Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Bread pudding with whiskey sauce is New Orleans’ answer to leftover bread — stale loaves soaked in a rich custard of eggs, milk, and sugar, baked until golden and puffy, then drenched in a buttery whiskey sauce. It is the dessert of French Quarter restaurants and Creole Sunday dinners, born of the thrift that turned day-old bread into something worth dressing up for. The whiskey sauce is not optional; it is the whole point.

Why this recipe works: Stale bread soaks up the custard like a sponge — the drier the bread, the better the pudding, because it absorbs the custard without turning to mush. Baked low and slow, it sets into a soft, custardy interior with golden, slightly crisp edges. The whiskey sauce — butter, sugar, and a generous pour of bourbon — is poured over the warm pudding and soaks into every crevice.

Key ingredients

• Stale bread: French bread, brioche, or croissants, torn into chunks.
• Eggs, milk, and cream: the custard.
• Sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon: the sweetness and warmth.
• Raisins or pecans (optional): the classic add-ins.
• The whiskey sauce: butter, sugar, and bourbon.

Tips for the best bread pudding

Use genuinely stale bread — dry it in a low oven for 10 minutes if needed. Whisk the custard until smooth and pour it over the bread, pressing gently so every piece is soaked; let it sit for 20 minutes before baking. Bake at 350°F in a water bath until set and golden, 45 to 55 minutes. Make the whiskey sauce while it bakes: melt butter with brown sugar and cream, then stir in the bourbon off the heat. Serve warm with the sauce poured generously over the top.

Variations and storage

Add chocolate chips, dried cherries, or a spoonful of orange zest, or swap the bourbon for rum. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge and reheat beautifully — a splash of whiskey sauce brings it back to life. It is best served warm, always.

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