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.

Spoonful of old fashioned bread pudding.

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 for Old Fashioned Bread Pudding.

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

Crumbled biscuits in bowl.

Crumble about 1/3 of your biscuits into an ovenproof bowl or baking dish.

Top biscuits with coconut.

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 raisins.

Top with half of your raisins.

Top with biscuits again.

1/3 of your crumbled biscuits. 

Top with coconut and raisins.

Then remaining coconut and remaining raisins…

And the rest of the biscuits.

Beat together remaining ingredients.

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 over bread pudding in bowl.

Pour the milk mixture over everything in your bowl/baking dish. 

Sprinkle sugar on top.

Sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar over the top. 

Baked bread pudding.

Bake at 350 for one hour, or until lightly browned on top. 

Bowl of bread pudding.

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:

Bowl of bread pudding.

Old Fashioned Bread Pudding

This old fashioned bread pudding recipe is sweetly spiced and filled with raisins, coconut, and tasty buttermilk biscuits.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread
Servings: 4
Calories: 200kcal

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

Calories: 200kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

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~T.W. Higginson

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122 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Can’t wait to try this recipe. Your post is exactly how I felt about Cracker Barrel’s original bread pudding from years ago, Love, Love, Loved it. This is the first recipe that I have seen that really seems like the original. so I am happy to see it. Thanks sounds so good

  2. 5 stars
    The Bread Pudding we used to get from the Cracker Barrel in the 70’s or early 80’s was not like yours. I remember just a few raisins, a taste of coconut, & served with the vanilla bean ice cream. It was also looked a lot smoother than yours. I was pulling out some old recipes today & found one labeled Cracker Barrel Old Country Store’s Bread Pudding. I have no idea where I got it, but it uses fluffy dumplings for the bread…first one I’ve ever seen do that. It doesn’t have eggs and is not baked. Spoon sauce over it, cool 15 min. cover & refrigerate to serve within a few days.

  3. I am so late to this post but I am also late to baking. Bread pudding is my mama’s favorite dessert. COVID will keep her in AL and me in MD this year, but I want to something different for Thanksgiving so I can have a small part of her with us at the table. I’ve never had bread pudding, so I’m a bit intimidated. I read the ingredients to your recipe then told her I was going to grab some biscuits from Roy Rogers. Needless to say, she yelled my ear off and went on a tirade about me being raised better. Little does she know I live for Roy Roger’s biscuits lol. Anyway, I am excited to try this recipe!

  4. you said 1/3 of the biscuits three times, how much biscuits did you have to begin with?

    I have a southern cooking style but never did anyone show me how to make biscuits, mine always came out like the hockey pucks. My husband said they could patch the holes in the asphalt with them.

    i’ve got to try your recipe for biscuits since I’ve seen you make them.

  5. Love plain basic bread pudding. Don’t want any kind of sauce on top. No chocolate chips. As my mom described it, when she was growing up, bread pudding was known as poor mans dessert because it used staples that was in the pantry. And like a lot of my posts, I had to use Yahoo search to help spell a word. LOL

  6. Hey Girl! I made this but realized I didn’t have enough milk – so I used my caramel macchiato coffee creamer (liquid) and golden raisins. It was SO good – my husband is a good old country boy and said it was as good as the Cracker Barrel used to make. I didn’t put any extra sugar or vanilla in it since the creamer was flavored. I threw some Almond Joy creamer in there too in order to round out the last cup. I never thought to use leftover biscuits before. Usually used raisin bread. THIS IS DEVINE. Thanks so much! V/R, Laura

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