Sometimes a kitchen mishap leads to something wonderful. This pumpkin spice bread pudding was born from one such accident, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out. It quickly became one of my favorite desserts — and even a great breakfast option. It’s comforting, warmly spiced, and surprisingly easy to make.
I had been experimenting with a cinnamon raisin loaf using aquafaba, and the house smelled incredible as it baked. When I tried to remove the loaf, I discovered it was extremely dense — more of a brick than a bread. Despite the heavy texture, it tasted good, and I didn’t want to waste it. After considering bread-and-butter pudding and french toast, I decided a pumpkin spice bread pudding would be perfect, especially since pumpkin cravings were strong in the house.
For the recipe I eventually used a store-bought gluten-free loaf, since it’s rare for me to have stale bread on hand. I found frozen loaves in the freezer, toasted them briefly to simulate staleness, and the results were fantastic. Toasting gives the bread the firmer texture that soaks up the custard without turning into mush. This method works with regular or grain-free breads, and you can even use firm baked goods like muffins or loaf cakes.
After a few tweaks — increasing the nut topping for extra crunch and adding a bit more tapioca starch to thicken the custard — the pudding was even better. Leaving the very top layer slightly exposed to the oven helped produce a crisp, crunchy top that contrasts nicely with the gooey center. And adding unsulphured blackstrap molasses, both in the custard and as a finishing drizzle, elevated the flavors from great to outstanding.
The pudding bakes into a warm, spiced, pumpkiny dish that’s best served in bowls with plenty of sauce on top. I make a simple cashew glaze to drizzle over the servings — it’s rich, creamy, and pairs perfectly with an extra touch of molasses. For those with nut allergies, the notes include an alternative topping option so everyone can enjoy it.
This recipe is wonderfully flexible: use any decent-tasting bread or a firm cake base, and if your bread or cake is oil-free then the pudding will be oil-free as well. You can easily make it with gluten-free bread or a grain-free option. Toasting frozen bread to simulate staleness works well and saves time.
When baking, I increased the nut topping for more crunch and slightly thickened the custard with tapioca starch so the pudding sets nicely while remaining saucy. If you prefer a looser texture, reduce the tapioca. The end result is a warm, comforting pudding with a crunchy top, soft center, and a sweet, spiced pumpkin flavor enhanced by molasses and a creamy glaze.
This pudding is effortless to prepare and makes a cozy fall dessert or a festive holiday breakfast. It’s meant to be eaten out of a bowl, with plenty of extra glaze and a final drizzle of molasses if you like. Serve warm, spooned into bowls, and store leftovers in the fridge.
Easy Peasy Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding
5 from 7 reviews
A warm, gluten-free, spiced pumpkin bread pudding topped with a vegan, gooey glaze.
- Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Pudding
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Pudding:
- 9–10 cups cubed stale gluten-free bread (roughly 1½ small GF loaves or one regular-sized GF loaf). Regular or grain-free bread works too.
- 1 cup pecans (or other nuts; use sunflower seeds or extra raisins for a nut-free version)
- 1 cup raisins (or chocolate chips)
- 1¼ cups non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
- 1 can pumpkin puree (398 ml)
- ¾ cup agave (or maple syrup, brown rice syrup, etc.)
- 4 tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 tbsp unsulphured blackstrap molasses
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- Spices: 2 tbsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp ginger, ⅛ tsp cloves, ⅛ tsp allspice
- ¾ tsp salt
Cashew glaze: (see notes for a nut-free alternative)
- ¾ cup raw cashews (cover with boiling water and soak 15 minutes, then strain)
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (unsweetened vanilla almond milk suggested)
- ¼ cup agave (or maple syrup, brown rice syrup, etc.)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- plus a drizzle of molasses for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Oil a baking pan (I used an 8″ x 12″ rectangular pan; similar-sized pans will work). Spread the cubed bread evenly in the pan. Sprinkle pecans and raisins over the bread and lightly mix them in. Set aside.
- Place the remaining pudding ingredients — non-dairy milk, pumpkin puree, agave, tapioca starch, molasses, vanilla, spices, and salt — in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Let the pan sit for 20 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, until set and the top is slightly crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.
- While the pudding bakes, make the cashew glaze. Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a blender with the non-dairy milk, agave, vanilla, and salt. Blend until very smooth; add a splash more non-dairy milk if needed to reach a pourable consistency.
- When the pudding has cooled slightly, drizzle with the cashew glaze and a bit of molasses. Serve warm in bowls with extra glaze and molasses on the side. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
If you have a cashew allergy, use an alternative vegan frosting or glaze, such as the frosting suggested for a raw carrot cake. For a saucier pudding, reduce the tapioca starch; for firmer pudding, keep or slightly increase it. Any firm, slightly stale bread or dense baked goods work well as a base.
Happy baking!
♥ Audrey
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Disclaimer: this post contains an affiliate mention for a power blender in the original recipe.