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My Southern bread pudding brings back memories of Sunday dinners at my grandma's house. This recipe transforms simple Hawaiian rolls into something magical with its rich buttery sauce and crunchy pecans on top. The smell of vanilla and warm bread filling the kitchen is pure comfort food heaven.
What Makes This Recipe Special
This Southern bread pudding is pure comfort in every bite. You probably have everything you need in your kitchen right now and it's so easy to make your own. I love that you can add your favorite toppings like plump raisins warm caramel or even baked apples.
Your Shopping List
- For the pudding grab some Hawaiian rolls
- eggs
- white sugar
- milk
- vanilla
- The topping needs brown sugar
- soft butter
- pecans.
- Don't forget extra butter sugar vanilla and an egg for that amazing sauce.
Simple ingredients that come together to make something incredible.
Let's Make Some Bread Pudding
Start by cutting your rolls into cubes and letting them dry out overnight. Mix up eggs sugar milk and vanilla then pour it over your bread letting everything soak for about 10 minutes. Top it with a mixture of brown sugar butter and pecans. Pop it in the oven at 350°F until it's golden brown about 35 minutes. While it's baking make your sauce by cooking sugar butter vanilla and egg until everything melts together perfectly.
My Secret Tips
The key to perfect Southern bread pudding is using stale bread it soaks up all that custard so much better. If you want clean slices let it cool in the fridge first. Want to make it extra special? Add a splash of bourbon to the sauce. You can even use French bread or challah instead of Hawaiian rolls.
Keeping It Fresh
Your bread pudding will stay good in the fridge for 3 days just keep it in an airtight container. Warm it up in the oven at 325°F or pop individual servings in the microwave. You can even freeze portions for up to 6 months just thaw overnight before reheating.
Make It a Special Treat
This Southern bread pudding becomes absolutely heavenly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top. I love serving it with coffee or tea for dessert. It's perfect for holiday gatherings family dinners or anytime you need a little taste of Southern comfort.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why do I need to use stale bread?
Stale bread absorbs the custard mixture better without falling apart. Fresh bread can become too mushy and won't hold its shape as well during baking.
- → Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prepare the bread pudding up to the baking step and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature before baking. Make the sauce fresh just before serving.
- → What if I don't have Hawaiian rolls?
While Hawaiian rolls give the best sweet flavor, you can use French bread, challah, or brioche. Just make sure to let it get stale first for the best texture.
- → Why did my sauce curdle?
The sauce can curdle if the melted butter is too hot when added to the egg. Mix the sugar with the egg first, then add the cooled melted butter slowly while stirring.
- → Can this be frozen?
The baked bread pudding can be frozen for up to 2 months without the sauce. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before serving. Make the sauce fresh when ready to serve.
Conclusion
This decadent Southern bread pudding transforms Hawaiian rolls into a rich dessert with a pecan topping and warm butter sauce. While it needs planning for stale bread, the actual prep is simple.