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Holiday Eggnog Bread Treat

Category: Sweet Treat Sensations

This cozy dish combines soft, buttery bread with eggnog and spices for a holiday dessert. Add the custard sauce on top for a comforting winter treat.

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Ranah
Updated on Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:37:49 GMT
A plate with baked pudding topped with cream and sugar, alongside a wooden fork and holiday decor. Pin
A plate with baked pudding topped with cream and sugar, alongside a wooden fork and holiday decor. | chefemmakitchen.com

Homemade Holiday Eggnog Bread Pudding

I came up with this treat one chilly winter night while experimenting in my kitchen, and now it's the dessert my family begs for every holiday season. The real wow factor happens when the bread drinks up that rich eggnog mixture and all those wonderful spices. The amazing smell that fills our home when this is baking can't be beat. You'll see why my children start asking for it the minute eggnog appears on store shelves, especially when that homemade eggnog drizzle hits the top.

The Foolproof Charm Behind This Treat

This dessert turns ordinary leftover bread into something truly special. The key is giving enough time for the bread to soak up all that eggnog goodness. It comes out of the oven looking golden and puffed up like something from a high-end bakery. And your home will smell just like the holidays! I always whip up some extra sauce since everyone wants seconds.

Your Ingredient List

  • Bread: Try slightly stale brioche, challah, French bread, or white bread slices - they'll soak up the eggnog mixture better.
  • Eggnog: Use store-bought or make your own, you'll need it for both pudding and sauce.
  • Milk: Works with any kind - whole, skim, almond or oat milk will do just fine.
  • Sugar: Either white or brown works great to sweeten both pudding and sauce.
  • Eggs: Get large ones to bind everything together and make the sauce thicker.
  • Flavorings: You'll want vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, and maybe some spiced rum for extra taste.
  • Butter: Gives the eggnog sauce that wonderful richness.
  • Cornstarch: Makes your sauce nice and thick, just like custard.

Let's Get Cooking

Step 1: Get Your Liquid Mix Ready
Mix eggnog, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a big bowl until everything's combined well.
Step 2: Add Your Bread
Put the bread chunks in and toss gently so each piece gets coated with the mixture.
Step 3: Bake It Just Right
Grease a baking dish, pour everything in, and bake until it turns golden on top but stays slightly jiggly in the middle. Cover with foil if the top gets too brown too fast.
Step 4: Create Your Sauce
In a pot, mix eggnog, sugar, and cornstarch over medium heat, stirring all the time until it thickens up. Take some of this hot mix and slowly add to a beaten egg, then pour this back into the pot. Add butter and spiced rum if you want.
Step 5: Time to Enjoy
Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and serve with your warm sauce, whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
A slice of bread pudding topped with whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar, served on a white plate with a fork. Pin
A slice of bread pudding topped with whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar, served on a white plate with a fork. | chefemmakitchen.com

Dazzling Presentation Tips

I always dust a bit of powdered sugar right before I bring it to everyone. Don't skip that warm eggnog sauce, it's what makes this dish so special, and a big spoonful of fresh whipped cream takes it to the next level. For the kids, I sometimes add vanilla ice cream, and when we have it for breakfast on Christmas morning, a bit of maple syrup works wonders. It's truly delightful.

Storage Tricks

Leftovers will stay good in your fridge for about 4 days if you're lucky enough to have any. Just warm up single servings in the microwave and add a little fresh sauce. It keeps its amazing texture and the flavors actually get better overnight.

Try Different Sauce Options

My eggnog sauce always gets rave reviews, but I like to change things up based on what's in my cupboard. A simple warm vanilla sauce works great, or you can try making a rum raisin topping for something fancy. Warm caramel sauce is another winner. Sometimes I'll make two different options and let everyone choose their favorite.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ Can I prepare it a day early?

Yes! Make the pudding the day before and warm it up before serving. The sauce is best made on the day of, but can be reheated too.

→ What's the best bread to use?

Stale bread works the best since it absorbs more liquid. Use brioche, challah, or French bread for the best richness.

→ Can this be made alcohol-free?

Definitely! Skip the rum in the sauce or swap in vanilla extract for extra flavor.

→ When's it ready to take out of the oven?

Look for a slight jiggle in the center and a knife that comes out clean (though it might still look damp).

→ Can leftover pudding be frozen?

Yes, it keeps in the freezer up to 3 months. Wrap it well, thaw in the fridge, and make the sauce fresh when you serve it.

Eggnog Bread Pudding

Soft bread soaked in eggnog and spices, baked until golden, then topped with a decadent sauce. Perfect for celebrating the season.

Preparation Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
55 mins
By: emma

Category: Desserts

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Cuisine Type: American

Yield: 8 Servings (1 pudding)

Dietary Preferences: Vegetarian

What You'll Need

01 10 cups of bread cubes.
02 1½ cups of eggnog.
03 ½ cup granulated sugar.
04 ½ cup milk.
05 4 large eggs.
06 2 teaspoons pure vanilla.
07 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
08 ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ground.
09 ¼ teaspoon table salt.
10 Eggnog Sauce Ingredients:
11 1½ cups eggnog.
12 ¼ cup sugar.
13 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
14 1 egg, beaten.
15 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
16 Optional: 2 tablespoons spiced rum.

Steps to Follow

Step 01

Turn your oven to 350°F. Coat a baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.

Step 02

In a big bowl, whisk together eggnog, milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.

Step 03

Toss the bread chunks in the mixture until all pieces are soaked.

Step 04

Pour everything into the greased dish, then bake for about 35-40 minutes. Center should jiggle just a bit when done.

Step 05

Crack an egg into a bowl and whisk until frothy. Set it aside for later use.

Step 06

Pour eggnog, sugar, and cornstarch into a pot. Stir constantly on medium heat until it’s bubbling slightly.

Step 07

Carefully drizzle about a third of the warm mixture into your egg, whisking quickly to avoid scrambling.

Step 08

Add the egg mixture back to the pot. On low heat, keep stirring until it bubbles a bit.

Step 09

Take the pot off the heat and stir in butter. Add rum, if you want. Drizzle the warm sauce over your baked pudding before serving.

Additional Notes

  1. A cozy dessert that mixes classic bread pudding with holiday eggnog.
  2. Can be baked in a 9x13 or an 8x11 inch dish.
  3. Use 5 extra minutes for smaller dishes.

Tools You'll Need

  • Dish for baking.
  • Big bowl for mixing.
  • Small pot for sauce.
  • Whisk or fork for stirring.

Allergy Information

Check every ingredient for potential allergens. Consult a healthcare professional for concerns.
  • Contains milk and other dairy items like butter.
  • Includes eggs.
  • Bread contains gluten.

Nutrition Info (Per Serving)

These details are for informational purposes and don’t replace medical advice.
  • Calories: 407
  • Fats: 11.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 60 g
  • Proteins: 14.2 g