Nothing says fall like a slice of warm, gooey pumpkin bread pudding! Buttery bread is soaked in a pumpkin custard with warm spices, then cooked with crunchy pecans, and sweet-tart cranberries in the Instant pot.
Drizzle it with warmed caramel sauce, and top it with whipped cream or a dollop of ice cream.
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Every fall, I make this Pumpkin Bread Pudding at least twice, once at the beginning of fall, and another time around Thanksgiving. There's something about it that puts everyone in the house in a festive mood.
Warm-gooey bread that's soaked in a pumpkin-spiced custard, then cooked with crunchy pecans and sweet-tart cranberries. And then we drizzle it with warmed caramel sauce and whipped cream. Pure comfort in one bite. So good!
What I love about it the most is that it takes just 10 minutes to assemble this bread pudding, then the Instant pot (or oven) does the rest.
This creamy bread pudding with pumpkin is versatile enough to be served for dessert, breakfast, or brunch. It is perfect for a holiday meal and decadent enough to celebrate any special occasion.
Give it a try this holiday season, I'm pretty sure you'll be making this over and over. Let's get started!
You may also like: More Thanksgiving Recipes
Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
All you need is a handful of pantry staples and some fresh ingredients for this pumpkin bread pudding recipe. Let's take a look:
- Custard: Half and half, large eggs, and pumpkin puree form the base for custard. You can make your own homemade pumpkin puree, but if using canned puree, you'll only use ½ (15 oz) can.
- Flavorings: Pumpkin spice and vanilla give this bread pudding its classic fall flavors. If you don't have pumpkin spice, use a combination of ground cinnamon and cloves along with a pinch of nutmeg instead.
- Bread: Any egg-based bread, like challah, or brioche works well here. Croissants make a great substitute. And yes, stale bread can be used- it actually works better than fresh bread!
- Mix-Ins: I personally love the combination of pecans and dried cranberries with the warm-spicy flavors of this pudding. You can swap pecans for walnuts, dried cranberries can be substituted with raisins. Feel free to add more or less, or even skip any of these to suit your taste.
- Sugar: I only use 3 tablespoons of sugar to sweeten this bread pudding since I serve it with caramel sauce, which adds sweetness as well. Feel free to add another tablespoon if you like, just account for the accompaniments.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Let's see the step-by-step directions for making this delicious pumpkin bread pudding in the Instant Pot:
Make pumpkin custard: In a mixing bowl, combine half & half, eggs, pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin spice, and whisk to make a smooth custard.
Soak bread: Now add the bread pieces and gently toss to coat with custard. Push the bread under so it soaks the custard. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Assemble: Now layer the baking dish with a single layer of the soaked bread. Top with half the chopped pecans and raisins. Follow layering with the remaining soaked bread, then chopped pecans and raisins.
Cook Bread Pudding: Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent the condensation from dripping into the pudding. Add water to the steel insert and place a trivet. Put the baking dish on the trivet. Close the lid and pressure cook at high pressure for 30 minutes.
Check for doneness: Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release. Insert a knife to check if the pudding has cooked through. If it comes out sticky, pressure cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
Alternate Cooking Methods
Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes, or till an inserted knife, or toothpick, comes out clean. If it comes out sticky, put it back in for another 5-7 minutes. For a crispy top, broil for 3-5 minutes until the top layer is lightly browned.
Air Fryer: Place the baking dish in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 330°F for 15 minutes. After 15 mins, pull out the basket. Insert a knife to check if the custard has set and cooked through. If it comes out sticky, put it back in for another 3 to 5 mins.
Serving Suggestion
Let the bread pudding rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
I love to serve pumpkin bread pudding with caramel sauce (microwaved for 30 seconds), and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream gently dusted with ground cinnamon.
Crisp it: For a crispy top, broil for 3-5 minutes until the top layer is lightly browned.
How to Store
Store this bread pudding in an air-tight container, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can pumpkin bread pudding be frozen? Yes, it can! Simply transfer it to any freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then warm it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds by the slice.
How to Make it in Advance
You can assemble this casserole a day in advance, and cover and refrigerate it till you're ready. Cook or bake it 1 hour prior to serving.
I wouldn't recommend storing unbaked bread pudding for more than 2 days, as otherwise, the bread will start breaking apart.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Stale bread is okay! This recipe was originally created to use up old bread, so when buying croissants or brioche for bread pudding, look to see items on sale because they have begun to go stale.
- Make sure to give your bread enough time to soak up the custard mixture. 10 minutes is really the minimum. If you prefer, you can allow your bread to soak in the egg mixture overnight in the fridge prior to baking.
- The bread pudding is done when an inserted knife comes out clean. If it comes out sticky, put it back in for another 5-7 minutes.
- To store your bread pudding, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you freeze your pudding, allow it to thaw in the fridge for a day before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a personal preference. Commonly, bread puddings are served warm with some sort of sauce, or whipped cream.
Any bread with a high-fat content works great here. Brioche, Challah, croissants, all work well.
More Bread Pudding Recipes
Here are some popular bread puddings that readers have made over and over!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
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Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup half-and-half
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree homemade or ½ (15 oz) can
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 3 slices brioche cut in 1-inch pieces, or 2 large croissants
- ½ cup raisins or dried sweetened cranberries
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Grease a 7-inch round baking dish with butter. Cut the brioche into 1-inch cubes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine half & half, eggs, pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin spice, and whisk to make a smooth custard.
- Now add the bread pieces and gently toss to coat with custard.
- Using a fork, push the bread under so it gets soaked in the custard. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the custard.
- Is using a springform pan, seal the bottom by wrapping it in aluminum foil. Pour and arrange half the soaked bread in a single layer. Top with half the chopped pecans and raisins. Follow layering with the remaining soaked bread, then chopped pecans and raisins.
- Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent the condensation from dripping into the pudding.
- Add 2 cups of water in the steel insert and place a trivet with handles. Put the baking dish on the trivet. Close the lid and pressure cook at high pressure for 30 minutes at sealing position.
- When cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. After that, release the remaining pressure manually. Carefully lift the trivet with the baking dish. Insert a knife to check if the pudding has cooked through. If it comes out sticky, pressure cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Let the bread pudding rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce, and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream gently dusted with ground cinnamon.
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes, or till an inserted knife, or toothpick, comes out clean. If it comes out sticky, put it back in for another 5-7 minutes. For a crispy top, broil for 3-5 minutes until the top layer is lightly browned.
Air fryer method
- Place the baking dish in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 330°F for 15 minutes. After 15 mins, pull out the basket. Insert a knife to check if the custard has set and cooked through. If it comes out sticky, put it back in for another 3 to 5 mins.
Notes
- Stale bread is okay! This recipe was originally created to use up old bread, so when buying croissants or brioche for bread pudding, look to see items on sale because they have begun to go stale.
- Make sure to give your bread enough time to soak up the custard mixture. 10 minutes is really the minimum. If you prefer, you can allow your bread to soak in the egg mixture overnight in the fridge prior to baking.
- The bread pudding is done when an inserted knife comes out clean. If it comes out sticky, put it back in for another 5-7 minutes.
- To store your bread pudding, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months. If you freeze your pudding, allow it to thaw in the fridge for a day before eating.
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