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.
Servings: 12
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
- 2/3 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 9x13 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.
Video
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.