Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding and a Zero Waste Formula
Pantry ingredients transform leftovers into a decadent pumpkin spice bread pudding that serves up comfort in every bite.
Every eco-conscious baker needs a bread pudding recipe in their repertoire. And today I’m giving you a basic zero waste formula that will help you waste less and enjoy more dessert. Sound good?
I’m also sharing my favourite fall version of this classic baked custard. It’s sweetened with pure maple syrup and flavoured with pumpkin spice. But that is just one variation in the wide world of bread pudding.
Read on for my Zero Waste Bread Pudding Formula and creative add-ins for the holidays. These recipes are super easy, so go ahead and invite the kids to help out in the kitchen.
Zero Waste Awareness
Two years ago I wrote 10 zero food waste tips for the holidays and the post is just as relevant today. The price of groceries hasn’t stopped climbing and I know many of you are conscious of spending and looking to make the most of what you have.
The holidays are generally a time of excess, and much food is wasted, due to over-shopping, improper storage, and our busy schedules. This isn’t to shame anyone; merely to create awareness and provide solutions for the home cook.
Today’s zero waste solution comes in the form of dessert, so what could be better? Similar to my Any Season Fruit Crisp (Psst! use it all winter for apple & pear crisps) I’m sharing another formula that you can plug in your own ingredients with delicious results.
First, it’s important to review just how versatile this humble poor man’s pudding really is…
Bread Pudding Base Ingredients
Texture is a Personal Preference
Warm or cold, soft or toasty, how do you like your bread pudding? The ideal texture of bread pudding comes down to personal preference.
For a custardy, rich bread pudding you want to use extra egg and milk. For a bread pudding with more of a baked french toast consistency, with crunchy top and edges, bulk up on the bread.
I like my texture smack dab in the middle, with lots of crispy pieces to sneak off the top when it comes out of the oven, and a fluffy, custardy interior. Delish!
Bread Options
The most important takeaway you need to remember from this post is this: stale bread is essential for perfect bread pudding. The drier it is, the more custard it will absorb during the soak, and the more delicious it will be.
Most often I have hunks of sourdough or French bread to use up in bread pudding, but that is only a jumping off point. Level up this dessert with stale panettone, challah, cinnamon buns, croissants, or even doughnuts in place of the bread.
Some bakers say brioche is the best bread and others insist it is ciabatta. I say, in the spirit of zero waste, use what you have.
I save my bread scraps in a resealable bag in the freezer, and make the dessert when I have enough for a 9×9-inch casserole dish (about 6-7 cups).
Liquid Options
Milk is a staple ingredient for bread pudding (cream if you want to be decadent). My kids like it when I use chocolate milk, tho we seldom have any leftover.
Around the holidays, it’s desirable to use eggnog in place of the milk, just be sure to cut back on the sugar in the recipe, or eliminate entirely.
Purees like canned pumpkin, plum butter or applesauce provide interesting flavours and help to keep the dessert moist. I’ve demonstrated this in my Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding recipe below.
Alternative Diets
Bread pudding can be made dairy-free using your preferred milk substitute of choice. Coconut milk is rich and creamy, and pairs well with spices like cinnamon, cardamom and ginger.
I haven’t yet experimented with egg-free bread pudding, but this Vegan Date & Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding makes a custard thickened with cornstarch. And I’m guessing aquafaba works as well.
Bread Pudding Flavours and Add-Ins
Depending on the season, my bread pudding may contain fresh cranberries, rum-soaked raisins, or toasted pecans. It’s always topped with soft whipped cream and occasionally my Spiced Apple Cider Glaze.
Other ideas for add-ins include dried cherries, cranberries, nuts, chocolate chips, candied ginger, dried apples, currants, dates and seeds. Try a shot of espresso to the milk, and a splash of booze too, if you’re feeling festive.
Here’s a rule of thumb: if it’s an ice cream flavour, it will most likely work as bread pudding. Think Butter Pecan, Espresso Chocolate Chunk, Rum & Raisin, Eggnog, Salted Caramel, etc. Are the wheels turning yet?
The Zero Waste Bread Pudding Formula
Bread pudding has been traced back as far as the 11th Century in England, when the OG zero waste advocated looked for frugal ways to use up their hard-as-a-rock stale bread.
Dubbed ‘Poor Man’s Pudding’ in the 13th century, grew in popularity and became known as ‘Bread and Butter Pudding’. Bread pudding is the final iteration of these leftovers transformed and can now be found on restaurant menus of respectable establishments. What a journey!
Personally, I embrace this humble dessert, as not everything in life needs to be a showstopper. Of course, if you are also looking for a dessert with WOW factor, you’ll find inspiration in my Twelve Days of Holiday Baking Projects.
Use My Zero Waste Bread Pudding Formula to plug in your own leftover breads & milks, and enjoy the transformation it brings.
Classic Bread Pudding Formula
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice Blend or alternate baking spice
- 2 cups milk regular or plant-based
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups stale bread cubes about 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 Tablespoon melted butter
- 2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 1 cup add-ins of choice optional
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Whisk until frothy then add the sugar, spices, vanilla and milk. Whisk to combine.2 large eggs, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice Blend, 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Tumble in the bread cubes and use two forks to toss it until fully coated in the egg mixture. Press the bread down to submerge it, adding a splash more milk if needed.6 cups stale bread cubes, 2 cups milk
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Chill the bread cubes for an hour or up to overnight. This helps it to absorb the custard base. If you're using a fluffy enriched bread (like brioche) you can skip the soak.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Generously butter a 9-inch square baking dish.1 Tablespoon melted butter
- Remove the soaking bread from the fridge. This is when you can add in any extra ingredients such as berries, chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit. Stir to combine.1 cup add-ins of choice
- Transfer the soaked bread cubes to the baking pan. Press down gently into the pan. Brush the top of the bread cubes with melted butter. Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.1 Tablespoon melted butter, 2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar
- Bake the bread pudding for around 40 minutes. It will puff slightly, and be golden on the top. If you have a thermometer, the interior should measure 160℉.
- Cool slightly, then scoop into shallow bowls and serve warm. Best enjoyed with a drizzle of caramel sauce or dollop of soft whipped cream.
Nutrition
Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding
I don’t go too crazy with pumpkin in the fall. We love our pie and don’t do much more than that. Except for this recipe: the jazzed up seasonal bread pudding.
Nothing makes the house smell better than a pan of pumpkin spice bread pudding baked up on a chilly day. Freshly ground ginger and cinnamon, maple syrup and toasted bread marry in a heavenly aroma worthy of a scented candle.
I love how simple this baking project is, delivering similar cozy vibes as the popular monkey bread or cinnamon buns – but with far less effort.
Kids can tear or cut bread, crack eggs and measure spices; don’t hesitate to invite them to join you in the kitchen. There will be plenty of finicky holiday cooking and baking in the weeks ahead, but this dessert is straight up fun.
Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup 2% milk or dairy
- 1/2 cup coffee cream 10 or 18%
- 7 cups stale bread cubed
- 1 cup whipping cream to garnish
- 1 cup fresh cranberries optional
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks optional
- 2 Tablespoons Demerera sugar
Instructions
- Butter or oil a medium casserole dish (9×9 inch or 9-inch oval)
- Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and pumpkin pie spice.3 large eggs, 1/2 cup pumpkin purée, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pour in the milk and cream and whisk until smooth. Tip in the cubed bread and use two forks to toss them in the custard. Keep mixing until the bread is thoroughly coated.1/2 cup 2% milk, 1/2 cup coffee cream, 7 cups stale bread
- Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let soak, at room temperature for about an hour. A little more or less is fine, too! Alternatively, you can place it in the fridge overnight and bake the next day.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. If using, toss the cranberries and chocolate into the bread mix. Now is when you can incorporate an add-ins such as candied ginger, rum-soaked raisins, etc.1 cup fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
- Scrape everything into the prepared pan and spread around, leaving lots of lumpy bits on top. Sprinkle with Demerera sugar and place on the middle rack of the oven.2 Tablespoons Demerera sugar
- Bake bread pudding for 35-40 minutes. It will puff slightly and the top will take on a lovely golden colour. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Serve warm, with soft whipped cream or ice cream.1 cup whipping cream
Notes
Nutrition
Why Does my Bread Pudding Deflate?
Similar to a soufflé, sightly beaten eggs help your bread pudding to puff in the oven, but when it’s cooling you’ll notice your dessert looses some of the hight. This is normal, especially for a really light and fluffy bread pudding. Your bread pudding deflates when it comes out of the oven because the steam is condensing and as it escapes into the air, the dessert collapses somewhat. Don’t worry, it’s still just as delicious.
Expand Your Palate: Bread Pudding Recipe Links
Once bread pudding is in your baking repertoire, you’ll see that variations are everywhere. And the only limit really is your imagination! Here’s an example of three very different recipes.
- White Wine Bread Pudding – use up leftover wine (I know, what is that?) in this elegant dessert.
- The Zero-Waste Chef’s Mexican Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Spiced Bread and Butter Pudding with Saffron and Dates by Benjamina Ebuehi
- Raspberry Bread Pudding with Coffee Creme Anglaise – via The Bake School
What is your favourite flavour of bread pudding? Classic or festive?
