Bourbon Apple Pecan Bread Pudding Recipe

Prep bread

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly. Spread cubed bread on a baking sheet and, if it is not already day-old, dry in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–12 minutes until slightly crisp at the edges but still tender inside. Remove and let cool slightly.

Whisk custard base — In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and salt until pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes.

Add dairy and bourbon — Whisk in the milk and heavy cream until combined, then whisk in 3 tablespoons bourbon. Taste and adjust (if you prefer more boozy flavor, add up to 1 additional tablespoon).

Combine bread and custard — Place the cubed bread in the prepared baking dish. Pour the custard evenly over the bread, pressing gently on the bread so the liquid is absorbed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight to let the bread soak thoroughly.

Toast pecans — On a sheet pan or in a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, 4–6 minutes. Remove and roughly chop. Set aside.

Cook apples — In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add the diced apples, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and slightly caramelized, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Fold apples and pecans into bread — After the bread has soaked (or 15 minutes before baking if you choose not to refrigerate), remove the dish from the fridge. Gently fold the cooked apples and 3/4 of the toasted pecans into the soaked bread, distributing evenly. Scatter the remaining pecans on top for crunch.

Preheat oven and prepare — Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). If the soaked bread seems very wet, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or blot a few excess puddles with a paper towel so the top will brown.

Bake — Place the baking dish on a sheet pan to catch any drips and bake on the middle rack for 45–55 minutes, or until the pudding is set in the center (a knife inserted should come out mostly clean) and the top is golden and slightly crisp. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 30 minutes.

Rest — Remove from the oven and let the bread pudding rest 10–15 minutes to finish setting. The center will firm up as it cools.

Make caramel — In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 cup granulated sugar, stirring gently or swirling the pan until it liquefies and turns an amber color. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Finish caramel — Remove from heat and carefully whisk in 4 tablespoons butter until melted. Slowly pour in 1 cup heavy cream while whisking (it will bubble vigorously). Return the pan to low heat and stir until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons bourbon and 1 teaspoon salt. Cool slightly to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Serve — Drizzle the warm bourbon caramel over slices of bread pudding and garnish with remaining toasted pecans. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.