Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

Old-fashioned bread pudding with rum sauce is made by soaking cubes of white bread and raisins in vanilla custard, then baking gently in a water bath until golden and set. It’s served warm with a buttery brown sugar rum sauce that comes together in minutes.

The literal second I took the first bite of this bread pudding, a thought flashed through my mind.

Hogie’s.

Hogie’s was a steakhouse on Quinpool Road in Halifax. Open for decades, it closed in 2004. My best friend Angela and I would go there sometimes for dinner when she lived on Elm Street. I can’t picture the inside of Hogie’s clearly, but I have distinct impressions of a dark wood interior, European chalet vibes, and loaves of warm bread brought to the table with garlic butter. And most of all? I remember loving their bread pudding.

Today, I can’t tell you much about Hogie’s bread pudding, except that I know I loved it. I was also struck by how a single taste could bring me back a place I hadn’t thought about in years. This is one of the reasons I never get tired of talking about and sharing food and recipes. It’s so much more than a bunch of ingredients on a plate.

Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

Ingredient Notes

• Bread: You can use any fresh or slightly stale white sandwich bread. I used thick-cut white Texas toast for this recipe. Even if it’s very fresh, there’s no need to dry it out beforehand.
• Butter (Salted): I use salted butter for all of my recipes.
• Cornstarch: A bit of cornstarch helps thicken the rum sauce to a maple syrup consistency.
• Egg: I use large eggs for all of my recipes.
• Egg Yolks: Adding the yolks from two large eggs makes a richer custard.
• Milk (Whole): I use whole milk for all of my recipes.
• Raisins: Golden or regular raisins both work. Use whichever you prefer.
• Rum: Choose a rum you enjoy, as its flavour comes through in the finished sauce. I used spiced rum, but dark rum also works beautifully.
• Sugar (Brown): I use dark brown sugar, sometimes labelled as old-fashioned brown sugar, for the rum sauce.
• Sugar (Granulated): The white sugar in this recipe is just regular granulated sugar.
• Vanilla Extract: Use any vanilla you like or have on hand.
• Water: Make sure to use cold water for the rum sauce, and whisk it in slowly to help prevent the cornstarch from forming lumps.

It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Bread: Substitute brioche, challah, or French bread for the white sandwich bread.
• Butter: Unsalted butter or stick margarine suitable for baking can be used instead.
• Milk (Whole): Replace the whole milk with 2% milk.
• Raisins: Try dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots instead. You can also omit the raisins.
• Rum: Brandy or cognac are excellent substitutes. You can also omit the alcohol if you prefer.

Recipe Variations for Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

Try any of the following for a twist on this easy bread pudding recipe:

• Apple: ½ cup, peeled and finely diced, stirred in with the bread and raisins
• Banana: 1 medium, sliced, folded into the soaked bread mixture before baking
• Chocolate Chips: ½ cup, semisweet, folded into the bread mixture after soaking
• Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon, ground, whisked into the milk and eggs
• Flaky Salt: One pinch, sprinkled over each sauced serving
• Orange Zest: 1 to 2 teaspoons, finely grated, whisked into the custard before adding the bread
• Pecans: ½ cup, toasted, chopped, sprinkled over each individual dish of pudding just before serving
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: ½ to 1 teaspoon, ground, blended into the custard before adding the bread

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

How To Make Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

STEP 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking dish. Set out a larger baking dish with enough room to hold the smaller dish while still leaving space around the sides of the smaller dish for water. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, egg yolks, egg, and vanilla until smooth.

STEP 2. Add the cubed bread and raisins to the custard.

STEP 3. Stir gently, then let the bread soak for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

STEP 4. Transfer the soaked bread and any remaining custard to the buttered baking dish. Place it inside the larger dish, then carefully pour hot tap water into the larger dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the bread pudding dish.

STEP 5. Bake uncovered until golden and the custard is set. Carefully remove the smaller baking dish from the water bath and let the pudding cool slightly on a wire rack.

STEP 6. To make the rum sauce, whisk together the brown sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in the cold water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the sauce thickens to the consistency of maple syrup.

STEP 7. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the rum, butter, and vanilla.

STEP 8. Spoon the warm rum sauce over individual servings of bread pudding.

Recipe Notes

• For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
• Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
• To switch to gram measurements, click “Metric grams” in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
• When choosing a larger baking dish for the water bath, use an outer baking dish large enough to leave room for water around the smaller dish.
• Use ¼ cup (40 g) of raisins for a lighter scattering throughout the pudding, or increase to ½ cup (80 g) if you like more.
• A little goes a long way with this bread pudding, especially once you add the rum sauce. Six servings may not look like much, but it’s quite a rich dessert.
• The finished sauce still contains alcohol. Removing the saucepan from the heat before adding rum doesn’t cook that alcohol away.

Storage

• For longer storage, freeze the bread pudding without sauce in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Refrigerate leftover bread pudding and rum sauce separately in airtight containers within two hours of cooking. Store for up to 3 to 4 days.
• I reheat individual portions of bread pudding in the microwave in short intervals until heated through. You can reheat with or without sauce on top.