Pecan Sticky Bun Pumpkin Bread Pudding
If fall had a dessert that perfectly captured everything cozy about the season, it would be this Pecan Sticky Bun Pumpkin Bread Pudding. Soft buttery brioche soaks up a perfectly spiced pumpkin custard then gets swirled and layered with a warming gooey sticky pecan filling that melts into every single bite. The whole thing bakes up golden and bubbling with the most incredible combination of textures and flavors — rich custardy bread pudding meets classic sticky bun in the most indulgent way. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of easy salted caramel, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt!
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Ingredients You Need:
Full ingredients and recipe are in the recipe card below. Read through this section for all the ingredients substitution and baking tips!
Brioche Bread: The star of this bread pudding — soft buttery thick-cut brioche is dried out overnight and cut into cubes so it soaks up every drop of the pumpkin spice custard for the most incredibly tender soft and custardy result. Drying it out overnight is key for the best texture.
Vanilla Ice Cream: The perfect finishing touch — a generous scoop melting over the warm inverted bread pudding alongside the salted caramel and flaky sea salt makes every single spoonful absolutely unreal.
Brown Sugar: The base of the warming gooey sticky pecan filling that creates the most perfectly caramelized and indulgent sticky bun flavor layered throughout.
Salted Butter: Used in both the sticky pecan filling and the pumpkin spice custard — melted into the pecan filling for a rich buttery depth that creates that classic sticky bun caramel flavor, and stirred into the custard for an extra layer of richness and flavor.
Cinnamon: Used in both the sticky pecan filling and the pumpkin spice custard for that warm cozy spice that ties all the fall flavors together beautifully in every single bite.
Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: Adds a warm sweet aromatic depth to both the sticky pecan filling and the pumpkin spice custard.
Salt: A pinch in both the sticky pecan filling and the pumpkin spice custard balances the sweetness and enhances all the warm fall flavors beautifully.
Pecans: The star of the sticky pecan filling — chopped and mixed with brown sugar butter and cinnamon into a warming gooey and perfectly caramelized filling.
Milk: Combined with the heavy cream to create the rich base of the pumpkin spice custard. Any milk of choice works well here.
Heavy Cream: Added to the pumpkin spice custard alongside the milk for an extra layer of richness that gives the bread pudding that perfectly indulgent and custardy texture.
Pumpkin Puree: Whisked into the custard for that signature warm natural pumpkin flavor that soaks beautifully into every piece of brioche. Make sure to use plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
Eggs: The backbone of the pumpkin spice custard — four whole eggs plus one extra yolk give the custard a rich golden color and a perfectly set custardy texture that soaks beautifully into every piece of brioche.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the pumpkin spice custard.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds that signature blend of nutmeg ginger and cloves to the pumpkin spice custard that gives every bite that deeply warming and comforting fall flavor.
Maple Syrup: The base of the easy homemade salted caramel that adds a natural warm caramel-like sweetness that drizzles beautifully.
Almond Butter: Combined with maple syrup and oil to create a smooth creamy and naturally sweetened salted caramel that is incredibly easy to make and absolutely delicious drizzled over the warm bread pudding.
Avocado Oil or Coconut Oil: Whisked into the easy salted caramel for a smooth silky and perfectly drizzleable consistency.
Why You’ll Love Pecan Sticky Bun Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
Soft Buttery Brioche Soaked In Pumpkin Custard: The brioche soaks up every drop of the perfectly spiced pumpkin custard for the most incredibly rich tender and custardy base.
Warming Gooey Sticky Pecan Filling: The sticky pecan filling is warm gooey and deeply caramelized — swirled throughout and layered on top so you get that incredible sticky bun flavor in every single bite.
The Most Incredible Flavor Combination: Rich custardy pumpkin bread pudding meets classic sticky bun in the most indulgent and deeply satisfying way.
Served Warm With All The Good Things: Vanilla ice cream melting over the warm bread pudding alongside a drizzle of easy salted caramel and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt makes every single spoonful completely over the top.
It Bakes Up Golden And Bubbling: The whole thing comes out of the oven golden on top with that sticky pecan filling bubbling up around the edges — it looks as incredible as it tastes.
Make Ahead Friendly: This is a wonderful make-ahead dessert. Assemble it the night before, refrigerate, and bake fresh the next day for the most effortless and impressive fall dessert.
Perfect For Fall Entertaining: Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, a fall dinner party — this bread pudding is the kind of dessert that has everyone at the table reaching for seconds.
Cozy Fall Comfort In Every Bite: Warm spiced pumpkin, buttery brioche, gooey sticky pecans, and salted caramel — this is everything you want in a fall dessert all in one pan!
Tips for Making Pecan Sticky Bun Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
Dry Out The Bread Overnight: For the best results leave the brioche bread cubes out overnight to dry before making the bread pudding. Dried out bread absorbs the pumpkin spice custard more evenly and gives you the best soft tender and custardy texture.
Lightly Toast The Bread If Needed: If you did not dry the bread out overnight spread the cubes on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven at 350F for 7-10 minutes. You just want a light toast on the outside — be careful not to actually bake the bread or it will become too dry and tough.
Make The Sticky Pecan Filling First: Prepare the sticky pecan filling before anything else so it is ready to go when you start layering. It comes together in just a few minutes and having it ready makes the whole assembly process seamless.
Reserve More Than Half For Layering: Spread just over half of the sticky pecan mixture in the bottom of the pan and reserve the rest for layering in between the bread cubes. This ensures the most even distribution of that gooey sticky pecan flavor in every single bite.
Press The Bread Down After Each Layer: After each layer of bread cubes press down firmly with the back of a wooden spoon to compress. This helps the bread absorb the custard more evenly and ensures no dry pockets throughout.
Whisk The Custard Until Very Well Combined: Make sure there are absolutely no ribbons of egg remaining in the pumpkin spice custard before pouring over the bread. A well-combined custard soaks in evenly and gives you the most consistently custardy result.
Make Sure Every Piece Of Bread Is Soaked: After pouring the pumpkin spice custard over the layered bread use the back of a wooden spoon to gently press down on any pieces that are not fully soaked. Every piece of bread should be well saturated before going into the refrigerator.
Let It Rest In The Refrigerator: After assembling cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking. This gives the brioche maximum time to soak up every drop of the pumpkin spice custard for the best result.
Make It Overnight For The Best Results: For the absolute best texture assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. This gives the brioche maximum time to soak up every drop of the pumpkin spice custard.
Bake Uncovered For A Golden Top: Remove the foil before baking so the top can develop that beautiful golden color. The foil was just for the resting period in the refrigerator.
Know What Done Looks Like: The bread pudding is done when the top is golden and set but the middle still has a slight wobble when gently shaken. Do not overbake — the center will continue to set as it rests.
Let It Rest Before Inverting: Allow the bread pudding to rest for at least 10-15 minutes after baking before inverting onto the serving plate. This gives everything time to set up so the sticky pecan topping stays beautifully intact when flipped.
Make The Salted Caramel While It Rests: The easy homemade salted caramel comes together in just a few minutes so whip it up during the resting time so it is ready to drizzle the moment you are ready to serve.
Invert Confidently: When inverting the bread pudding onto the serving plate do it quickly and confidently in one smooth motion. The parchment paper makes this much easier and helps everything release cleanly for the most stunning presentation.
Serve Warm For The Best Experience: This bread pudding is at its absolute best served warm straight from the oven with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the sticky pecan top, a drizzle of salted caramel, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
How to Store Pecan Sticky Bun Pumpkin Bread Pudding:
Best Served Fresh: This pecan sticky bun pumpkin bread pudding is at its absolute best served warm the day it is baked. The sticky pecan topping is perfectly caramelized, the brioche is soft and custardy, and everything comes together in the most incredible way when still warm from the oven.
Make Ahead: This is a wonderful make-ahead dessert. Assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate overnight. Bake fresh the next day for the most effortless and impressive fall dessert.
Refrigerator: Store leftover bread pudding covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sticky pecan topping will firm up slightly in the refrigerator so reheating before serving is strongly recommended.
To Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until warmed through. The oven at 325F for 10-15 minutes also works beautifully for bringing back that fresh baked feel and slightly caramelized sticky pecan topping.
Make Ahead (Easy Salted Caramel): The easy salted caramel can be made in advance and stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring it to room temperature or warm slightly before drizzling over the warm bread pudding.
Freezer: Freeze individual portions of the cooled bread pudding in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or oven before serving. Add fresh ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel right before serving.
Storing Inverted vs In The Pan: If you are making this ahead and plan to serve it the next day you can leave it in the pan uninverted and covered in the refrigerator. Invert onto the serving plate right before serving for the most beautiful and fresh presentation.
FAQs:
Q: Can I make this pecan sticky bun pumpkin bread pudding ahead of time?
A: Yes — this is actually one of the best make-ahead fall desserts. Assemble it the night before, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate overnight. Bake fresh the next day and serve warm with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel for the most effortless and impressive result.
Q: Can I use a different bread instead of brioche?
A: Brioche is strongly recommended for its soft buttery texture that soaks up the pumpkin spice custard beautifully. Challah works well as a substitute if brioche is not available. Avoid using regular sandwich bread as it will not hold up as well during baking.
Q: Why do I need to dry out the bread before using it?
A: Dried out bread absorbs the pumpkin spice custard much more evenly and gives you the best soft tender and custardy texture. Fresh bread can become too soggy and may not hold its structure as well during baking.
Q: Can I use a different nut instead of pecans?
A: Yes. Walnuts work beautifully as a substitute and give a similar warm nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the spiced pumpkin custard and gooey sticky filling. You can also do a mix of both for extra texture.
Q: Why do I press the bread down after each layer?
A: Pressing down after each layer helps compress the bread and ensures every single piece is in contact with the sticky pecan filling and pumpkin spice custard. This gives you the most evenly soaked and consistently custardy result throughout.
Q: How do I know when the bread pudding is done baking?
A: The bread pudding is done when the top is golden and set but the middle still has a slight wobble when gently shaken. Do not overbake — the center will continue to set as it rests out of the oven and that slight wobble is what gives you that perfectly custardy center.
Q: Do I have to invert the bread pudding to serve?
A: Inverting is recommended for the most stunning presentation since the sticky pecan layer ends up beautifully on top. However you can absolutely serve it straight from the pan if you prefer. Just scoop individual portions and drizzle with salted caramel and ice cream as normal.
Q: Can I use store-bought caramel sauce instead of the easy homemade salted caramel?
A: Yes. Store-bought caramel sauce works perfectly as a substitute. Just add a generous pinch of flaky sea salt for that perfect sweet and salty finish that ties everything together so beautifully.
Q: Can I freeze this bread pudding?
A: Yes. Freeze individual portions of the cooled bread pudding in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or oven before serving. Add fresh ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel right before serving for the best result.
Love this? Check out my other fall desserts:
Make sure to tag me @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and leave a review or comment if you make this pecan sticky bun pumpkin bread pudding. Happy baking!
