Old Fashioned Bread Pudding Recipe
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This old-fashioned bread pudding recipe is like a warm, comforting hug in a bowl. It’s packed with sweet spices, plump raisins, and a hint of coconut, giving it a special twist. But what really makes it stand out are the buttermilk biscuits. They soak up all the delicious flavors and add a tender, slightly tangy bite to every spoonful.
When you dig in, you’ll experience a delightful mix of textures. The inside is soft and custardy, while the edges are just a bit crispy and golden. It’s the kind of dessert that brings back memories of family gatherings and cozy moments around the table.
This bread pudding isn’t just a sweet treat; it’s a taste of tradition and comfort. It’s a simple, classic recipe that never goes out of style. One taste and you’ll know why it’s been cherished for generations.
This dessert recipe is the spitting image of the bread pudding they used to serve at Cracker Barrel in the old days. Like its counterpart, my traditional bread pudding is overflowing with delicious ingredients, like buttermilk biscuits, sweetened coconut flakes, raisins, and cinnamon. Together, they make a bread pudding that’s so flavorful and delicious!
Now, while most bread pudding recipes use stale bread, we’re working with buttermilk biscuits (it’s the Southern way, of course). You’re going to have to make them. I’ll share some recipes with you in a minute that will give you the amount you need for the dish and you’ll still have a few to eat to keep your strength up while we make the rest of the dish.
Ingredients Needed To Make Old Fashioned Bread Pudding
- Biscuits
- Sweetened flaked coconut
- Raisins
- Milk
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Biscuit Recipes
Take a moment, if you will, to join me in light and fluffy biscuit appreciation. If you’re wearing a hat, now is one of those times where you take it off and hold it over your heart. These are the three-ingredient biscuits. I have other biscuit recipes, too, because biscuits are kinda like shoes to a Southern woman, different occasions call for different ones. You can see my tender buttermilk biscuits here and my hoe cake recipe is here, which is basically a big old giant biscuit. No, my hoe cake is not made with cornmeal. Some are and that’s fine. Mine isn’t and that’s fine, too.
How to Make Old Fashioned Bread Pudding
Crumble about 1/3 of your biscuits into an ovenproof bowl or
Top with half of your coconut.
Unless you are a coconut hater.
In that case, wave a little air over it in this part just to say you did something and then skip to the next step.
Top with half of your raisins.
1/3 of your crumbled biscuits.
Then remaining coconut and remaining raisins…
And the rest of the biscuits.
Now, beat together your eggs, milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Oh, wait! Save 2 tablespoons of sugar but add all of the rest.
Pour the over everything in your bowl/baking dish.
Sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar over the top.
Bake at 350 for one hour, or until lightly browned on top.
Serve warm. Mama likes hers with a good quality scoop of vanilla ice cream but I like mine on its own.
Either way you go, this old fashioned bread pudding is like a little bit of heaven in a bowl.
How To Store Bread Pudding
- In even better news, leftover bread pudding will last in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days.
- You can also freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave.
Commonly Asked Questions
What if I’m not a fan of coconut?
No worries! You can absolutely leave out the coconut. You don’t need to replace it with anything else. Just pretend it’s not there, and your bread pudding will turn out just fine. We all have our ingredient preferences, and there’s room for all tastes at the table.
How can I enhance the flavor of my bread pudding for dessert?
There are several delightful options! You can drizzle some maple syrup or caramel sauce over the pudding, add a dollop of whipped cream, or even top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Can I use non-dairy milk in this pudding recipe?
Absolutely! You have the option to use non-dairy milk, making it a versatile choice for various dietary preferences.
Are there any variations I can try with this old-fashioned bread pudding recipe?
Certainly! You can switch out the raisins for dried cranberries for a different flavor profile. If you’re feeling the fall vibes, consider adding spices like ground cloves, ginger, and nutmeg alongside the cinnamon already in the recipe. For a dessert-style twist, substitute the raisins with mini chocolate chips. And if you’re a fan of nuts, try sprinkling some chopped walnuts on top along with the sugar.
Can I change the type of sugar used for the topping?
Absolutely! You can switch out the white sugar for dark or light brown sugar to give the topping a more caramelized flavor. It’s a simple tweak that can add a whole new dimension to your bread pudding.
Here are more fabulous pudding recipes:
- Frozen Banana Pudding Cups
- How To Make Rice Pudding Southern-Style by Mama Reed
- Easy Homemade Banana Pudding with Meringue Topping
- Vanilla Wafer Pudding Recipe With Pineapple
- Chocolate Vanilla Wafer Pudding
- Banana Bread Pudding Sundae
Ingredients
- 2 cups crumbled leftover biscuits see post for recipes
- 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut see post if you don't like coconut
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 4 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2-quart baking dish or medium-sized pyrex ovenproof bowl.
- Layer 1/3 crumbled biscuits, 1/2 coconut, and 1/2 raisins in a bowl. Top with 1/3 biscuits, remaining coconut and raisins, and remaining biscuits.2 cups crumbled leftover biscuits, 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 1/2 cup raisins
- In a large bowl, mix all other ingredients together, reserving 2 tablespoons of the sugar.4 cups milk, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the liquid over the biscuit layers and sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top.3/4 cup sugar
- Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown on top. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.
Nutrition
“When a thought takes one’s breath away a lesson on grammar seems an impertinence.”
~T.W. Higginson
I am a country girl from the Ozarks of Missouri. I always read your writings. I appreciate your spelling, grammar, etc. gives you work personality. God has given you a real talent. God bless you and yours. Have a wonderful 2015 with all of its ups and downs.
Love bread pudding, especially the raisons. Please keep mama’s receipes coming. Thank you.
Thank you so much for the bread pudding recipe. I am 81 and I haven’t had bread pudding since I was a little girl. My Grandmother always made hers with biscuits and it was divine. The only recipes that I have come across used sliced bread. Ug. I have to try this, and ,guess what? I have two pans of biscuits that just came out of the oven. How timely. Thank you, thank you.
I am a great granny, my mom was born in 1896, her mom was born on Christmas Day, 1862. I can say biscuit pudding goes back a long way in my family. When my mother told me how good biscuit pudding was when I was a teenager, I could not imagine such a thing being good so she made one. It was so good! She broke leftover biscuits rather coarsely, and filled a baking dish with them. She poured a custard made of milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, a sprinkle of nutmeg which she poured over the bread which she baked till firm and set. This is the only type of bread pudding I will eat and have to make it myself. Cinnamon and add ins are a no-no for me, and no icing stuff. I believe I would add more biscuit bread to the pudding so it would bake up nicely. Thanks for sharing; this is the only bread pudding recipe I have ever seen us biscuits. Yeast breads are too gummy. Thanks for posting this ole-time recipe for us young’ins before it became extinct!
Make bread pudding often as my husband and I never seem to eat all the bread, buns, etc. Making with biscuits is new to me. Can’t wait to try, not waiting for leftovers, baking some just for this. Thank you for always posting so many wonderful foods.
I never knew anyone who didn’t like raisins until the first time I gave my daughter Jenny some when she was about 2 yrs old.She tasted one, made an awful face, spit it out and never did like them. She married and had children. One day when they were grown, they asked why she never bought raisins! She wouldn’t even have hem in the house! As for questions about your grammar etc. I live in Louisiana and never noticed! God bless you real good Chrsty
From one coconut lover to another , while the pudding is hot poke it full of holes and drizzle some Coco Lopez over it. I’ve never met a bread pudding I didn’t like.
Love the idea of the Coco Lopez!!!
This is so close to the one that my mother-in-law taught me, back in the late 50’s when I was 16 & a new bride. I’ve used it so many times over the years. I’ve made it in so many variations chocolate, coconut, chocolate chips, raisins, pecans, etc. One of the quickest & most versatile dessert reciepes I’ve ever been given. Wishing you a Jesus blessed life. Thanks for all of your shares.