Bread Pudding With Caramelized Maple Sauce

This old-fashioned bread pudding recipe is everything you would want it to be. Bits of bread are baked with cinnamon and raisins in custard. Top it with the caramelized maple sauce to take it to the next level.

This bread pudding recipe definitely evokes a bit of nostalgia.  The raisins and bit of cinnamon help give this bread pudding that classic flavor just like grandma made it.

I decided to do something a bit different with the sauce, though. The caramelized maple syrup takes this dessert to the next level of deliciousness!

My dad has always been a sucker for bread pudding. I remember he would get excited when we visited my grandparents’ house and grandma has some bread pudding on the counter.

I am sure she noticed too, because she seemed to make it when she knew we were coming by. It is such a great way to use some old bread.

Afterall, why waste it when you can turn it into dessert?

This recipe isn’t hers exactly. She usually made it thinner, in a 9×13-inch pan more like my condensed milk bread pudding.

You could also do that with this recipe. You wouldn’t have to change anything but the bake time.

If you decide to make it in a larger pan like that, start checking it after about 35 minutes in the oven. It should be done after 35-45 minutes.

In a square dish, the pudding will puff up when it bakes. Then it will fall a bit as it cools.

That is normal, don’t worry about it. Plus it gives you a super soft custardy interior with bits of golden goodness on the edges.

The Maple Sauce

Bread pudding is good on its own, but it is more fun to serve it with a sauce. Some people like making a custard to serve over it.

Because bread pudding reminds me of french toast, I tend to like maple syrup with mine. You can just drizzle maple syrup on top and it is tasty that way.

But, the caramelized maple sauce really adds richness and deeper maple flavor. You just cook some syrup down with brown sugar and butter.

After it has boiled until it is thicker and a bit caramelized, you take it off the heat. Stir in a little bit of milk to thin it out and give it a bit of creaminess.

Then it is good to go. Drizzle it to your heart’s content!

What kind of bread should you use for bread pudding?

You can use just about anything you have on hand. My grandma always used stale sandwich bread.

That is what I tend to use most of the time too. It is a great way to use up a loaf that didn’t get turned into sandwiches quickly enough.

However, you can also use extra dinner rolls. Hawaiian rolls also work great.

You can also use extra hamburger or hot dog buns, croissants, crescent rolls, or even old donuts. Pretty much anything that doesn’t have a bunch of savory spices and will soak up the custard will work.

Use enough to fill up an 8-inch square pan, and you should be in good shape.

So if you have a hankering for something comforting and nostalgic, this is for you. Or if you just happen to have some stale bread that needs to be turned into something amazing.

No matter the reason, you deserve some bread pudding. This recipe is a great way to get you some.