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Home » Recipes » Dessert

Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Published: Oct 26, 2020 · Modified: Jun 10, 2022 by Baked · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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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, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete 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.

Recipe

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

Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread Pudding

5 from 1 vote
Author: adapted from Kelly Brisson
Yield: 6
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Resting Time 1 hr
Total Time 2 hrs
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comments

Description

 

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

Equipment

  • Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
  • Baking vessel must be heat and microwave safe
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
  • Muffin tin
  • muffin cups
  • Wire rack
  • Knife

Ingredients
 

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

Instructions
 

  • Brown the butter by placing it in a heat and microwave-safe vessel and cooking it in the microwave in one minute increments. Do this 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.
  • 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.
  • Place the bread cubes in another large bowl. Drizzle the bread with the brown butter and toss to combine.
  • 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. 
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

Serving: 1g | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 267mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g
Did you make this recipe?Let us know on Instagram @baked_theblog or tag #bakedtheblog!

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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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