So Here’s the Thing About Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding…

I first threw this together one November when I’d sort of, eh, misjudged how much bread we’d actually eat at Thanksgiving (spoiler: it wasn’t much). There I was, eyeing up the day-old baguette and the half-can of pumpkin puree, and thinking, ‘There’s got to be a way to mash these together, right?’ Honestly, I wasn’t trying to get all fancy — it’s just that pie crust scares me and bread pudding never lets me down. My aunt called it ‘cozy in a casserole dish’, which, for her, is basically the highest praise possible. Plus, this has saved my bacon more than once when company dropped by unexpectedly. P.S. I promise it smells like the holidays punched you in the nose (in a good way!).

Why You’ll Go Nuts for This

I usually make this when I want something that tastes like you spent hours slaving away, but you actually just dumped stuff in a bowl. My family goes crazy for it (except for my cousin Mark, who claims to hate pumpkin but somehow eats two helpings – not foolin’ anyone, Mark). Also, it’s totally forgiving: I’ve messed up the egg-milk ratio before, and it was honestly still delicious. Sometimes I use this recipe as an excuse to finish off the last bits of random bread in the freezer, and no one’s caught on yet (shhh). Oh, and if your kitchen is cold, the oven warms the whole place up – accidental bonus.

So What Do You Need?

Bread: About 5 cups of stale-ish bread, torn up. Sour dough is my go-to, but honestly, sandwich bread works. Rye? Not as good, but in a pinch, it’ll do (my grandma claims day-old croissants are the secret, but who has leftover croissants?).
Pumpkin Puree: 1 cup (canned is perfect, or whatever’s on sale; I once tried fresh but it just didn’t taste as custardy).
Milk & Cream: 1 cup whole milk plus half a cup heavy cream. Or just use all milk, or even half-and-half if that’s knocking about in your fridge.
Eggs: 3 large ones. Brown, white, it’s all good.
Brown Sugar: 3/4 cup, packed. (White sugar works if you’re low, but it’ll miss a bit of that molasses gusto).
Pumpkin Pie Spice: 2 teaspoons. Just cinnamon is fine too, or literally toss in nutmeg, ginger, and cloves if you’re feeling cheffy.
Vanilla Extract: 1 tablespoon. I use the cheap stuff, and no one’s ever said a word.
Salt: Just a pinch. Don’t skip it (I did once – never again).
Butter: 2 tablespoons, melted. For drizzling and crispy corners.
Optional Extras: A handful of raisins or chopped pecans. My kids usually pick them out, but hey, I like ’em.

How To Actually Make This (No Throwing Pans, Promise)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (about 180°C), unless you live dangerously, in which case, just wait until the kitchen feels lukewarm. Grease a medium baking dish – I use a 9×9-inch pan, but honestly, any casserole thingy will work.
Toss the torn bread into your dish. Scatter it about. If some pieces are bigger, don’t stress – they get all squishy anyway.
In a big bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, spice, salt, and melted butter (this is where I usually sneak a taste; don’t judge me).
Pour the pumpkin custard over the bread. Mush it down a little, so everything’s sogged in. It’ll look weird at this stage – every time, I think ‘did I mess up?’ You didn’t.
Let it sit for 10 minutes. Go poke around in the fridge or scroll your phone. This helps the bread soak up the goodness.
If you’re adding nuts or raisins, sprinkle them on now. Or don’t. Live your life.
Bake uncovered for 40–50 minutes, until it’s puffed and golden brown and your kitchen smells like a scented candle shop exploded. If the top gets too brown before the middle is set, just loosely cover it with foil.
Cool for 10 minutes before digging in. Actually, once I didn’t wait, and burnt my tongue, so—learn from my pain.

Things I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)

Don’t overbake. It goes from custardy to crouton territory real quick. If you see it pulling away at the edges, it’s probably done.
If the bread is too fresh, it doesn’t soak right. Or, just toast it in the oven for a bit. (I figured this out after one gooey disaster. Ew.)
And if you forget to grease the pan? Just soak it in hot water, come back in an hour, and hate yourself a little less.

Tried-and-True, and, Well, Not-So-True Variations

Once did it with chocolate chips; everyone loved it (except me, but I’m a pumpkin purist. It’s fine.).
Swapped in coconut milk and a handful of shredded coconut – kinda tropical, actually, if you’re in the mood. Not my usual, but my brother-in-law requests it now.
One time I tried rye bread and cranberries… let’s just say, don’t.

Do You Need Any Fancy Gear?

I always grab my ancient Pyrex, but you can use any metal or ceramic bake dish. Don’t have mixing bowls? Mix up the custard in a big saucepan (I’ve done that when everything else was in the dishwasher). Whisk can be a fork. There are no bread pudding police. Oh, and if you’re wondering if you need a water bath — nah, not this time. Life’s hard enough.

Keeping It Fresh (Not That It Lasts Long!)

Cover leftovers and keep them in the fridge – you can nuke slices in the microwave for about 30 seconds. But honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day. Someone always sneaks the last piece before breakfast, and there’s not a crumb come morning!

How Do I Serve It?

Straight from the dish, honestly. But if I’m feeling fancy (or just want bonus points), a dollop of whipped cream or some melty vanilla ice cream is the move. Someone once poured maple syrup over theirs — it was way better than I expected, so now I sometimes do, too. If it’s brunch, I’ve even put a little Greek yogurt on top. My kids think that’s weird, but what do they know.

Lessons Learned… Sometimes the Hard Way

Rushing the soak time just leaves you with sad dry pockets. I once tried to skip ahead and paid the price – don’t do it!
Using low fat milk? Tastes okay, but not as toasty and rich. You decide if it’s worth it.
Oh, and using super-fresh eggs makes the custard fluffier. I usually just use whatever I have, though.

Real Questions (and Probably An Answer)

Can I make this ahead? Absolutely. I’ve made it the night before, kept it in the fridge, and then just baked it in the morning. Actually, I think this tastes better the next day, but it’s rare we have leftovers long enough for that.
Do I have to use pumpkin pie spice? Nope — just use cinnamon if that’s all you got. Or see what’s in the back of your cupboard (assuming it’s actually spice and not that random packet of soup mix… speaking from experience here).
Can I make it vegan? Sorta! Use almond milk or oat milk, flax “eggs,” and coconut cream. I did this once for my niece, and it came out surprisingly decent — a bit softer, but very edible. If you want some reliable vegan swaps, Serious Eats has a handy guide I refer to now and then: Serious Eats Vegan Baking Substitutes.
How do I stop the edges from burning? Just toss a bit of foil over the top if it’s browning faster than the inside bakes. Or rotate the pan halfway through if your oven (like mine) runs a little hot at the back.
Best place to get spice mixes online? I’m partial to Penzeys (not sponsored, but I wish!), but anything from the big grocery store works just as well, really.

One last thing — if you end up with extra pumpkin puree, I sometimes freeze mine in muffin tins and toss the chunks into smoothies or even chili (trust me, it works). Or, just make another round; it’ll get eaten, promise.

Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding