You’ll never buy any pre-made bread pudding again after you try this recipe. This pumpkin bread pudding is moist and delicious and makes for a great fall treat! Aromatic baking spices, creamy pumpkin, and a few tasty tricks make this the best ever!
Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding
Look, I love me some pumpkin pie. I also love me some bread pudding.
So why not put them together and make one mega-awesome dish of Thanksgiving dessert madness?!
This pumpkin bread pudding recipe is super easy — maybe not as easy as pulling a pre-made pie out of the freezer (which I’ve been known to do), but as far as baking goes, this is a level one. Yay!!
Oh, and we even made our pumpkin bread pudding dairy free! (Though you’re welcome to use regular dairy if you prefer).
This year, try our easy and delicious pumpkin bread pudding and add something new to your holiday spread — you might never go back to plain old pie!
Related: Make a batch of these pumpkin spice truffles to drop in your coffee for the perfect pumpkin spice mocha latte to go with your pumpkin bread pudding! Because you can never have too much pumpkin!!
What Makes this Recipe Unique?
For starters, we used two different types of bread: crescent dough and Hawaiian bread. The bottom layer of crescent dough helps keep the bread pudding from getting soggy. The Hawaiian bread adds fluffiness and a touch of sweetness.
We also used two different types of milk: almond and coconut. This blend makes the bread pudding extra creamy, more flavorful, and dairy free!
Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding Ingredients
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- Crescent sheet dough
- Two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, divided
- Hawaiian bread — Whole loaf, cubed.
- Unsalted Butter — Since we add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the recipe, I recommend using unsalted butter to avoid over-salting. If you only have salted butter on hand, add just a pinch of salt instead of the full amount listed.
- Large eggs
- Coconut milk
- Almond milk
- Brown Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Kosher Salt
- Pumpkin puree — Or canned pumpkin
Handy Kitchen Tools
Can Pumpkin Bread Pudding Be Made Ahead?
Bread pudding is a great time-saving recipe! You can prepare the recipe the night before, refrigerate, and bake the next day. You can also bake the bread pudding up to two days in advance and keep in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, simply warm in the oven.
Can You Use Regular Dairy Milk?
We used plant-based milks because we have a couple family members who are lactose intolerant. That being said, the combination of almond milk and coconut milk is absolutely delicious! I think it gives the dish an extra creaminess and a hint of sweet flavor that is out of this world!
If you don’t have almond and/or coconut milk at home or would prefer to use dairy, whole milk can be substituted.
What is the Best Type of Bread for Bread Pudding?
We used Hawaiian loaf because it is thick and fluffy, so it can soak up all the liquid and absorb the flavor, but still maintain its texture. It is also slightly sweet, which works beautifully in this recipe.
However, you can also use many different types of bread in bread pudding. French bread works well and is nice if you prefer a less sweet dessert. Brioche bread is another option if you like the extra sweetness like Hawaiian bread.
How to make Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Preheat oven to 350°F and mist a large baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Spread crescent dough sheet to cover the bottom of the pan. Trim sides if necessary. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
- In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, coconut milk, almond milk, 1 cup brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and remaining teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until well mixed.
- Fill baking dish with bread cubes and press down to fit. Pour melted butter over bread. Pour milk mixture over bread chunks and press down with a spatula to ensure that all bread is coated. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to allow bread to soak up liquid.
- Spread 1 cup of canned pumpkin over baking dish, then gently stir to turn bread and incorporate pumpkin. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar over top and bake for 1 hour at 350°F, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Use a large spoon or spatula to scoop onto a serving plate. Top your pumpkin spice bread pudding with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. A caramel sauce drizzle also makes a fabulous addition!
How to Keep Bread Pudding from Getting Watery
Bread pudding is supposed to be moist and even a bit “jiggly,” hence the name. However, there are a few common mistakes that can cause bread pudding to become overly soggy.
Here are our tricks to bake the perfect bread pudding:
- Using day-old (or older bread) is important to give the bread pudding a bit of “stiffness” that will hold up to all the liquid ingredients. Using freshly baked, soft bread may cause the bread pudding itself to become too soft or mushy.
- Do not cover while baking. This can trap liquid inside and create a soggy texture.
- Make sure to use a casserole dish vs. a loaf pan. A casserole dish provides greater surface area to ensure that everything cooks evenly. Using a loaf pan means that the middle won’t cook all the way through.
- After you pour the liquid mixture over the bread cubes, do not skip the step where you let the liquid soak in for 15 minutes. If you don’t give the bread time to soak up the liquid, it will sit at the bottom during baking and turn mushy.
Overall, this is a really easy recipe and if you follow our steps you’ll bake the perfect pumpkin bread pudding every time!
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bread Pudding?
Sure! This bread pudding holds its shape, which makes it easy to freeze. To freeze, allow to cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge. Once chilled, the bread pudding will hold together, so you can use a spatula to lift it out of the pan in once piece. Wrap in foil and place in a large freezer bag.
To reheat, place the bread pudding in an oven-safe pan and heat at 300°F until warmed through.
More of our favorite pumpkin recipes:
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Muddy Buddies
- Gluten Free Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf
- Caramel Pumpkin Poke Cake
- Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Truffles
- Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding
- Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Parfait
- Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
- Churro Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe (Printable Copy)
If you love this recipe, rate it! We’d also love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
The BEST Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can crescent sheet dough
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 loaf Hawaiian bread cubed
- 1 cup butter melted
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 cup brown sugar (plus 2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pumpkin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Mist pan with non-stick baking spray.
- Spread crescent dough sheet to cover the bottom of a large baking dish. Trim sides if necessary. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
- Fill baking dish with bread chunks and press down to fit. Pour melted butter over bread.
- In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, coconut milk, almond milk, 1 cup brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and remaining teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until well mixed.
- Pour milk mixture over bread chunks and press down with a spatula to ensure that all bread is coated. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to allow bread to soak up liquid.
- Spread 1 cup of canned pumpkin over baking dish, then turn bread to incorporate pumpkin.
- Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar over top and bake for 1 hour at 350°F, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Top with ice cream or whipped cream - best enjoyed warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Be sure to pin this recipe on Pinterest:
But wait, there’s more!
If you loved this pumpkin bread pudding recipe, try these delicious pumpkin treats too!
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- Jack Frost Drink - October 23, 2021
Crystal @ MommyisaWino.com says
I am going to have to try this this year. We love pumpkin pie and I haven’t had bread pudding in a long time. No harm in making both right?
Ann says
I adore bread puddings and fall desserts, so this is absolutely my kind of meal! Such a nice combo of flavors. This pudding is perfect for fall, and the recipe is so easy to follow. I especially like that it’s dairy free. I’m eager to give this pudding a try and gonna follow your instructions precisely. I’ll probably make it for our party this week. Really in the mood for something like this and hope my friends will enjoy it. Thank you for sharing this with us Stacey!
p.s. Look forward to trying your other awesome recipes with pumpkin. I’ve just saved a couple of them for later.
Leigh Ann says
Could you make these in small ramekins? I’m looking for desserts I can make individually for Christmas this year…thanks!
Stacey aka the Soccer Mom says
Yes, you could do this in ramekins, so long as they are oven-safe. You’ll need to adjust the cooking time — probably 20 minutes or so and keep an eye on them. Let me know how it goes!