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10 Comments If you love classic bread pudding, wait until you try it with sourdough! This sourdough bread pudding recipe takes everything you already adore, creamy custard, warm spices, soft baked bread and adds an incredible tangy flavor and firmer texture thanks to the sourdough. Even better? It’s the perfect way to use up leftover sourdough bread so nothing goes to waste.
This easy sourdough bread pudding comes together in minutes and bakes into a comforting dessert (or breakfast!) that everyone will love. Make it simple with blueberries and vanilla, or switch things up with chocolate, caramel sauce, or seasonal fruits.
Why Make Bread Pudding with Sourdough?
Most bread pudding recipes call for brioche, challah, or sandwich bread — but sourdough is a game changer:
- Better flavor – slight tang that balances sweetness
- Amazing texture – tender center + lightly crisp edges
- Perfect for stale bread – prevents food waste
- Naturally fewer preservatives – a more wholesome dessert option
Table of contents
Ingredients & Variations
You can keep this sourdough bread pudding recipe classic or get creative:
Great additions:
- Fresh or frozen blueberries (as used here)
- Raisins, dried cherries, or chopped apricots
- Lemon curd (bright & sweet!)
- Chocolate chips
- Caramel sauce or cinnamon sugar
- Any jam you love: raspberry, strawberry, orange marmalade
Want to switch it up entirely? Make it savory with mushrooms, bacon, spinach, and cheese , recipe coming soon!
Tips for the Perfect Sourdough Bread Pudding
Let the bread absorb the custard. After pouring the egg and cream mixture over the sourdough, gently press the bread down so all the pieces become coated. Allow it to soak before baking, especially if you’re using bread with a thick crust.
Use the right amount of bread. The bread should absorb much of the custard while still leaving enough liquid to create a soft, creamy pudding. If there is a large pool of custard underneath the bread, the pudding may take considerably longer to bake.
Don’t overheat the cream. Warm the heavy cream gently without letting it boil. Add it gradually to the egg mixture while whisking continuously to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
Check the center before removing it from the oven. The top should be golden brown and the custard should be set around the edges. The center may still have a slight wobble, but it shouldn’t be liquid.
Let it rest before serving. Allowing the bread pudding to cool slightly helps the custard settle and makes it easier to serve.
Storing Sourdough Bread Pudding
Bread pudding keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days. Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap to prevent any flavors soaking into the bread pudding.
Eat cold or warm gently in the oven or microwave.
You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
FAQ Sourdough Bread Pudding
For this sourdough bread pudding, I prefer a slightly stale, bakery-style sourdough loaf. The bread should be firm enough to absorb the custard without completely falling apart.
White sourdough works particularly well because its mild tangy flavor complements the lemon curd and blueberries. Whole wheat sourdough is also an option, although it will give the pudding a heartier flavor and denser texture.
You can leave the crust on. It adds a little texture and becomes deliciously golden during baking.
Yes, but day-old bread is usually a better choice. Fresh sourdough can become quite soft once you add the custard.
If you only have fresh bread, cut it into cubes and dry it briefly in a low oven before using it. You want the bread to become slightly dry, not toasted until dark.
Yes! You can assemble the bread pudding the night before and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours before baking.
Keep in mind that sourdough will continue absorbing the custard as it rests. This can give the finished pudding a softer, more uniform texture.
When you’re ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. A chilled bread pudding may need additional baking time, so check the center rather than relying only on the timer.
There are several possible reasons. You may have used too little bread for the amount of custard, the bread may have been very fresh, or the pudding may need more time in the oven.
Make sure the bread has absorbed the custard and that the center is properly set before serving.
Swap heavy cream for coconut milk or almond milk, and use a dairy-free lemon curd or leave it out.
Absolutely. You can add frozen blueberries directly to the bread pudding without thawing them first. They may release a little extra moisture during baking, so check that the custard is properly set before removing the dish from the oven.
More delicious bread pudding recipes:
- Rhubarb bread pudding with raspberry curd
- Pumpkin bread pudding (gluten-free)
- Bread pudding with lemon curd and blueberries (similar to this one but made with brioche!)
Sourdough Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 70 gram sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 150 gram lemon curd
- 500 ml heavy cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4-5 slices sourdough bread in cubes
- 150 gram blueberries fresh or frozen
- 50 gram raisins
- 3 tbsp coconut grated
Equipment
- Oven dish 20 x 30 cm
How to make Sourdough Bread Pudding
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F. Mix sugar, vanilla and the eggs and mix well. Add the lemon curd and stir until it is a smooth mixture.3 large eggs, 70 gram sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 150 gram lemon curd
- Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan but do not bring to the boil! Once warm mix it with the egg mixture while constantly stirring.500 ml heavy cream
- Grease an oven dish with a little butter and place your cubes of bread in the dish. Spread evenly throughout and sprinkle with the blue berries and raisins. Pour in your egg mixture and where necessary press down a little to make sure all bread is soaked through.4-5 slices sourdough bread , 150 gram blueberries, 50 gram raisins, 1 tbsp butter
- Sprinkle with the grated coconut and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the egg is set and the bread pudding is golden brown. Eat straight away or leave to cool. It’s delicious both warm and cold!3 tbsp coconut grated
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Why don’t you have cups and teaspoons instead of grams and ml just stupid
Well Debbe, if you press the button for US customary you could all the us measurements.. Magic
I’m not sure if your instructions are mistaken, but it took almost an HOUR before this was set enough to remove from the oven
Great recipe but had to substitute the fresh fruit with dried fruit & it tasted delicious 👍👍👍
Thanks! And yes dried fruit would work well too!
It’s a different taste then the Mexican recipe I use but I enjoyed it. Also I actually just buy old bread on clearance. I have to think of what sounds good today or I eat the same two things. For a dollar or less is a smart idea to just buy day old.
Hi, I live in the US and am having trouble with the conversions
He Mary,
I’ve now added the conversion in cups. I also have a special page for just that purpose.. 🙂 https://insimoneskitchen.com/conversions/
How long do you have to wait for the sourdough to be stale enough to use in this recipe? Thanks!
He Sara, not long at all. In fact you can use fresh sourdough if you want but you can also wait one or two days. Sour dough gets stale pretty quickly.. 🙂