Sour Cherry Bread Pudding

About This Recipe

Bread pudding has been a resourceful American dessert for generations, born from the practical habit of turning stale bread into something worth serving rather than throwing it away. Cubes of day-old bread soak in a rich egg-and-cream custard until fully saturated, then bake until the top turns golden and slightly crisp while the inside stays soft and pudding-like. Sour cherries fold into the mix here, their tartness cutting through the richness of the custard the same way they balance heavier baked goods across Midwestern baking traditions. A bourbon-vanilla sauce, poured warm over each serving, is a classic Southern and New Orleans-inspired finishing touch that turns this from a simple dessert into something a little more indulgent. Served warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the sauce, this is a low-effort dessert built almost entirely from pantry basics and whatever stale bread happens to be on the counter.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 6 cupsday-old bread(cubed, such as brioche or French bread)
• 1.5 cupspitted sour cherries(fresh or frozen and thawed, drained)
• 4 largeeggs
• 2 cupswhole milk
• 0.5 cupheavy cream
• 0.75 cupgranulated sugar
• 1 tbspvanilla extract
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 0.25 tspfine sea salt
• 4 tbspunsalted butter(melted, plus more for the dish)
• 0.5 cupheavy cream(for bourbon sauce)
• 0.33 cupgranulated sugar(for bourbon sauce)
• 2 tbspbourbon(for bourbon sauce)
• 2 tbspunsalted butter(for bourbon sauce)

Instructions

1. 1

   Assemble the base

   Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread bread cubes evenly and scatter sour cherries throughout.

2. 2

   Make the custard

   Whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt together until fully combined.

3. 3

   Soak the bread

   Pour the custard evenly over the bread, pressing down gently so every cube absorbs liquid. Drizzle with melted butter. Let sit 20 minutes, pressing occasionally, so the bread soaks up as much custard as possible.

4. 4

   Bake

   Bake at 175C (350F) for 40-45 minutes until puffed, golden on top, and just set in the center — a knife inserted near the middle should come out mostly clean.

5. 5

   Make the bourbon sauce

   While the pudding bakes, combine cream and sugar in a saucepan and simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in bourbon and butter until glossy.

   Add the bourbon off the heat so the alcohol's aroma isn't cooked away entirely, keeping the sauce flavorful rather than flat.

6. 6

   Serve warm

   Let the pudding cool 10 minutes, then cut into squares. Drizzle generously with warm bourbon sauce before serving.

Variations

• •

  Omit the bourbon and use extra vanilla for a family-friendly, alcohol-free version.

• •

  Swap sour cherries for chopped fresh peaches or apples when cherries are out of season.

• •

  Add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the bread mixture for extra crunch.

Storage

Refrigerate covered up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, or cover the whole dish and warm in a 160C (325F) oven for about 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions