to Try
As I’ve said before, bread pudding is pretty freaking versatile. Not only can you eat it for breakfast but as a snack and a dessert. Here are a few ideas to make your bread pudding different each time:
- Whipped cream on top
- Chocolate chips with chocolate syrup as filling
- Strawberry preserves (on top or as filling)
- Raspberry preserves
- Raisins and cinnamon (throughout)
- Apple slices/chunks, cinnamon, and walnut pieces
- Coffee creamer as the milk (comes in MANY different flavors like vanilla and mocha including holiday flavors like peppermint, pumpkin spice, etc.)
- Powdered sugar on top
- Instead of sugar, try splenda or stevia for those who require sugar-free options
- Canned peaches or mixed fruit over top
- Vanilla ice cream on the side
Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe with Pumpkin Spices
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups Hawaiian Bread cubes Dry/crusty is best
- 2-3 cups Condensed milk Scalded (Don't boil!)
- 1 can Pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup Light brown sugar Packed
- 4 Eggs Beaten
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish with margarine or butter and place in a pan of 1" water to bake.
- In a large mixing bowl, pour your scalded milk over your bread cubes.
- Whisk together all other ingredients including pumpkin, eggs, sugar and spices.
- Gently combine the pumpkin mixture and bread cubes.
- Pour into baking dish and bake for 45-50 minutes until a knife comes out clean.
- Serve hot with toppings (optional) of your choice.
