Pumpkin Pecan Custard Bread Pudding

What do you get when cubes of crusty French bread are infused with pumpkin custard and spice, topped with a buttery, crunchy toasted pecan crumble, and a cool, luscious drizzle of cream cheese frosting? A little bite of heaven called Pumpkin Pecan Custard Bread Pudding!

One of my favorite things about bread pudding is the breakfast, brunch, or dessert debate. Which is it and what side do you fall on? Well in my house, I feel like I’m the winner, because I will eat it for ALL of those!

It’s fall y’all!

Ok, so I’m not southern, but I DO admit to a serious pumpkin addiction. For example the Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie I JUST posted, or the Pumpkin Pie Pancakes we had for breakfast last weekend, and the Sage Butter Roasted Pumpkin slices for dinner last night. I know! But I just can’t help it!

Making Pumpkin Pecan Custard Bread Pudding is easier then you think!

• Pour a pumpkin custard made from milk, eggs, pumpkin, and spice over cubes of french bread.
• Cut toasted pecans, flour, sugar, and spice into butter to make the streusel.
• Sprinkle the crumbled streusel over the custard soaked bread and bake until golden.
• Drizzle a cream cheese glaze and garnish with more toasted pecans!

How to make Pumpkin Pecan Custard Bread Pudding

Begin by cubing a large loaf of French bread into 1″ cubes. Place the bread cubes into a greased 9×13 baking dish.

Whisk together WHOLE MILK or HALF AND HALF with six eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spices.

This is not a diet food folks. It’s DELECTABLE food! DO use the richer milk or half and half. It makes a difference in the richness of the custard.

Pour the custard mixture over the bread and let it soak to thoroughly saturate the bread.

Toast a cup of pecans on a large baking sheet for 8-10 minutes until deeper in color and fragrant.

For the streusel crumble, cut butter into a mixture of toasted, chopped pecans, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and almond extract.

Sprinkle the spreusel over the custard soaked bread cubes and bake until golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for about 30 minutes.

Cream together room temperature cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla.

Drizzle spoonfuls of the glaze over the top of the bread pudding.

Sprinkle the remaining toasted pecans over the glaze as desired.

Can I make this Pumpkin bread pudding the night before or in advance?

YES! This is a great dish to prep the night before and toss in the oven in the morning. After you add the custard to the bread, cover and refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle the streusel over the top in the morning and follow the baking directions in the recipe card below. The chilled pudding may take a few minutes longer to bake, however.

If this Pumpkin Pecan Custard Bread Pudding is all about your idea of food bliss, make sure to try my Irish Cream Bread Pudding or Pumpkin Pie Dutch Baby!

I love reviews! Leave me one below! Questions and comments also very welcome.

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Pumpkin Pecan Custard Bread Pudding

Crusty French bread infused with pumpkin custard and spice, topped with a buttery, crunchy toasted pecan crumble, and a cool, luscious drizzle of cream cheese frosting.

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Pumpkin Pecan Custard Bread Pudding

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 12

Author Jennifer Grissom

Ingredients

• 16 ounces French bread, cut into 1" cubes

Pumpkin Custard

• 2.5 cups whole milk or half and half
• 6 eggs
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cinnamon Streusel Crumble

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup pecans – divided, toasted and chopped
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Cream Cheese Glaze

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Toast the pecans on a large baking sheet for 8-10 minutes, stirring upon occasion, until deeper brown and fragrant.
• Place the bread cubes in a 9×13 baking pan that has been treated with cooking spray or butter.
• Whisk together the pumpkin custard ingredients in a mixing bowl and then pour over the bread cubes. Stir to ensure the bread cubes are coated with the custard and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
• For the streusel, stir together HALF of the chopped pecans, the brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon.  Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles large crumbs.
• Sprinkle the streusel crumbles evenly over the top of the bread cubes and custard.
• Bake COVERED with foil for 30 minutes.
• Bake UNCOVERED for an additional 10-15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 20-30 minutes.
• Cream the frosting ingredients together with a mixer until smooth.
• Drizzle or pipe frosting in an irregular pattern over the bread pudding and serve warm.
• Sprinkle with the top of the bread pudding with the remaining toasted pecans.

Notes

Make ahead directions: After you add the custard to the bread, cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours in advance. Sprinkle the streusel over the top in the morning and follow the baking directions in the recipe card below. The chilled pudding may take a few minutes longer to bake, however.

Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are not the same.  Make sure you are using 100% pumpkin puree.

Two teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice may be substituted if necessary for the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in the custard.

Jennifer Grissom

Mother, Gardener, Book Devourer, and Food Obsessor. I love being inspired with fresh, seasonal ingredients and relish every opportunity to elevate my home cooking. Join me!

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