There’s regular bread pudding, and then there’s this — a custardy, pecan-studded version that borrows its whole personality from pecan pie and finishes with a rum sauce poured on while it’s still hot. It’s rich, a little boozy, and exactly the kind of dessert that makes people ask for the recipe before they’ve finished their first bite.
The best part is how forgiving it is. The bread doesn’t need to be stale or dried out first — any hearty, sturdy loaf will do, cubed and soaked straight in the custard. And the whole thing is built to work around your schedule: mix it in the morning, let it sit while you go about your day, and slide it into the oven right before dinner. If you can plan ahead, letting it soak for 6–8 hours or overnight gives the bread time to really absorb the custard, and the payoff in texture is worth it.
Serve it warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the rum sauce, or with a cloud of whipped topping if that’s more your speed.
8 cups cubed hearty/heavy bread (no need for it to be stale or toasted)
1 cup chopped or halved pecans, divided
For the rum sauce:
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark rum or bourbon
1/4 cup water (omit the water and use more liquor instead if you want a stronger rum or bourbon flavor)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
Add the Karo syrup, heavy cream, melted butter, vanilla, sugar, and rum or bourbon. Mix until everything is well combined.
Fold in the cubed bread and half of the pecans, stirring gently to coat.
Let the mixture sit at room temperature for about an hour, stirring occasionally so the bread soaks up the custard evenly. Then cover and refrigerate. For the best texture, let it sit for 6–8 hours or overnight — this gives the bread plenty of time to absorb the liquid fully.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or grease a 9×13-inch baking dish (a slightly smaller dish works too, if you prefer a thicker pudding).
Pour the soaked bread mixture into the prepared dish and scatter the remaining pecans over the top.
Bake for 60 minutes, until set and golden.
While the pudding bakes, make the rum sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the sugar, rum or bourbon, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and keep warm.
As soon as the bread pudding comes out of the oven, pour about half the rum sauce over the top while it’s still hot, letting it seep down the sides of the dish.
Let it rest for 15 minutes, then pour over as much of the remaining sauce as you’d like — some people hold a little back, but it’s just as good using all of it.
Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping on top.
Notes
This recipe is easy to build around your day — mix the custard and soak the bread in the morning, then bake it right before serving. If you have the time, an overnight soak makes a noticeably softer, more custardy pudding, so it’s worth planning ahead when you can.
