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–+ servings
A small green ceramic bowl filled with Brioche Bread Pudding topped with a thick yellow Bourbon Sauce. Another similar dessert and a small jug of sauce are visible in the background on a red surface.
A rich and cozy bread pudding made with brioche, warm spices, and a silky bourbon sauce. Perfectly custardy, easy to bake, and amazing served warm with ice cream.

Brioche Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients 

For the Bread Pudding

  • 1 lb brioche cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup bourbon optional
  • ½ cup raisins optional

For the Bourbon Sauce

  • ½ cup unsalted butter browned
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¼ cup bourbon adjust to taste
  • 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Cube 1 lb brioche and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, soak ½ cup raisins in ¼ cup bourbon for at least 10 minutes.
    ½ cup raisins, ¼ cup bourbon
    A clear glass bowl filled with raisins, perfect for adding to Bourbon Sauce or classic Brioche Bread Pudding, is placed on a wooden cutting board with visible scratch marks.

Make the custard

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, white sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
    4 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
    A hand holding a whisk mixes cinnamon and milk in a metal bowl on a wooden surface—classic ingredients for Brioche Bread Pudding. A measuring cup is partially visible in the lower left corner.
  2. Stir in the bourbon-soaked raisins, liquid and all.
    A hand is pouring a bowl of raisins with liquid into a metal mixing bowl filled with bread pudding batter. A whisk rests inside the larger bowl, and both are placed on a wooden surface.
  3. Add bread cubes to the custard mixture.
    A stainless steel bowl filled with small, uneven cubes of bread pudding sits on a wooden cutting board with a striped pattern.
  4. Toss well until every piece is coated, then let it sit for 20–30 minutes to absorb.
    A metal mixing bowl containing a wet mixture of bread pieces, raisins, and liquid on a wooden surface. The partially combined mixture suggests the preparation of brioche bread pudding, possibly to be finished with bourbon sauce.

Bake

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and pour in the mixture. (I used small pots for aesthetics. A baking dish makes it easier to serve for a crowd.)
  3. Bake uncovered for 45–50 minutes, until golden and puffed, and a knife inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
    Four individual servings of brioche bread pudding with golden-brown tops and visible raisins sit in ceramic ramekins with handles on a metal baking sheet, ready to be enjoyed with a drizzle of rich bourbon sauce.

Make the bourbon sauce

  1. In a small saucepan, melt ½ cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Cook until the bubbling stops and you stop "hearing" it bubble. At this point, you should start to see browned bits start to appear in the bottom of the pan.
    ½ cup unsalted butter
    A small black saucepan containing frothy, grayish bourbon sauce is placed on a wooden cutting board with a striped pattern.
  2. Stir in 1 cup granulated sugar and whisk until dissolved and bubbly.
    A small saucepan filled with a thick, brown Bourbon Sauce sits on a wooden cutting board. An orange spatula rests inside the saucepan, partially mixing the contents.
  3. Whisk 1 egg yolk in a separate bowl, then slowly pour in a few tablespoons of the hot mixture while whisking (to temper).
    A hand holds a fork over a small glass jar while pouring rich bourbon sauce from a saucepan into the jar, all on a wooden cutting board.
  4. Pour tempered yolk back into the pan and cook for another minute.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup bourbon and 2 Tbsp heavy cream.
    A hand stirs a thick, light brown bourbon sauce in a small saucepan with an orange spatula. The saucepan is placed on a wooden cutting board with a striped pattern, perfect for topping brioche bread pudding.
  6. Sauce should be smooth, glossy, and slightly thickened.

Serve

  1. Spoon warm bread pudding into bowls and drizzle with bourbon sauce.
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