Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Pudding With Pecan Butterscotch Sauce

Written by
Miri Rotkovitz
Registered dietician, teacher, and award-winning cookbook author who has been exploring Jewish cuisine for almost 20 years.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Miri Rotkovitz
Updated 08/16/19
Pumpkin cranberry bread pudding recipe

​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
420 Calories
14g Fat
66g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 420
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 113mg 38%
Sodium 324mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 66g 24%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Protein 10g
Calcium 140mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sure, this pumpkin cranberry bread pudding makes a fabulous dairy-free Thanksgiving dessert—it is easier than pie (no pastry crust here!)—but it's a wonderful addition to your fall and winter dessert repertoire overall. It's versatile, too—you can make it ahead and reheat it, so it's a great do-ahead brunch dish. And since it's such a delicious way to use up leftover challah, you may find yourself making it whenever you're craving a pumpkin spice comfort food fix. 

Ingredients

  • For the Bread Pudding:
  • 10 ounces (about 8 cups) challah bread (cut into 1-inch cubes)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 1/2 cups soy milk (vanilla or plain)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • For the Pecan Butterscotch Sauce:
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup margarine (non-hydrogenated, such as Earth Balance)
  • 1/4 cup soy milk (vanilla or plain)
  • 1/2 cup pecans (chopped)

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this bread pudding is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Make the Bread Pudding

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

    Ingredients for bread pudding
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  2. Lightly grease an 11x 7 x 2-inch baking dish or similarly sized casserole dish.

    Grease pan
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  3. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. 

    Bread cubes
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  4. In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, soy milk, and brown sugar.

    Whisk together pumpkin puree
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  5. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk to combine.

    Add eggs and vanilla
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  6. Add the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg and whisk until the spices are thoroughly incorporated.

    Add cinnamon and cardamom
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  7. Add the bread cubes and mix well, so they are saturated in the pumpkin mixture. 

    Add to bread
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  8. Fold in the cranberries. 

    Fold in cranberries
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  9. Pour the bread mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

    Pour mixture into pan
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  10. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the bread pudding is puffed, the top is golden, and and a tester inserted in the center comes out fairly clean. Allow to rest on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

    Bake
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

Make the Pecan Butterscotch Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for butterscotch sauce
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  2. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over low heat, combine the sugar, margarine, and soymilk, stirring to combine. Continue to stir until the sugar dissolves, the margarine melts, and the mixture begins to bubble. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and glossy, about 3 minutes.

    Butterscotch sauce
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans. 

    Remove from heat
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  4. Cut the bread pudding into squares and serve drizzled with the butterscotch sauce.

    Cut bread pudding
    ​The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

Tip

  • Store leftover bread pudding and butterscotch sauce, covered in separate containers, in the refrigerator. Reheat the bread pudding in a 350 F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, and warm the butterscotch sauce in a saucepan to serve. 

Recipe Variation

  • If you don't need to keep dessert dairy-free, you can absolutely use regular milk and butter instead of soymilk and margarine. 

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