Name: Eggnog Bread Pudding
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, melted (plus extra for pan); 16 ounces sliced Italian bread (about 11-12 slices); 2 cups eggnog; 2 cups whole milk; 1/3 cup dark rum; 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for topping; 5 large eggs; 1 teaspoon nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon salt; For serving: whipped cream and extra nutmeg

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If you can manage to save a few cups from the bottle, you can make this breakfast slash dessert all December long. This Eggnog Bread Pudding is welcome for dessert, brunch, or Christmas morning breakfast. It’s so easy to make, and does not require any cooking on the stove top!

Dish of eggnog bread pudding with one square slice missing.

In my house, I have to immediately reserve 2 cups of eggnog from the bottle in order to make this recipe. Some people in my house groan about this, but the reward of eggnog bread pudding is always worth it.

If you’re an eggnog lover, have you made my small batch of eggnog? It comes in handy for late night cravings. This recipe for bread pudding requires a full 2 cups of already made eggnog, and you can absolutely use my recipe for a small batch here. (Be sure to use 1 cup of heavy cream instead of 3/4 cup), and just so you know: folding in the egg whites is still optional.

Ingredients

Small bowls with eggs, vanilla, stale bread cubes, milk, and melted butter on kitchen counter.

Butter. One stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter, melted. You’ll also need an extra tablespoon of butter for greasing the pan.
Bread. Buy a one-pound (16 ounce) package of sliced Italian bread. It will be about 10-11 slices of bread. This is optional, but cube the bread into 1-2″ cubes and let it dry overnight on the counter to go slightly stale. This will help it absorb the eggnog mixture better. If you don’t have time for this step, it’s okay!
Eggnog. Two cups of full-fat heavy rich eggnog.
Whole Milk. An equal amount of whole milk. Do not use skim milk for eggnog bread pudding, please.
Rum. Adding one-third cup of dark rum is entirely optional, but dark rum is the traditional addition to eggnog to make it slightly boozy. You can also use whiskey or brandy instead.
Sugar. One-half cup of granulated sugar.
Eggs. Five large eggs gives the bread pudding its lift and fluffiness.
Nutmeg. The classic flavor of eggnog is nutmeg, and even though there is some in the actual eggnog, we’re going to freshly grate in an additional teaspoon of it. It’s really best if you can buy the whole nutmeg berries and grate them yourself using a microplane grater. Grate it into a small bowl and then measure out one teaspoon.
Cinnamon. Adding a small amount of ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon) brings sweetness and warmth to the eggnog bread pudding.
Vanilla Extract. One teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Salt. One-half teaspoon of salt to balance the flavors here.
For Serving: whipped cream and extra nutmeg.

How to Make Eggnog Bread Pudding

Before starting the recipe, be sure to slice the bread into one and two-inch cubes. And, use the extra tablespoon of butter to grease the 11×9-inch baking dish very well.

Bread cubes in a rectangular tray with butter being poured on top.

Arrange the bread cubes in an even layer in the pan, and pour the melted butter on top. Toss to combine.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggnog, milk, rum, sugar, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and salt very well.

Freshly baked eggnog bread pudding in white rectangular dish.

3. Pour the eggnog mixture over the bread cubes, cover the entire dish with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for one hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.

4. After the one hour soak is up, move the pan to the preheated oven. Bake for one hour and 15 minutes. Check the mixture at this point. It should be very puffy and slightly jiggly, but if it’s too jiggly, return it to the oven for another 15 minutes (covering with aluminum foil to prevent more browning if necessary).

Make Ahead Instructions

As written, this recipe has a one-hour chill time before baking so that the eggnog custard mixture soaks into the bread well. However, you can make the eggnog custard overnight and store it separately. An hour before you plan to bake, pour it over the bread cubes and let soak.

White rectangular dish of eggnog bread pudding dusted with powdered sugar.

How to Store Leftovers

I will keep this eggnog bread pudding on the counter for one day before I move it to the fridge. Because it technically contains dairy and eggs, leftovers need to be refrigerated and consumed within 3 days. Reheat slices in the microwave or oven to crisp up before serving.