Southern Soul Food Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce
Custard-soaked bread baked until golden, topped with spiked sweet sauce.
Contains common allergens
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Instructions
6 steps- 1
Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and butter a baking dish; spread the bread cubes in the dish.
- 2
Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, then pour evenly over the bread, pressing down so the bread soaks it up. Scatter the raisins over the top.
- 3
Let sit for 15 minutes so the bread fully absorbs the custard, then bake until puffed and set in the center, 40 to 45 minutes.
- 4
While it bakes, melt the butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- 5
Carefully add the bourbon (it may flame briefly) and simmer for 2 minutes, then stir in the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
- 6
Serve the warm bread pudding with the bourbon sauce poured generously over the top.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
66/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving540
Calories
14 g
Protein
72 g
Carbs
21 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Bread pudding is a thrift dish that turns stale bread into dessert, and in New Orleans and the wider South it earned its place by being dressed up with a warm bourbon sauce. The pairing nods to the region's whiskey heritage, turning a humble custard-soaked loaf into a restaurant-worthy finish.
Listahan note
This version leans on genuinely stale bread because dried-out crumb drinks up the egg-and-milk custard without turning to mush, giving a pudding that is set on top and tender inside.
Technique cues
- Stale bread is the point: its dried structure soaks up custard and holds its shape, where fresh bread collapses into paste.
- Letting the bread soak in the custard before baking ensures the liquid reaches the center so the pudding bakes evenly rather than wet in the middle.
- The bourbon sauce is finished off the heat or at a low simmer so the alcohol mellows but the bourbon flavor and the butter's emulsion survive.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Whisk the custard while the torn bread waits in the baking dish, then pour and let it soak.
- Make-ahead
- Assemble the soaked pudding the night before and bake it the next day straight from the fridge.
- Leftover move
- Cube cold leftover pudding and pan-fry it in butter for a next-day breakfast.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak the custard bowl and the sticky sauce pan in hot water right away before the sugar hardens.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Stale bread
Structure
Purpose: Its dried crumb is what lets the pudding absorb custard and still hold together.
Handling: Tear day-old French or brioche into chunks, or dry fresh bread in a low oven first.
Adaptation: Croissants or challah work and add richness; soft sandwich bread turns gummy.
Eggs
Custard setter
Purpose: They bind the milk and bread into a sliceable custard as the pudding bakes.
Handling: Whisk them smooth with the sugar before adding milk so the custard is even.
Adaptation: No clean swap; fewer eggs gives a looser, wetter pudding.
Milk
Custard liquid
Purpose: It softens the bread and carries the egg into a tender set.
Handling: Warm it slightly to help the sugar dissolve and speed soaking.
Adaptation: Half-and-half makes it richer; oat milk works for a lighter dairy-free version.
Bourbon
Sauce flavor
Purpose: It gives the warm sauce its signature whiskey warmth that cuts the sweet pudding.
Handling: Add it to the butter-sugar sauce and simmer briefly to soften the alcohol edge.
Adaptation: Dark rum or a teaspoon of vanilla plus apple juice keeps it boozy-free.
Butter
Sauce richness
Purpose: It emulsifies with the sugar and bourbon into a glossy, pourable sauce.
Handling: Melt it gently and whisk with the sugar before the bourbon goes in.
Adaptation: Vegan butter works but the sauce is slightly less glossy.
Technique notes
- Press the bread down into the custard and rest it 20 to 30 minutes so the center soaks as thoroughly as the edges.
- Bake until the top is set and a knife near the center comes out clean but moist; overbaking dries the custard.
- Pour the bourbon sauce over while both the pudding and sauce are warm so it soaks in rather than sitting on top.
Ingredient swaps
- Alcohol-free direction
- Skip the bourbon and build the sauce on vanilla and a splash of apple juice; you keep the warm caramel note without the whiskey.
- Dairy-free direction
- Use oat milk in the custard and vegan butter in the sauce; the pudding sets a touch softer.
- Egg-free direction
- Replace eggs with a cornstarch-and-extra-milk custard for those with egg allergies, accepting a softer, less sliceable set.
Serve alongside
- Scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Fresh whipped cream
- Macerated berries
- Candied pecans
- Hot black coffee
- Chicory coffee
- A small pour of bourbon
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days, with the sauce stored separately.
- Reheat individual portions in a 300 degree oven or briefly in the microwave, then warm the sauce and pour over.
- Freeze baked pudding up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge and reheat before saucing.
Equipment
- Baking dish
- Whisk and mixing bowl
- Small saucepan for the sauce
- Ladle or pour spout
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