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If you need a comforting and warming dessert, look no further than this simple but delicious Bread and Butter Pudding. It’s a classic homemade treat that’s so easy to make when you know how.
This traditional Bread and Butter Pudding recipe – a way of turning slightly past-its-best bread into an indulgent dessert.
It works best if the bread is slightly stale as it holds its shape a little better.
You then leave the eggy mixture to soak in and pop the pudding in the oven until it sets and is crispy on top.
Why you’ll love this Bread and Butter Pudding recipe
⭐️ Make ahead of time and leave the oven to it
⭐️ Hearty, comforting pudding
⭐️ Easy, affordable and nostalgic British classic
Type of bread to use
We’re keeping with tradition for this recipe with plain white sliced bread, but if you’d like to upscale your pud, pain au chocolate also works brilliantly or fruit loaf for something different.
You can use any yeasted bread you fancy or have left over.
It’s really fun to experiment with brioche bread too, panettone at Christmas, or in this Easter offering – Hot Cross Bun Bread & Butter Pudding!
Bread and Butter Pudding Ingredients Notes
- White bread – Using a slightly stale loaf works best (not green mouldy though!) If it’s fresh, that’s fine too OR you could cheat and toast slices very lightly on each side first
- Unsalted butter – You’ll need a little of this for greasing your oven dish and to melted for the egg mixture
- Double cream – Bread and butter pudding is traditionally used with milk only, but I have added cream too to make it richer. You can go with this or just use milk if you prefer
- Eggs – I always use medium, free range, so bear this in mind when it comes to quantities
- Additions – I have also added raisins, a little soft light brown sugar, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to this version for added flavour
How to make Bread and Butter Pudding
1. Grease your dish then cut the bread slices into quartered triangles, putting them into layers, with raisins and the brown sugar evenly sprinkled between each one.
2. Mix the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon together. Melt the butter, allow it to cool, then whisk it into the mixture too.
3. Sprinkle over any remaining brown sugar and raisins.
4. Pour the liquid over the bread layers and allow it to soak in well for about 30 minutes. Bake as per the recipe below.
Substitutions
- Cream – In this recipe I’ve added some cream to add a richer taste, but you can swap this for only milk if you prefer
- Gluten free – Use a gluten free bread alternative instead
Leftovers
Keep leftovers in the fridge and reheat in the microwave (or serve cold) for pudding the next day.
Top Tips
Soak
Be sure to let the liquid soak into the bread for a while (about 30 minutes). This really helps give you that fluffy texture when it’s baked.
Dish
Use a fairly shallow dish so that you get plenty of nice crunchy topping.
To stop sticking
Use some room temperature butter to grease your dish before adding the ingredients.
More classic British Desserts…
Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Apple Crumble
Desserts
Cherry Pie {Easy Recipe}
Cheesecakes
Vanilla Cheesecake {Easy No Bake Recipe}
Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Chocolate Orange Pudding
FAQs
I like ice cream best, but you could serve whipped cream or custard too.
It’s a classic British dessert that is said to go back as far as the 11th and 12th centuries and was created as a way of using up stale bread.
A basic recipe involves soaking bread in a dairy and egg mixture and baking it along with spices and sugar to turn it into a sweet dessert.
This is a great recipe for when you’re making a home cooked meal because you can prep it in advance. In fact, the bread needs to soak at least 30 minutes before it’s cooked anyway.
If you want to make it further in advance of when you eat it, you may need to add a little more milk if it’s dried up a little. Just be careful not to add too much or it will go sloppy.
You can give it a go rather than waste any leftovers, but I wouldn’t make this specifically for the freezer. It’s better enjoyed fresh as it may go a little gloopy when defrosted.
If you do, heat it up well again in the oven.
Sure, if you want to. You could substitute them for nuts if you like for a nice crunch and flavour.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Classic Bread and Butter Pudding {Easy Recipe}
Ingredients
- 50 g Unsalted butter, Plus more for greasing
- 300 g Sliced white bread, See notes
- 100 g Raisins
- 50 g Soft light brown sugar
- 15 ml Double cream
- 500 ml Milk, Semi-skimmed or full fat
- 4 Eggs, Medium, free range
- 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/200℃/Gas Mark 6 and grease your oven dish.
- Cut the bread slices into quartered triangles and layer them in your dish, sprinkling the raisins and brown sugar evenly between the layers.
- Mix the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon together.
- Melt the butter, allow it to cool for 5 minutes, then whisk it into the mixture too.
- Pour the liquid over the bread layers and allow it to soak in well for about 30 minutes.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the egg mixture is just set and the top is golden and crispy.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This brings back so many childhood memories! This is such an easy to follow recipe, thanks Sarah.