Warm Pear & Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Bread pudding began as a thrifty kitchen tradition of turning day-old loaves into something lush and comforting. This warm pear and pumpkin version folds ripe fruit and spiced puree into soft brioche for a cozy autumn dessert.

Serves 8 · 25 min prep · 45 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 320 cal
• 9g protein
• 42g carbs
• 13g fat
• 3g fiber

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 8 cups cubed day-old brioche or challah
• 3 large ripe pears
• 1 cup fresh pumpkin puree
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter for greasing
• 1/4 tsp pinch of salt

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. 2Cube the day-old bread into roughly one-inch pieces and scatter them evenly in the prepared dish.
3. 3Peel, core, and dice the pears into bite-size chunks; fold them gently through the bread cubes.
4. 4In a large bowl whisk the pumpkin puree with the milk, cream, eggs, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
5. 5Pour the custard evenly over the bread and pears, pressing the bread down lightly so it soaks up the liquid.
6. 6Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes so the bread fully absorbs the custard.
7. 7Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is puffed and golden and the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
8. 8A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with moist crumbs.
9. 9Rest the pudding 10 minutes before serving so it firms enough to scoop cleanly.
10. 10Serve warm in generous scoops; the pears should be soft and the pumpkin custard creamy the bread.