Food & Drink

My Mom, Grandma and I All Swear by the Same Easy 50-Year-Old Bread Pudding Recipe-Here's Why

By Alice Knisley Matthias Parade - Food and Drink Stories

Updated May 6, 2026 7:32 PM

For multiple generations now, my family has been obsessed with my Grandma Alice's rich 50-year-old bread pudding recipe. The comforting, wintery treat that originated in her own kitchen was passed to my mother, and by the time it became a staple in my rotation, I began to make some subtle changes that make it even better (in my humble opinion!).

With just a few tweaks, the original recipe has been lightened up through the years-transforming it into a year-round dessert that works for a holiday meal or weekend brunch. This family recipe uses a combination of stale bread soaked in milk and cream to make a bread pudding with lemon zest and summer berries for the spring and summer months, and with warmer ingredients like cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin spice for fall and winter months.

So, here's how to make my family's bread pudding. In just a couple of hours, you'll have a delicious dessert that will likely also get passed down from generation-to-generation in your own home.

What Makes My Family's 50-Year-Old Bread Pudding Recipe Different

Our family always has some kind of leftover bread from last night's dinner and with a few simple steps, it becomes a dessert of French-toast flavor meets bread pudding.

For the best results for our grandma's recipe, we soak a dense bread like a crusty artisan loaf, brioche or challah in the milk and egg-based custard. (You can also use any buttery, flaky croissants left from your last trip to the Costco bakery!)

The number of eggs in my version has been reduced to make a silky custard base that has the consistency of a French toast batter, and my recipe cuts back on the heavy cream and sugar with a combination of light cream, milk and evaporated milk which helps to avoid an overly dense bread base.

I like to use evaporated milk as an ingredient as it adds moisture without excess water and helps the eggs in the custard set up and avoid the dreaded soggy center. It also adds faint notes of caramel to the flavor of the finished dessert.

Slice the bread into evenly sized cubes of about one inch each and let them take their time absorbing the custard in a covered dish for an hour or so to soften the bread just enough before being sprinkled with sugar and baked in the oven to achieve a golden top.

Ingredients Needed

1 loaf (about 12–14 oz) day-old bread (country loaf, brioche, challah or 5-6 large croissants), cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup light cream
3/4 cup evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar, extra for sprinkling on top before baking
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter cut into pieces

How To Make Grandma Alice's Bread Pudding

Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Grandma Alice's bread pudding.

1. Prep the bread

Slightly stale bread works best to soak up the egg and milk mixture. The bread needs a firm consistency to absorb moisture, hold structure in the pudding and not become soggy. Bread can be lightly toasted first and allowed to cool if it does feel stale enough.

Bake cubed pieces of bread in the oven at 300°F for about 10-15 minutes. We like the pieces lightly browned.

2. Make the custard

Combine cream, milk, evaporated milk, eggs, sugars, vanilla, spices and salt, and whisk together.

3. Soak

Toss bread cubes with custard and stir gently to combine. Let sit for 60 minutes, gently pressing occasionally.

Grease the baking dish and add milk-soaked bread mixture. Sprinkle with sugar on top and pats of butter.

Cover with foil and bake at 325°F for 25–30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20–25 minutes until the pudding is set with a golden top.

5. Rest

Remove from the oven and rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to allow the custard and bread to firm.

Tips and Substitutions

Depending on the season, I have different recommendations for tips and substitutions.

For spring and summer bread pudding:

Top with a dollop of crème fraîche
Use orange zest to stand in for lemon or use a combination of both
Use one berry or a combination of summer berries to spoon on top (mix berries with a tbsp of marmalade)
Add a scoop of ice cream
Garnish with mint leaves

For fall and winter bread pudding

Make a vanilla sauce (warm 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup sugar, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp vanilla-heat until smooth and pour over warm pudding)
Sprinkle with powdered sugar
Top with a dollop of crème fraîche
Pour warm maple syrup over pudding

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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 6:10 PM.