This Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce is warm, cozy, and perfect for dessert or breakfast. It’s easy to make, packed with simple ingredients, and topped with an easy caramel sauce. While great for the holidays, this pumpkin dish is guaranteed to be a favorite all year long!

pumpkin bread pudding in a white bowl with a spoon

I love fall so much!

The cool weather, pumpkin spice lattes, cute fall decor, and all of the apple and pumpkin goodies that I can get my hands on…what could be better?

Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here and you could serve this Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce for a holiday treat. It would be a great addition to your dessert table.

Or for breakfast. For today. And tomorrow. Basically, all year long because it’s so good!

What Makes This Pumpkin Bread Pudding so great

  • It’s served with a sweet and decadent brown sugar caramel sauce that’s oh so delicious!
  • It’s super simple to make. Pour the mixture over the bread, bake, then whip up the sauce and pour it on thick!
  • It doubles as breakfast or dessert! Try it with a scoop of ice cream or a cup of coffee.
  • You can make parts of it ahead of time! Prep the bread pudding and make the caramel sauce, then store both in the fridge to cook the next day.
top down view of pumpkin bread pudding with caramel sauce

If you’re a fan of bread puddings, then you’re in for a real treat! This dish is filled with the flavors of fall and all of that rich, pumpkin-y goodness. Plus, it’s like the perfect comfort dessert. Thick chunks of bread, coated in a sweet pumpkin custard, and then baked until perfection. It’s like biting into perfect, pumpkin-y pillows of flavor!

And that brown sugar caramel sauce…we can’t forget about that! Unlike traditional caramel sauces (like this Salted Caramel Sauce), this one can be whipped up and ready to go in less than five minutes. And I won’t tell if you dig in with just your spoon!

Cooking Tips

  • Prep the pumpkin bread pudding a day ahead of time by covering the bread with the pumpkin mixture through step 4 in the directions then covering and refrigerating. When ready to bake, preheat the oven and let the dish warm slightly so you’re not placing a cold dish in a hot oven. Then place butter chunks on the bread and bake as written.
  • Make the brown sugar caramel sauce up to 2 days ahead of time by cooking then storing in a glass container. Let it cool in the container then cover with a lid and store in the refrigerator.
  • To determine if the pumpkin bread pudding has set, insert a table knife into the middle and see if it comes out clean. If not, bake another 5 minutes until the knife does come out clean.
  • When buying the pumpkin, make sure to get canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix! Otherwise your bread pudding will be overly sweet!

Variations

  • Use brioche bread instead of french bread to make this dessert extra decadent.
  • Add in some finely chopped pecans to the caramel sauce to give a bit of a crunch.
  • Sprinkle just a dash of flakey salt over the caramel sauce to add a little flavor complexity to this dish.
zoomed in shot of spoon scooping out pumpkin bread pudding

This Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce is guaranteed to knock your socks off for dessert or breakfast! It tastes great when reheated, and is delicious when served with a dollop (or three) of whipped cream.

And the best part? It can be prepped ahead of time, so all you have to do is to pop the bread pudding into the oven when you’re ready to go. Even the brown sugar caramel sauce…I usually make this a day ahead of time, let it cool, and then store in a glass jar in the fridge until ready to serve. Then, just pop it in the microwave and drizzle over that warm, gooey bread pudding.

So if you’re looking for that perfect Thanksgiving dish, are in need of some pumpkin-y deliciousness, or have some leftover bread to use, this pumpkin dessert is guaranteed to be a household favorite!

How to Make the Pumpkin Bread Pudding

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 3 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place the bread cubes evenly in the dish and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with fitted paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add pumpkin, heavy whipping cream, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Beat until combined.
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly over the bread cubes and lightly press down to make sure each piece of bread is coated with the mixture. Let stand for about 8-10 minutes, or until the bread has soaked up most of the liquid.
  • Sprinkle 1/4 cup of butter chunks evenly over the bread mixture, then bake for 20-32 minutes, or until the dish is set and edges are slightly browned.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool.

How to Make the Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce

  • Melt the butter over medium heat in a small sauce pan.
  • Add the brown sugar and heavy whipping cream then whisk until sugar is completely dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  • Spoon the warm sauce over the bread pudding and enjoy!
pumpkin bread pudding in a white bowl with a dollop of whipped cream

Looking for more pumpkin desserts? I’ve got you covered!

pumpkin bread pudding in a white bowl with a dollop of whipped cream

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
This Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce is warm, cozy, and perfect for dessert or breakfast. It's easy to make, packed with simple ingredients, and topped with an easy caramel sauce. While great for the holidays, this pumpkin dish is guaranteed to be a favorite all year long!
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Ingredients
 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

  • 6 cups french bread cubes, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1¼ cup milk, any kind (I used 2%)
  • 1 cup pure pumpkin
  • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract

Instructions
 

For the Pumpkin Bread Pudding

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place bread cubes evenly in dish and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with fitted paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add pumpkin, heavy whipping cream, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Beat until combined.
  • Pour mixture evenly over bread cubes and lightly press down to ensure each piece is coated with mixture. Let stand for about 8-10 minutes, or until bread has soaked up most of the liquid.
  • Sprinkle 1/4 cup butter chunks evenly over bread mixture. Bake for 30-32 minutes, or until the dish is set and edges are slightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce

  • Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan.
  • Add brown sugar and heavy whipping cream and whisk until sugar is completely dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  • Spoon warm sauce over bread pudding.

Notes

  • The bread pudding can be prepped and refrigerated for up to one day in advance before baking.
  • The brown sugar caramel sauce can be made up to two days ahead of time and then refrigerated.
  • From Better Homes and Gardens – Fall Baking 2015
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 431kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 172mg, Sodium: 140mg, Potassium: 189mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 5915IU, Vitamin C: 1.4mg, Calcium: 99mg, Iron: 0.9mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Gayle
Did you make this recipe?Let me know! Mention @pumpkin_n_spice on Instagram or tag #pumpkin_n_spice.