If you're looking for an easy and impressive holiday dessert, this eggnog bread pudding is absolutely delicious and will leave everyone wanting more.
Just toss day-old bread cubes with a simple eggnog mixture to create a homey, comforting dessert that will receive rave reviews. It's so simple and proof positive that great things can be made with stale bread!
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Essential Ingredients
Eggnog: You can use any eggnog for this dessert. Store-bought, homemade, or alternative milk versions, such as oat or almond mill eggnogs.
Eggs: The eggs add to the flavor, texture and are what creates the custard-like filling.
Bread: I like to use French bread for this recipe, but you could also use brioche, challah, or crusty peasant bread. Important that you use day-old bread for the recipe, see Recipe Tips below.
Nutmeg: Fresh grated nutmeg adds a great spicy flavor to the dessert. For optimal flavor, be sure to great fresh nutmeg for this.
How to make the bread pudding
1. Lightly grease a 2-quart glass baking dish. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, eggnog, rum, vanilla, and nutmeg (A). Using an electric mixer on medium, beat the mixture until well blended (B).
3. Add the bread cubes and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the bread is softened (C). Stir in the dried fruit (D).
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg (E).
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before (or after) serving.
Recipe Tips
Use stale bread: Stale bread will soak up the custard better, which gives the pudding a great texture. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and let sit out for 8 to 12 hours, or place in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until dry, stirring once or twice.
Let bread soak before baking. This is a key step. Let the bread soak for at least 20 minutes before baking, so it has time to absorb the custard. If you don't let it absorb, the pudding will become too liquidy after baking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze it. Let it cool completely. Place in an airtight container and wrap again in plastic wrap/foil and freeze for up to 2 moths. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Instead of ( or in addition to) the dried fruit, you can add mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or orange zest to the custard mixture before baking.
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Eggnog Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 cups eggnog
- ¼ cup rum or additional eggnog
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
- 6 cups dry French bread cubes (about 1-inch)
- ½ cup dried cranberries or cherries
- Powdered sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 2-quart glass baking dish. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, eggnog, rum, vanilla, and nutmeg. Using an electric mixer on medium, beat until well blended.
- Add the bread cubes and let stand for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the bread is softened and soaked through.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Myra says
I used raisins in this instead of the cherries and it came out great. Thanks.