Caramel pecan bread pudding is a delicious bread pudding recipe. Soft, pillowy cubes of bread in a rich and creamy custard, topped with a brown sugar pecan topping, baked to perfection and drizzled generously with a luscious caramel sauce. The flavor combination is simply irresistible.
This bread pudding is so soft and rich, and it’s loaded with sweet caramel and crunchy pecans. It’s seriously just about the best bread pudding you’ll ever eat. If you want to experience the flavors of this delicious bread pudding, it’s super easy to make and everyone will rave over how delicious it is. I make this bread pudding recipe all the time because everyone always loves it. They ask for it so much, I have to make it just to keep them at bay!
Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding
This rich, decadent bread pudding starts with cubed Challah bread that I soak in a delicious caramel macchiato custard mixture. I top it with a delicious crunchy brown sugar pecan topping, bake it until it’s golden brown, then I top it with a simple homemade caramel sauce that’s drizzled over the top, The entire process takes a little over an hour, and when I’m all finished, I have a bread pudding so good that everyone comes back for more. If I serve this at a holiday gathering, I usually make a double batch just to make sure everyone gets enough!
Why You’ll Love This Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding Recipe
- It’s rich and delicious, and the combination of the sweet bread, the creamy custard, and the buttery caramel sauce is absolutely delicious.
- It’s easy to make, from the bread pudding to the brown sugar pecan topping and homemade caramel sauce.
- It is perfect for any occasion. It’s delicious served for a Sunday brunch, or a casual weeknight dinner dessert to a special holiday celebration.
Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding Ingredients
This may be a decadent dessert, but the ingredients are anything but. You’ll find most of them in your kitchen right now, and anything you don’t have is one quick trip to the grocery store away!
- Challah bread
- Large eggs
- Caramel Macchiato coffee creamer
- Ground cinnamon
- Light brown sugar
- Chopped pecans
- All purpose flour
- Melted butter
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
How to Make Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding
This recipe is as easy as it is delicious. It only takes a few simple steps and a little over an hour from start to finish. Even beginners can make it with ease.
Step 1: Prep Time
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set aside a 3 quart baking dish. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and lay out on a baking sheet to dry out a bit.
Step 2: Make the Custard Mixture
Whisk the eggs, coffee creamer, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
Step 3: Coat the Bread
Add the bread cubes to the custard mixture and stir to coat. Spray the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then pour the bread pudding mixture into it.
Step 4: Make the Brown Sugar Pecan Topping
In a small bowl, add brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour, and melted butter. Stir to combine and then spread evenly over the bread mixture.
Step 5: Bake
Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 55-60 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10-15 additional minutes until golden brown or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Cool
Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before drizzling with caramel sauce.
Step 7: Make the Homemade Caramel Drizzle
During the last 15 minutes of baking, make the caramel drizzle. In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar and milk. Stir until combined. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly until the caramel sauce thickens up. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top of the bread pudding, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- For the best texture possible, let your bread sit out for a day so it can get stale.
- Let your bread sit in the custard mixture for a few minutes so it can soak it up a bit.
- Make sure to stir the caramel sauce constantly.
Variations
- You can use any hearty bread like Italian bread, sourdough bread, or brioche bread.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the bread pudding before baking it for a lovely caramelized top.
- Chopped walnuts work well in place of pecans.
What to Serve with Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding
I love to serve this to the kids with a glass of milk. It’s delicious with a cup of coffee, tea, or a bit of whiskey for the grownups. For an extra decadent dessert, serve it alongside some vanilla ice cream and drizzle the bread and ice cream with the sauce.
Recipe FAQ
Bread pudding is a bread-based dessert found in many cultures around the world. It’s made with stale bread, milk or cream, eggs, and a form of fat such as butter, oil, or suet. It may contain a variety of other ingredients depending on if the bread pudding is a sweet or savory variety.
Stale bread is drier than fresh bread. The dry bread soaks up the custard mixture more readily, creating a soft, moist, dense bread pudding texture.
No. Bread pudding should firm up as it bakes so that the final product is firmly set but very moist, not wet, droopy, or soggy.
Bread pudding is done when a knife inserted into the center of it comes out clean.
Bread pudding will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Bread pudding freezes well and will last for up to 3 months when stored properly.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding
Refrigerate this bread pudding for up to 5 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
It’s great warmed up in the microwave for about 20 seconds, and is delicious eaten cold right from the fridge.
Try This Delicious Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding Today
This caramel pecan bread pudding is rich and decadent, and your family and friends will be begging for the recipe. The combination of the homemade, rich caramel sauce, the brown sugar pecan topping, and the soft flavorful bread pudding is absolutely incredible. And the best part is that it is surprisingly easy to make. With just a few simple steps, you’ll have a rich, decadent caramel pecan bread pudding that feels so fancy. Give this one a try and get ready to fall in love!
More Delicious Bread Pudding Recipes You’ll Enjoy
This Easy Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding is another delicious and simple bread pudding recipe that is great to add to the holiday breakfast menu, and it’s one the whole family will enjoy.
Caramel Pecan Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 1 loaf Challah bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 5 large eggs
- 3 cups Caramel Macchiato coffee creamer
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Brown Sugar Pecan Topping
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup butter, melted
Caramel Drizzle
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅛ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 3 quart oval baking dish with non-stick cooking spray right before filling.
For the Bread Pudding
- Lay out bread cubes on a baking sheet to dry out a bit, then add to a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk coffee creamer, eggs, and cinnamon together.
- Add bread to the egg mixture and gently stir to coat.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish.
Brown Sugar Pecan Topping
- In a small bowl, stir brown sugar, pecans, flour and melted butter together until combined.
- Sprinkle mixture over the top of the bread pudding.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Caramel Drizzle
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
- Add brown sugar and milk. Stir until combined.
- Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly until caramel sauce thickens up.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the bread pudding, and enjoy.
Video
Notes
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DELICIOUS! This has to be one the best desserts I have ever tasted. It is beyond delicious! Thank you for sharing this scrumptious recipe.
Thank you so much, Linda! I’m so glad you loved this recipe. It is definitely the BEST bread pudding recipe! We absolutely LOVE it! Thank you for the 5-star rating too! 🙂