Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel

Pumpkin bread pudding is a decadent, warmly spiced dessert packed with cozy pumpkin flavor and topped with homemade salted caramel. This deliciously rich bread pudding will be your go-to fall treat!

📝 Ingredients

• Unsalted butter (for greasing baking dish)
• 1, 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 1/2 cups half and half (or half milk and half heavy cream)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1, 16-ounce loaf stale French bread (cubed, see note)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons melted butter (unsalted)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (room temperature)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (sliced into 4 squares)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt (depending on how salty you want the caramel to be)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
2. 2To a large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin, half and half, milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, salt, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
3. 3Add the cubed French bread to the bowl with the custard and use a wooden spoon to gently mix the ingredients until all of the bread is moistened. Transfer the bread pudding to the prepared baking dish, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least one hour up to overnight.
4. 4Set the bread pudding out on the counter and preheat your oven to 350°F. Once the oven is hot, pour the melted butter over the bread pudding and bake it in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown on top and set in the center.
5. 5While the bread pudding is baking, begin making the salted caramel sauce by combining the water and sugar in a large saucepan and heating it over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir the sugar and water mixture again once the sugar has dissolved! Bring the mixture to a boil and cook it until it reaches an amber color.
6. 6Lower the heat to low and whisk in the heavy cream. The sauce will bubble up a lot when the cream is added. Stir until the cream is fully incorporated. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Set the caramel sauce aside.
7. 7Once the bread pudding is set in the center, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Slice bread pudding into squares and serve warm with salted caramel on top. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra decadence!