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Home » Dessert » Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Oct 26, 2020 · 6 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Brown butter pumpkin bread pudding is an indulgent dish that blurs the line between breakfast, brunch, and dessert. A great make-ahead dish!

A serving of pumpkin bread pudding on a plate, topped with butterscotch sauce.

This brown butter pumpkin bread pudding is no-holds barred, decadent, and proud. Sour cream mixed into the pumpkin custard base adds tang that contrasts well with the richness of the brown butter. These puddings are simple, seasonal, and best of all, can be made well in advance of serving.

If you’re feeling ambitious, be sure to check our our post on how to make homemade pumpkin purée, as well as our recipe for homemade pumpkin pie spice. To be honest, it doesn’t take much longer to make either, and the difference in flavour is remarkable!

Use day old, or even stale bread for this recipe. Dry bread is better for soaking up all of that luscious pumpkin custard! And if you’re feeling extra indulgent, serve pumpkin bread pudding warm with a drizzle of your favourite caramel or butterscotch sauce.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Method
  • Tips & Notes
  • Substitutions
  • Recipe

A six-cup jumbo muffin tin with baked pumpkin bread pudding inside each muffin cup.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.

Ingredients

  • butter
  • milk
  • canned or homemade pumpkin purée
  • sour cream
  • brown sugar
  • homemade pumpkin pie spice
  • salt
  • eggs
  • day old bread cut into cubes
Ingredients to make brown butter pumpkin bread pudding.

Method

Begin by browning the butter. Place the butter in a heat-proof microwave-safe vessel. Cook the butter in the microwave in one minute increments until it is dark brown, and smells nutty and rich. Be sure to cover the vessel as the butter cooks to prevent splattering. Alternatively, brown the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove over medium heat until deep rich brown in colour. Set aside.

  • A chunk of butter inside a glass measuring cup.
  • A measuring cup with brown butter inside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin purée, sour cream, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until well mixed.

  • Pumpkin, sour cream, milk, eggs, spices, and salt in a pink glass mixing bowl.
  • A hand whisking custard in a pink mixing bowl.

Add the eggs to the bowl and whisk until smooth.

  • A hand whisking eggs into custard in a pink glass mixing bowl.
  • A bowl of custard base for bread pudding.

Place the bread cubes in another large bowl. Drizzle the bread with the brown butter and toss to combine.

Brown butter being poured from a measuring cup into a large glass bowl filled with cubes of white bread.

Pour the pumpkin custard mixture into the bowl of bread cubes and fold everything together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, making sure all of the bread is well coated.

A hand mixing custard with bread cubes in a glass mixing bowl using a rubber spatula.

Place the bowl in the fridge for one hour, and up to overnight. This gives the bread time to soak up all of the rich pumpkin custard.

A bowl of bread cubes mixed with custard after having sat in the fridge for two hours.

Preheat the oven and lightly grease the cups of a six-cup jumbo muffin tin, or a 12-cup standard muffin tin with butter. Spoon the bread pudding mixture evenly into the muffin cups, pressing the bread pudding lightly into the muffin cups to compact.

A hand spooning custard-soaked bread cubes into a jumbo muffin tin.

Bake the bread pudding until the tops are golden and the middles are set. Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack before running a knife along the edges of each pudding and twisting gently to remove. Serve the pumpkin bread pudding warm topped with your favourite caramel or butterscotch sauce.

Overhead close up of baked pumpkin bread pudding in a muffin tin.

Tips & Notes

Browning the butter adds an extra layer of flavour and richness to the pumpkin bread pudding, however, you don’t have to brown the butter if you don’t want to. Just melt it, and proceed with the recipe as written.

Be sure to use dry or stale bread in this recipe as it allows the custard to better soak into the bread than fresh.

Most bread will work in this recipe. We like French bread, country loaves, brioche, or sourdough bread for this recipe.

Three servings of pumpkin bread pudding on plates, topped with butterscotch sauce.

Substitutions

Puréed butternut squash or sweet potato are good substitutes for the pumpkin.

Greek yogurt can be swapped in for sour cream.

You can substitute 35% or 18% cream for the milk of you like an even more decadent pudding.

Ground cinnamon or homemade chai spice are tasty alternatives to pumpkin pie spice.

You can bake this pudding all together in a 8-inch (20-cm) square or round baking dish if you prefer that to individual servings.

A serving of pumpkin bread pudding on a plate, topped with butterscotch sauce.

More Spiced Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Latte

Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin Loaf With Caramel Crunch Topping

If you make this recipe, let us know by tagging @baked_theblog + #bakedtheblog on Instagram! We love to feel like we’re in the kitchen with you.

Continue to Content

Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread Pudding

A serving of pumpkin bread pudding on a plate, topped with butterscotch sauce.

Brown butter pumpkin bread pudding is an indulgent dish that blurs the line between breakfast, brunch, and dessert. A great make-ahead dish!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (113 g) butter
  • 1 cup (250 ml) milk
  • 1 cup (250 g) pumpkin purée
  • ¾ cup (170 g) sour cream
  • ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 6 cups (180 g) day old bread, cut into 1-inch (3-cm) cubes

Instructions

  1. Begin by browning the butter. Place the butter in a heat-proof microwave-safe vessel. Cook the butter in the microwave in one minute increments until it is dark brown, and smells nutty and rich. Be sure to cover the vessel as the butter cooks to prevent splattering. Alternatively, brown the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove over medium heat  until deep rich brown in colour. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin purée, sour cream, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until well mixed. Add the eggs to the bowl and whisk until smooth.
  3. Place the bread cubes in another large bowl. Drizzle the bread with the brown butter and toss to combine.
  4. Pour the pumpkin custard mixture into the bowl of bread and fold everything together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, making sure all of the bread is well coated. 
  5. Place the bowl in the fridge for one hour, and up to overnight. This gives the bread time to soak up all of the rich pumpkin custard.
  6. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Lightly grease the cups of a six-cup jumbo muffin tin, or a 12-cup standard muffin tin with butter. Spoon the bread pudding mixture evenly into the muffin cups, pressing lightly into the tin to compact.
  7. Bake the bread puddings for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the middle is set. Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack before running a knife along the edges of each pudding and twisting gently to remove. Serve the pumpkin bread pudding warm topped with your favourite caramel or butterscotch sauce.

Notes

Browning the butter adds an extra layer of flavour and richness to the pumpkin bread pudding, however, you don't have to brown the butter if you don't want to. Just melt it, and proceed with the recipe as written.

Be sure to use dry or stale bread in this recipe as it allows the custard to better soak into the bread than fresh.

Most bread will work in this recipe. We like French bread, country loaves, brioche, or sourdough bread for this recipe.

Substitutions

Puréed butternut squash or sweet potato are good substitutes for the pumpkin.

Greek yogurt can be swapped in for sour cream.

You can substitute 35% or 18% cream for the milk of you like an even more decadent pudding.

Ground cinnamon or homemade chai spice are tasty alternatives to pumpkin pie spice.

You can bake this pudding all together in a 8-inch (20-cm) square or round baking dish if you prefer that to individual servings.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 129Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 267mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g

This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator.

© adapted from Kelly Brisson
Cuisine: American, European / Category: Dessert
Previous Post: « Granny Smith Apple Pie
Next Post: Sour Cherry Chocolate Chunk Biscotti »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brenda Miller says

    October 13, 2017 at 9:16 am

    Love your recipes that always look scrumptious and so elegantly presented. I am going to make the Bread Pudding for my sister and friend from Gettysburg on Moday with ham and scalloped potatoes as the main course. I haven’t decided on other vegetables yet. Yes, your recipes are being served to your great aunts.

    I am so glad social media can keep us connected.

    I would give 5 stars for the recipe..

    Reply
    • Kelly Brisson // the gouda life says

      October 13, 2017 at 12:21 pm

      Thanks Brenda! Thrilled you’ll be making it for family this weekend. I look forward to hearing what you thought xo

      Reply
  2. Sophia MacKenzie says

    October 13, 2017 at 6:28 pm

    This is like everything I love all in one cute package! Looks amazing, Kelly <3

    Reply
    • Kelly Brisson // the gouda life says

      October 15, 2017 at 2:03 pm

      Thank you, Sophia! <3 <3

      Reply
  3. movita beaucoup says

    October 14, 2017 at 8:09 am

    Your promo video is the bestest! Delightfully cheery! Now I want to eat a bunch of stuff. Like, all the stuff.

    Reply
    • Kelly Brisson // the gouda life says

      October 15, 2017 at 2:04 pm

      If we made you hungry, our goal is accomplished :) Thank you for the support!

      Reply

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