About this recipe

A timeless, comforting dessert made with day-old bread soaked in a rich vanilla-cinnamon custard, then baked until golden and set. This foolproof recipe produces a pudding that's soft and custardy on the inside with a lightly crisp top — the kind of dessert that feels like a warm hug. Finished with a simple vanilla bourbon sauce, it's the ultimate crowd-pleasing comfort food.

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to ![350°F]. Generously butter a baking dish and set aside.

2. 2

   Spread the French bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and let them air-dry for 15–20 minutes, or toast them in the oven for 8–10 minutes until lightly dried out.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, beaten eggs, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is uniform.

4. 4

   Add the melted butter to the custard mixture and whisk to combine. If using raisins, stir them in now.

5. 5

   Add the dried French bread cubes to the custard mixture and gently fold to coat every piece. Let the bread soak for at least 15 minutes, pressing down occasionally with a spoon so all the bread absorbs the liquid.

6. 6

   Pour the soaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. The dish should be full and the bread should be saturated.

7. 7

   Bake uncovered at ![350°F] for 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is just set — it should have a slight jiggle but not be liquid. A knife inserted in the center should come out mostly clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.

8. 8

   Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This helps the custard finish setting.

9. 9

   While the pudding bakes, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over ^[low heat]. Whisk in the sifted powdered sugar until smooth.

10. 10

    Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes. Then slowly whisk in the beaten egg — do this gradually so the residual heat cooks the egg gently without scrambling it. Whisk constantly and vigorously.

11. 11

    Return the saucepan to ^[very low heat] and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the bourbon and pure vanilla extract. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.

12. 12

    Spoon warm bread pudding into bowls or onto plates and drizzle generously with the warm vanilla bourbon sauce. Serve immediately.