New Orleans Bread Pudding

New Orleans bread pudding is a rich and sweet way to use leftover bread. It comes together quickly, doesn’t require any special pastry skills and is great for those just learning to bake. Bread pudding is very common in Louisiana cuisine and has long been seen as an inexpensive dessert that allows you to have something sweet while being frugal.

Bread pudding recipes have been around in the U.S. since colonial times, with the first known written recipe appearing in the 1700s and the first Louisiana version appearing in the 1800s. While you could use any day-old bread, French bread was the most commonly available in Louisiana when the recipe took hold, so it remains the typical type of bread used in New Orleans-style recipes. If you need a dessert that doesn’t require expensive ingredients, or if you’re determined not to let that old bread go to waste, make this recipe tonight.

New Orleans Bread Pudding Ingredients

• Raisins: These add bursts of sweetness that contrast very nicely with the egg and bread.
• Brandy or unsweetened apple juice: You’ll need these to soak and rehydrate the raisins (key to making the raisin texture softer and juicier); they’ll also add a tangy flavor. Use apple juice if you plan to serve this to anyone who can’t or doesn’t want alcohol because the alcohol doesn’t completely burn off during baking.
• Butter: Part of the butter is used to grease the baking dish, while the rest forms part of the liquid that softens the bread. It also adds a luscious buttery flavor to the pudding.
• White sugar: You’ll sprinkle this over the butter you brushed in the baking dish to help the pudding release from the pan after baking. It also caramelizes slightly during baking and creates a delicious and slightly crunchy crust on the pudding.
• Eggs: Beaten eggs bind everything together and allow the pudding to have more structure when baked.
• Half-and-half: The fat in half-and-half cream creates a richer pudding than just milk, but it doesn’t add as much fat as heavy cream. It’s a good compromise between wanting that rich texture without going overboard on fat.
• Brown sugar: Using brown sugar instead of white sugar adds sweetness and moisture because brown sugar still contains some molasses. The flavor is more prominent as well.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla adds a sort of smoothness to the overall flavor of the pudding.
• Freshly ground nutmeg: A little freshly ground nutmeg adds interesting depth to any baked good.
• Day-old French bread: French bread is the traditional type of bread to use in a New Orleans bread pudding recipe. You need day-old bread because that’s dry enough to soak up the wet ingredients and sauce without becoming irredeemably soggy.

Sauce:

• Brown sugar: This provides most of the substance of the sauce; the flavor of brown sugar stands out more than that of white sugar.
• Cornstarch: This is your thickening agent.
• Butter: Butter makes the sauce seem more silky and rich.
• Vanilla extract: This is another flavor agent.

Directions

Step 1: Soak the raisins and prepare the pans

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the raisins, brandy or apple juice in a small saucepan and bring the brandy or juice to a boil. Take the pan off the heat and cover it. Brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter around a shallow 2-1/2 quart baking dish and sprinkle white sugar all over the layer of butter. Set both the pan and dish aside.

Step 2: Mix the ingredients

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Combine the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, salt, brown sugar and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the remaining melted butter and raisin/liquid mixture. Gently stir the bread and let the mixture sit for about 10 to 15 minutes until the bread is soft.

Step 3: Bake the bread pudding base

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Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake this uncovered for about 35 to 40 minutes. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.

Step 4: Make the sauce

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Combine brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan. Gradually mix in the water. Bring the sauce to a boil and keep stirring until the sauce thickens, about one to two minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Serve the sauce with the bread pudding.

Editor’s Tip: Mix the water into the other ingredients very slowly, stirring constantly, to avoid making the cornstarch form lumps.

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New Orleans Bread Pudding Variations

• Try using fresh bread that you’ve let dry out: You don’t need only day-old bread, although that is the best option. If all you have is fresh bread, cut it up three to four hours before baking and let it dry out on a tray on the counter.

How to Store New Orleans Bread Pudding

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat individual servings in a pan over medium heat. Use a pat of butter to help crisp it up.

Can you make New Orleans bread pudding ahead of time?

You can make the unbaked bread mixture up to eight hours before you bake it; store it covered in the refrigerator. Let it warm up while you preheat the oven. It may need extra baking time, up to 10 to 15 minutes, so you’ll need to watch it closely to ensure it doesn’t end up undercooked or burnt. You can also make the whole baked pudding up to three days ahead of time, but you’ll have to reheat it serving by serving as above.

New Orleans Bread Pudding Tips

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Shouldn’t there be bourbon or whiskey in the sauce?

Traditionally, there is some bourbon in the sauce. You can substitute bourbon for the vanilla extract in this recipe. Don’t make that substitution if you’re serving this to someone who can’t have alcohol.

Can you use organic white sugar instead of brown sugar?

Brown sugar has some molasses in it while conventional white sugar does not. Organic white sugar is made from organic cane juice that’s been dried but not fully refined like white sugar, so there’s still some molasses in it. However, it doesn’t have nearly the richness and moisture of brown sugar, which adds more flavor and moisture to the pudding recipe.

Doesn’t the alcohol in the soaked raisins bake off?

This recipe doesn’t bake long enough for the alcohol to fully disappear. The amount of alcohol in this recipe doesn’t seem like much, but it noticeably infuses the entire bread pudding. That’s a problem for anyone who has to avoid it for religious or health reasons. You’d need to cook alcohol for about three hours if not more, to make it burn away. Yes, some will burn off during those 35 to 40 minutes of baking, but not all of it. Please use apple juice if you or someone eating the pudding can’t have alcohol.

Can you leave out the raisins?

Raisins are one of those love-it-or-hate-it ingredients! You can leave out the raisins if you know no one wants them. In fact, many recipes for New Orleans bread pudding don’t contain them. They’re definitely an “if you like” option. Be aware that the pudding won’t have those little bursts of sweet fruit or tangy brandy/juice when you take a bite.

Can you add dry raisins?

That’s not advised. Soaking the raisins rehydrates them and makes them very soft. After baking, they get even softer, and if you eat the pudding while it’s warm, the raisins can taste so juicy and sweet. Of course, if you don’t like raisins at all, leave them out.