Southern Bread Pudding Recipe With Sauce
This southern bread pudding recipe with sauce is an easy recipe that has been a family favorite for generations. The bread pudding is a creamy, sweet, and decadent dessert that only requires a few everyday ingredients.
The Perfect Dessert
Southern bread pudding is the perfect dessert and a classic recipe. It’s so easy to make, and it’s so rich that a little bit will go a long way with this sweet treat.
The classic dessert is made up of a handful of simple ingredients, including Hawaiian rolls that we all love, butter, pecans, and a few more pantry items.
The sweet sauce is buttery and flavorful for a taste we all crave, and this delicious dessert delivers.
Ingredients For Southern Bread Pudding
Bread Pudding Sauce
- White granulated sugar
- Butter
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
Bread Pudding
- Hawaiian rolls
- White granulated sugar
- Eggs, beaten
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Brown sugar
- Butter softened
- Pecans
Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Watch How To Make Southern Bread Pudding With Sauce
How To Make The Easy Bread Pudding Recipe
- Start by cutting up the rolls into smaller pieces and leave them out overnight to get stale. (I usually put a paper towel loosely over the pieces).
- The next day, grease a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish and add the bread to the dish.
- In a medium bowl, add the sugar, eggs, milk, and three teaspoons of vanilla extract and mix.
- Pour the mixture over the stale bread and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- In another bowl, add the brown sugar, softened butter, and pecans and mix.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar mix over the bread and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
- Once the bread is finished baking, start the sauce by adding the white sugar, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract to a medium saucepan.
- Cook on medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the sauce over the warm bread pudding and serve.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Bread Pudding
Take the Hawaiian rolls out of the plastic container.
Slice the Hawaiian rolls into smaller pieces and place into a container to sit overnight. The rolls will get stale as they sit. Place a paper towel over the rolls.
After 24 hours and when you are ready to make the bread pudding, add the eggs to a bowl and beat.
Next, add the white sugar to the bowl and mix.
Pour the milk into the bowl and mix.
For this recipe, I used two-percent milk, but if you want it to taste a little richer, you can use whole milk or heavy cream instead.
Add the vanilla extract to the bowl and mix well.
Pour the milk and egg mixture over the bread and let it sit for at least 10 minutes to soak it up.
Brown Sugar Topping
In another bowl, add the softened butter and brown sugar.
Next, add the chopped pecans and mix the three ingredients.
Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the top of the bread.
Bake the bread pudding for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown around the edges.
Butter Sauce
Start the sauce by adding an egg to a measuring cup and beat.
Add the white sugar to the bowl.
Pour the melted butter into the mixing bowl.
I always make sure the butter is not hot before pouring it in or that I have mixed the egg with the sugar because the hot butter will cook the egg. Then you will have pieces of cooked egg, which is not fun.
So make sure your butter cools off a little before adding it.
Add your sauce to a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring often.
Pour the sauce over the bread pudding.
I just go to town and pour the sauce all over. Once you get the sauce on, it’s ready to serve.
This is a simple bread pudding recipe and one I know you will love.
You can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side for an additional sweet flavor.
How To Store Leftover Bread Pudding
Store the bread pudding in an airtight container or cover it with plastic wrap and keep it refrigerated.
What Kind Of Bread Can I Use For Bread Pudding?
There are several choices when it comes to choosing bread for bread pudding. For this recipe, I used Hawaiian bread.
You simply need to cut the bread into bread cubes and let it sit on the counter for about 24 hours to let it get stale.
Here are some more options:
- French bread
- Challah bread
- White bread
- Raisin bread
- Donuts (Donut bread pudding recipe is amazing)
Optional Ingredients
- Pecans
- Raisins
- Bananas
- Caramel
- Baked apples
Can I Use Fresh Bread?
Yes, you can use fresh bread for bread pudding. But you will need to slice it and toast it first. The bread will soak up the milk mixture if toasted and dried out.
How Do You Make Bourbon Sauce?
You can add bourbon to the sauce recipe. Just add two to three tablespoons of bourbon to the recipe before cooking.
More Delicious Desserts:
- Coffee cake without sour cream
- Buttermilk pecan pie
- Butter pecan pie recipe
- Easy pecan tart recipe
- Easy Christmas fudge recipe
- Triple chocolate brownie cream pie from South Your Mouth
- How to make homemade banana pudding
Southern Bread Pudding Recipe With Sauce
Be sure to get the recipe below for bread pudding. It’s comfort food at its finest and a great way to serve something elegant after dinner.
Southern Bread Pudding Recipe With Sauce
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 3 cups Hawaiian rolls cubed and stale this is equal to one package of 12 rolls.
- 5 eggs beaten
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Butter Sauce
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut the bread and leave it out for 24 hours to let it get stale.
- Bread Pudding
- When ready to cook, add the bread to a greased 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs and beat them.
- Next, add the sugar, milk, and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Pour the mixture over the bread and let it sit for at least 10 minutes to soak up the liquid.
- Topping
- In another bowl, add the brown sugar and softened butter and mix well.
- Next, add the pecans and mix. Sprinkle over the bread and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until the bread is golden on the edges.
- When you take the bread out of the oven, start the sauce.
- Sauce
- Add the egg to a small bowl and beat.
- Next, add the sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Pour into a saucepan and cook on medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour over the bread pudding and serve.
Video
Notes
- For this recipe, I used King's Hawaiian Bread Rolls.
- When making the sauce, make sure you don't pour the melted butter over the egg or it could cook the egg. I always add the sugar first and then the egg.
- If you don't have time to leave the bread out to get stale, day-old bread, you can toast the bread before adding it to the casserole dish. The dry texture will help soak up the milk mixture.
- Optional additions: You can add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the milk mixture for a different flavor or a tablespoon of maple syrup.
- If you want bourbon sauce, add two to three tablespoons to the sauce before cooking.
- If you want a richer flavor, you can use whole milk or heavy cream instead of milk for the recipe.
