Eggnog Bread Pudding with Brown Butter Rum Sauce Recipe

The best eggnog bread pudding — made with brioche or challah and finished with a brown butter rum glaze. This recipe is an excellent way to use up leftover eggnog and yields a rich, comforting holiday dessert with a decadent eggnog-brown-butter sauce.

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If you love this eggnog brioche bread pudding, try other seasonal favorites like Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie or Banana Pudding Cheesecake Squares for more decadent holiday desserts.

Eggnog Bread Pudding – Brioche Recipe

This eggnog brioche bread pudding is a stunning holiday dessert: easy to prepare, reliably delicious, and an ideal way to use leftover eggnog. The pudding combines eggnog, vanilla, pecans, freshly grated nutmeg, and dark rum, all built on rich brioche for an extra-luxurious texture. It’s finished with a warm brown butter rum sauce made with more eggnog — a perfect match for the pudding.

Even if you’re not an eggnog purist, recipes that use eggnog often transform it into something irresistible. This bread pudding is a great example: the eggnog helps create a velvety custard that soaks into the bread and bakes into a tender, flavorful treat.

Why do they call it bread pudding?

Bread pudding started centuries ago in Europe as a frugal, comforting dessert. In England, “pudding” often refers to a homestyle baked dessert, and cooks traditionally used stale bread and simple ingredients to transform leftovers into a sweet dish. Over time, bread pudding evolved into many regional versions, but the core idea remains: cubes or slices of bread soaked in a flavored custard and baked until set.

How do you fix soggy bread pudding?

This recipe prevents sogginess while keeping the pudding moist and custardy. Key steps:

1. Use stale bread. Stale brioche, challah, or other enriched bread soaks up custard better. Leave slices exposed overnight or dry the cubes in a low oven.
2. Heat the custard first. Warming the eggnog, milk, eggs, butter, and sugar on the stovetop slightly thickens the mixture and helps the bread absorb it evenly.
3. Let the bread soak. After pouring the custard over the bread, wait at least 20–30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) so the bread fully absorbs the liquid before baking.

Can you freeze bread pudding?

Yes. To freeze: completely cool the baked pudding, do not add the brown butter rum sauce (store the sauce separately), wrap the pudding in an airtight container and additional foil or plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Properly wrapped, it will keep up to two months, though texture is best when eaten sooner.

Overnight Eggnog Bread Pudding

Prepare the custard and pour it over the bread, then cover and refrigerate overnight for convenience. When ready to bake, top with pecans and allow extra baking time if the dish is cold from the fridge. Overnight soaking often improves texture and flavor.

Rum Eggnog Bread Pudding Ingredients

• Brioche loaf — stale and cut into 1½-inch cubes. Substitutes: challah, French bread, or sandwich bread.
• Evaporated milk — helps the custard thicken and creates a richer texture.
• Eggnog — full-fat store-bought or homemade eggnog works best.
• Pure vanilla extract — a quality vanilla enhances the custard flavor.
• Dark rum — optional but recommended for depth and warmth; spiced rum also works.
• Granulated sugar — sweetens the custard.
• Salted butter — or use unsalted butter plus a pinch of salt.
• Eggs — create the custardy structure when combined with the milk and eggnog.
• Pecan halves — optional topping for crunch and nuttiness.

For the brown butter rum sauce:

• Salted butter — browned until nutty and golden.
• All-purpose flour — to thicken the sauce slightly.
• Dark brown sugar — for a molasses-rich sweetness.
• Dark rum — optional; omit and use vanilla if avoiding alcohol.
• Eggnog — adds richness and ties the sauce to the pudding.
• Freshly grated nutmeg — a finishing touch that amplifies the eggnog spice.

Equipment

Basic tools needed: a saucepan to heat the custard and make the sauce, a light-colored skillet or sauté pan for browning butter, a whisk, measuring cups and spoons, a rubber spatula, and an 8×8 baking dish or 2-quart casserole dish for baking.

Step by Step

1. Grease an 8×8 baking dish. Place stale brioche cubes in the dish and press gently to fill gaps.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine eggnog, evaporated milk, beaten eggs, melted butter, and sugar. Whisk constantly and cook about 10 minutes until the mixture slightly thickens into a custard. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and rum.
3. Carefully pour the warm custard over the bread, pressing down so each piece contacts the liquid. Let sit 30 minutes (or refrigerate overnight) to allow the bread to absorb the custard.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Top with chopped pecans and bake 45 minutes, covering loosely with foil partway if the top browns too quickly. The center should be set but still moist.
5. While the pudding bakes, make the brown butter rum sauce: brown butter in a light pan until milk solids turn golden, whisk in flour and cook briefly. Stir in brown sugar and eggnog, grate in nutmeg, and cook until thickened. Add rum and cook another minute. Serve warm drizzle over the baked pudding.

Tips and F.A.Q.

More Holiday Recipes You’ll Love

• Mini Basque Cheesecake
• Brownie Mix Cookies with White Chocolate, Cherries and Pistachios

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