Best Bread Pudding Recipe with Bourbon Sauce

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Make the best bread pudding recipe with sauce; a comfort classic gets a modern update with a bourbon sauce and soaked apples with autumnal spices.
By Hannah McClure Something about this time of year has me reaching for warmth and comfort in the form of baked goods and home-cooked meals. I was first introduced to bread pudding in my early 20s while working as a hostess and server at a small-town, family-owned brewery. You learn a lot about food when you work in the restaurant industry. I got to try many different foods I otherwise would’ve never ordered.
Years later, as I cook and bake for my family, I find myself using those dishes from my favorite serving jobs and even that small brewery to inspire me. Naturally, that means bread pudding has become a favorite recipe for this time of year — when my sweet tooth calls, but I crave warmth and comfort.
Y’all, this one is best served warm. For those who really like the warmth in their baked goodies, add some bourbon. I always reach for Jack to bake with, but you may use your preference or leave it completely out. Either way, enjoy!
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 1 loaf or 6 cups of day-old bread, cubed (French, Italian, sourdough, cinnamon, or challah work best)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup apples, peeled and diced
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon each of clove, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom
- 1/4 cup bourbon for soaking the apples (optional)
Sauce
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or bourbon

Directions
Pudding
- If using bourbon, in a small bowl, soak peeled and diced apples in 1/4 cup bourbon for 1–2 hours. Stir occasionally to ensure all apples soak up some bourbon.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Coat a 9×13 baking dish with melted butter. Be sure all sides of your baking dish are coated to keep the bread pudding from sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir milk and buttermilk until combined. Gently press the cubed bread into the milk mixture to absorb as much as possible. Flip bread as needed.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugars, vanilla, and spices until well blended.
- Pour egg mixture over bread and milk. Add in apples and any remaining bourbon (if using). Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 35–40 minutes or until the liquid has set and the edges are starting to turn golden brown. Your bread pudding should pull slightly from the pan edges.
Sauce
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan on low heat.
- Add sugar and egg and whisk to blend well.
- Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. When thickened enough, it should be able to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t let it simmer or it will curdle. Once sauce is thickened, remove from heat.
- Whisk in vanilla and bourbon until well-incorporated.
- Before serving bread pudding, whisk the sauce again. It should be smooth and creamy. Drizzle sauce over each bread pudding piece as you serve it. Bread pudding is best served warm.
Originally published in the December 2022/January 2023 issue of Backyard Poultry and regularly vetted for accuracy.