This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy
This post is sponsored by Javy Coffee. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
Watch the recipe
Until I’ve made this caramel bread pudding recipe, I’ve never had a bread pudding before. Then I had a bite of this bread pudding and my life was changed!
I’ve wanted to try a bread pudding for so long! If you know me, hello, I love bread! This dessert seemed like such a dream come true! I wanted to keep this bread pudding simple and classy for my first try, and honestly simplicity is key here! The bread is just out of this world, and of course I just had to add a chocolatey touch since I love my chocolate too!
For a first attempt on video (check it out and subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already!), I can say that bread pudding is easy to do and it’s perfect for any occasion! I can’t wait make one again! If you want to learn more about how you can be inspired by working around with a set of ingredients and a theme, then check out my free guide 5 Tips To Make Cooking Fun! This has certainly been on my bucket list and it felt so satisfying to tick that box off! The bucket list is one of my themes in my Live to Cook one-month challenge! If you’ve been wanting to make your own bread pudding but you’ve been putting it off because you thought it was too hard or whatever other excuse you’ve had, then break free of that and it’s time to make it! Get your two freebies by signing up to my newsletter, and please tag me on Instagram to include me in your personalized cooking journey! I’d love for this bread pudding recipe to be a part of yours!
Let’s get baking!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Caramel Bread Pudding Recipe!
- Easy: This is actually a really easy recipe to make! It may feel like a lot if you have to make your caramel sauce as well, but if you have that already prepared then making the bread pudding itself is all you need to do, and that process is very straight forward! I’ll break down all the instructions so you’re set up for success!
- Fluffy and light: This is the best thing is that super soft bread! I just love this so much!
- Warm and gooey: Not only is the bread itself super soft and spongy, but you’ll have a nice warm and gooey pudding and molten chocolate chips! It’s really hard to resist!
- Make-ahead friendly: If you’re making this Caramel Bread Pudding for a special occasion, then you can certainly prep it the night before and bake it the day of. Additionally, even if you’ve already baked it, you can keep it in the fridge for a day or two and you can easily reheat it in the oven or microwave!
- Scalable recipe: I used this casserole dish to make the bread pudding recipe for two. You can even reduce the quantities by half to make it a single portion or you can increase the recipe to serve as many guests as you’re going to have for your special gathering!
What Bread to use for Caramel Bread Pudding?▼
I’m using Brioche bread for this caramel bread pudding recipe! You can use any kind of white bread, but Brioche bread is the best choice here because it’s very soft and buttery, which all add lots of flavor! It’ll be super soft when you bake it and it’ll absorb your eggs well. Brioche also has a nice sweetness to it! If you don’t have brioche bread, then you can use a regular white bread that you have on hand. Challah would be another great choice, and I’ve even seen bread puddings made with croissants!
Why Do you Use Stale Bread for Caramel Bread Pudding?▼
Ideally you want to use stale bread because this will absorb your pudding mixture better. However, if you live life on the edge and you’ve decided to make your Chocolate Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce last-minute, then that’s fine! I actually did the same thing as you! I did buy my brioche bread early in the morning and to allow it to dry out, I’ve cut it up and just let it sit at room temperature for a couple of hours.
How Do You know When the Caramel Bread Pudding is Done Baking?▼
Bread pudding should take 35 to 40 minutes to bake. At the 35 minute point, check the doneness using a knife or a skewer. If the knife or skewer comes out wet, it still needs a few more minutes to bake. The right doneness should result in some moist crumbs sticking onto the knife or the skewer.
In case the knife or skewer comes out dry, you have likely over-cooked the pudding.
Tools Needed
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Caramel Bread Pudding
Let’s see what we’ll need for the Chocolate Chip Caramel Bread Pudding and for the caramel sauce. I’ll quickly discuss how to make the caramel sauce here, but if you want to learn more and get some tips and tricks for the best Coffee Whiskey Caramel Sauce, then please check out the full recipe here! Remember, the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD with all ingredient quantities and full instructions is at the bottom of this post! You can save the recipe for later and adjust the recipe based on how many servings you want to make - all the ingredient quantities will automatically be adjusted so you won’t need to do any mental math!
For the Bread Pudding
- Brioche bread
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Mini chocolate chips
For the Whiskey Caramel Sauce for Bread Pudding
- Heavy Cream
- Butter
- Whiskey
- Sugar
- Water
- Vanilla extract
- Javy Caramel Instant Coffee (click that link for 20% off your order!)
If you don’t have the Javy Peppermint Mocha instant coffee then that’s no problem! You can still get a mocha touch to your caramel sauce by substituting with espresso powder.
How to Make Brioche Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
For the Coffee Caramel Whiskey Sauce
- In a pan, add the sugar and water and whisk well to combine.
- Turn the heat to medium-high heat and leave the sugar-water mixture alone. The mixture will start to simmer, and eventually the color will change from white to amber. Keep a close eye and don't stir or shake the pan until the color changes.
- Then, remove the pan from the heat and pour in the cream gently, while whisking well. Add the butter as well.
- Once the mixture has stopped bubbling and has turned into a rich caramel color, add the javy coffee, whiskey and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Set aside to cool down while you prepare the bread pudding.
For the Caramel Bread Pudding
Tear the brioche bread into rough cubes, alternatively you may chop the bread into cubes as well. To dry out the bread slightly, transfer the bread pieces to a baking sheet and bake in an oven at 350F for 10-12 minutes.
Once baked, the bread should be lightly toasted, but still spongy in the middle.
In the meanwhile, add the milk to a saucepan and bring the milk to a simmer. The sides of the milk should start to bubble up. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk well. Set aside to cool slightly (5-10 minutes).
Arrange the toasted brioche bread to an appropriately sized casserole.
Add the eggs to a large bowl and slowly start to pour the milk while whisking well. Once whisked, the texture should be smooth and not curdled. Add the cinnamon and mix well.
Using a ladle, pour the milk-egg custard mixture over the bread.
Top with chocolate chips or raisins if using. Bake in an oven at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until the bread pudding is set. Poking the pudding with a knife or skewer should result in some crumbs - it should not be wet.
Let the pudding stand for 5-10 minutes and then slice, and serve with ice cream. Top the pudding with the whiskey caramel sauce.
Enjoy!
Tips for an Excellent Irish Bread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce
- For the caramel sauce make sure to leave the pan alone until the color changes to amber. Otherwise the caramel will not turn out right.
- The milk should not be too hot before adding it to the eggs. Otherwise, the eggs will curdle. Make sure to let the scalded milk cool down slightly beforehand.
- For the pudding, ensure all of the bread pieces are coated with the milk-egg custard mixture.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Brioche Bread Pudding▼
Store bread pudding in an airtight container or cover your casserole with aluminum foil. Bread pudding will stay good in the fridge for two to three days.
You can reheat your Chocolate Chip Brioche Bread Pudding either in the microwave or in the oven. If reheating in the microwave, transfer into a microwave-safe bowl or container and reheat in 30 second intervals until entirely warmed through. If reheating in the oven, preheat the oven to 375 F, and depending on how much you have left over, it should take 5 to 10 minutes for your bread pudding to be entirely warmed through.
Getting the Caramel and the Custard Right
Two things in this brioche bread pudding recipe can go wrong, and both are about heat. The first is the caramel. Whisk 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water, turn the heat to medium-high, and then leave it completely alone. Do not stir it, do not shake the pan. Let it boil untouched until the color turns from white to amber, and watch it closely at the end because it moves from amber to burnt in well under a minute. Stirring is what makes sugar crystallize and go grainy, which is why the instruction is to walk away rather than help.
Then take the pan off the heat before the cream goes anywhere near it. Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream gently while whisking — it will bubble up hard, and that is why the pan is off the burner — and add the tablespoon of butter. Unsalted butter is the one to reach for, because there is no salt anywhere else in this caramel and unsalted lets you decide. If you want a salted caramel, a pinch stirred in at the very end is all it takes. Once the bubbling stops and it has gone a rich caramel color, add the tablespoon of instant caramel coffee, 2 tablespoons of whiskey and a teaspoon of vanilla.
The second is the custard, and here you want the opposite of a boil. Bring the 2 cups of milk only to a simmer — you are looking for bubbles around the sides of the pan, not across the surface — then whisk in the quarter cup of sugar and 2 to 3 teaspoons of vanilla and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour that warm milk into the 2 eggs slowly, whisking the whole time. Rush it and you will scramble the eggs; done properly the mixture stays smooth, not curdled. The teaspoon of cinnamon goes in last.
Drying the Brioche, and Knowing When It Is Set
Fresh brioche is too soft to soak without collapsing, so this recipe toasts it first. Tear the 6 to 7 slices into rough cubes, roughly 1-inch pieces, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes. You want them lightly toasted on the outside but still spongy in the middle — dried out enough to drink the custard, not so dry they turn to rusks. Torn edges soak up more than knife-cut ones, which is why tearing is worth the mess.
Arrange the cubes in the casserole and ladle the custard over so every piece gets coated, then sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top, and raisins too if you like them. Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes. The doneness test is a knife or skewer into the middle: it should come out with a few moist crumbs, and if anything on it is actually wet, it needs longer. Let it stand 5 to 10 minutes before slicing so it firms up enough to hold a slice.
Serve it warm with ice cream and the whiskey caramel poured over. Plenty of people reach for maple syrup on bread pudding; here the caramel is doing that job, and it is worth warming it slightly if it has thickened while sitting. This is a rich dessert built for two, so it is a special-occasion bake rather than a weeknight one.
If you liked this recipe please let me know in the comments. Tag your post on social media using #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. If you’ve tried out Javy coffee concentrate for this syrup, be sure to tag #drinkjavy in your posts too! Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Rich, custardy Brioche Bread Pudding topped with a silky whiskey caramel sauce. No raisins, pure indulgence. Your new favorite crowd-pleasing dessert starts here.
Stovetop
Rate this recipe ✦
30 min
Prep
40 min
Cook
1 hr 10 min
Total
2
servings
hard
Level
Ingredients
Ingredients
Tap any quantity to scale
For the whiskey caramel sauce
Instructions
For the whiskey caramel sauce
- 1
In a pan, add the sugar and water and whisk well to combine.
In a pan, add the sugar and water and whisk well to combine.
- 2
Turn the heat to medium-high heat and leave the sugar-water mixture alone. The mixture will start to simmer, and eventually the color will change from white to amber. Keep a close eye and don't stir or shake the pan until the color changes.
Turn the heat to medium-high heat and leave the sugar-water mixture alone. The mixture will start to simmer, and eventually the color will change from white to amber. Keep a close eye and don't stir or shake the pan until the color changes.
- 3
Then, remove the pan from the heat and pour in the cream gently, while whisking well. Add the butter as well.
Then, remove the pan from the heat and pour in the cream gently, while whisking well. Add the butter as well.
- 4
Once the mixture has stopped bubbling and has turned into a rich caramel color, add the Java coffee, whiskey and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Once the mixture has stopped bubbling and has turned into a rich caramel color, add the Java coffee, whiskey and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- 5
Set aside to cool down while you prepare the bread pudding.
Set aside to cool down while you prepare the bread pudding.
For the brioche bread pudding
- 1
Tear the brioche bread into rough cubes, alternatively you may chop the bread into cubes as well. To dry out the bread slightly, transfer the bread pieces to a baking sheet and bake in an oven at 350F for 10-12 minutes.
Tear the brioche bread into rough cubes, alternatively you may chop the bread into cubes as well. To dry out the bread slightly, transfer the bread pieces to a baking sheet and bake in an oven at 350°F (177°C) for 10-12 minutes.
- 2
Once baked, the bread should be lightly toasted, but still spongy in the middle.
Once baked, the bread should be lightly toasted, but still spongy in the middle.
- 3
In the meanwhile, add the milk to a saucepan and bring the milk to a simmer. The sides of the milk should start to bubble up. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk well. Set aside to cool slightly (5-10 minutes).
In the meanwhile, add the milk to a saucepan and bring the milk to a simmer. The sides of the milk should start to bubble up. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk well. Set aside to cool slightly (5-10 minutes).
- 4
Add the eggs to a large bowl and slowly start to pour the milk while whisking well. Once whisked, the texture should be smooth and not curdled. Add the cinnamon and mix well.
Add the eggs to a large bowl and slowly start to pour the milk while whisking well. Once whisked, the texture should be smooth and not curdled. Add the cinnamon and mix well.
- 5
Arrange the toasted brioche bread to an appropriately sized casserole and using a ladle, pour the milk-egg custard mixture over the bread.
Arrange the toasted brioche bread to an appropriately sized casserole and using a ladle, pour the milk-egg custard mixture over the bread.
- 6
Top with chocolate chips or raisins if using. Bake in an oven at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until the bread pudding is set. Poking the pudding with a knife or skewer should result in some crumbs - it should not be wet.
Top with chocolate chips or raisins if using. Bake in an oven at 350°F (177°C) for 35-40 minutes or until the bread pudding is set. Poking the pudding with a knife or skewer should result in some crumbs - it should not be wet.
- 7
Let the pudding stand for 5-10 minutes and then slice, and serve with ice cream. Top the pudding with the whiskey caramel sauce and enjoy!
Let the pudding stand for 5-10 minutes and then slice, and serve with ice cream. Top the pudding with the whiskey caramel sauce and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi
Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
Recipe history
- April 16, 2026 — Reworked and refreshed for the 2026 relaunch — new photography, restructured and standardized ingredients & instructions.
Filed under
You might also like
Fall-Inspired Pumpkin Banana Bread Pudding
Cozy, creamy, and packed with fall flavor, this pumpkin banana bread pudding is the old-fashioned comfort dessert you need. Easy to make from scratch with simple ingredients.
Decadent Chocolate S'mores Stuffed Cookies Recipe
Thick, gooey, and loaded with chocolate, graham crackers, and toasted marshmallow flavor. These decadent chocolate s'mores stuffed cookies are the ultimate giant cookie recipe made from scratch.
Easy Recipe for Heavenly Strawberry Banana Nutella Crepes
Make heavenly crepes at home with this easy blender batter recipe. Filled with fresh strawberries, banana, and Nutella, these sweet crepes are perfect for a dreamy breakfast treat.
Indulge in These Delicious Chocolate Coffee Pancakes
Wake up to rich, fluffy chocolate coffee pancakes bursting with cafe mocha flavor. An easy breakfast recipe that feels indulgent without the fuss. Perfect for sweet mornings at home.
Easy Gingerbread Holiday Banana Bread Recipe
Warm up the holidays with this easy gingerbread banana bread recipe! Moist, spiced, and ready in no time, it is the perfect festive dessert for any occasion.
Creamy Easy Pumpkin Rice Pudding Recipe for The Holidays
Creamy, cozy pumpkin rice pudding made easy for the holidays. A dreamy fall dessert packed with warm spices and pumpkin pie flavor your whole family will love.
Comments
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a review
Be the first to share how it went — your note helps other cooks (and earns the recipe its stars).