New Orleans Bread Pudding Vanilla

The scent of cinnamon and vanilla drifting through a New Orleans bakery doorway stopped me dead in my tracks during my first trip to the French Quarter. I spent the rest of that afternoon hunting down the source until I found myself at a tiny café where they served bread pudding that redefined everything I thought about comfort food. That rainy afternoon became my benchmark for what this dessert could be.

My grandmother always said bread pudding was born from practicality but elevated by love. She would save bread ends for weeks in her freezer, treating those dried out pieces like gold. Now whenever I see a baguette going stale on my counter, I get excited instead of annoyed.

Ingredients

• Day old French bread: The slight dryness here is actually your friend because it soaks up that custard without turning into mush
• Whole milk and heavy cream: This combination creates that impossibly rich texture that makes bread pudding feel luxurious
• Eggs: These bind everything together into that perfect custard like consistency we are after
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the deal while helping create that beautiful golden crust on top
• Unsalted butter melted: Adds richness and helps those edges get wonderfully crisp and caramelized
• Raisins: These little pockets of sweetness surprise you with every bite
• Chopped pecans: Toasted notes and crunch throughout the soft pudding make every texture interesting
• Pure vanilla extract: Do not skip the good stuff here because vanilla is the backbone of the whole flavor profile
• Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: These warm spices make the kitchen smell like the best kind of memory
• Pinch of salt: Just enough to make all the other flavors pop without tasting salty
• Cornstarch: The secret to getting that vanilla sauce to coat the back of a spoon perfectly

Instructions

Preheat your oven:

Get it to 350°F and butter up a 9x13 baking dish like your life depends on it

Soak the bread:

Toss those bread cubes with milk and cream then let them sit for about 10 minutes while you stir occasionally

Whisk the custard:

Beat together eggs sugar butter vanilla spices and that pinch of salt until everything is combined

Combine it all:

Pour the egg mixture over the soaked bread then fold in the raisins and pecans gently

Bake until golden:

Spread everything in your prepared dish and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the center is set

Make the sauce:

Heat milk cream sugar butter and salt until steaming then whisk in cornstarch dissolved in water

Finish the sauce:

Cook for about 3 minutes until it thickens then stir in that vanilla extract

Serve it up:

Spoon warm pudding into bowls and drench that thing in the vanilla sauce like you mean it

Pin Recipe

This recipe saved a dinner party once when my main dish flopped completely. My friends still talk about that bread pudding like it was the star all along.

Make Ahead Magic

You can assemble the whole pudding the night before and keep it in the fridge. The bread gets even better after soaking overnight actually developing a deeper custard throughout.

The Bourbon Upgrade

Soaking those raisins in bourbon for an hour before adding them creates little bursts of warmth throughout the pudding. A tablespoon of bourbon in the sauce does not hurt either.

Serving Suggestions

This dessert wants to be served warm when that sauce is still fluid and gorgeous. A scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside is never a bad idea either.

• Leftovers reheat beautifully in the microwave for 30 second bursts
• The sauce keeps in the fridge for up to a week just warm it slowly before serving
• This recipe doubles easily for a crowd just use a larger baking dish

Pin Recipe

Some desserts are fancy but bread pudding is just honest good food that happens to be extraordinary.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I prevent the pudding from becoming soggy?

Soaking the bread cubes allows them to absorb the custard mixture evenly. Be sure not to add excess liquid and bake until the pudding is set and golden to maintain texture.

→ Can I substitute the pecans with other nuts?

Yes, walnuts work well as a substitute. If nut allergies are a concern, you can omit the nuts entirely without losing much flavor.

→ What is the best way to reheat leftovers?

Gently warm individual portions in the microwave or oven, covering loosely to retain moisture without drying out the custard.

→ How is the vanilla sauce thickened?

The sauce is thickened by gradually whisking in a cornstarch slurry while heating, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture perfect for drizzling.

→ Can raisins be soaked before adding?

Soaking raisins in bourbon or dark rum before mixing enhances their flavor and adds a subtle depth to the dish.