Classic bread pudding is amplified with the addition of creamy sweet potatoes, fall spices, and the most delicious maple sauce!!
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, this is the perfect dessert to serve your family and friends. This Sweet Potato Bread Pudding is nothing short of delicious. It’s packed with delicious fall spices and the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. It absolutely screams Thanksgiving. Plus it is topped with the most drool worthy maple sauce. Take this Bread Pudding to your holiday potluck and watch it disappear!
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
Scroll down for full recipe with exact measurements
- Bread
- Sweet potatoes
- Half and half
- Granulated white sugar
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Butter
Ingredients for Maple Sauce
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Half and half
- Maple extract
Instructions for Bread Pudding
On a rimmed baking sheet spread the torn bread pieces out in a single layer. Bake the pieces until crisped and brown to dry out. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
In a large bowl whisk together the half and half, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Add the toasted bread and toss until evenly coated. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until the bread begins to absorb the liquid and softens, approximately 20-30 minutes.
Add a small amount of water to sweet potato chunks and microwave for about 4-5 minutes to soften (leaving just slightly al dente.
Pour half of the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Layer the sweet potato pieces and then pour the remaining bread mixture on top. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile in a small bowl mix the remaining nutmeg and 3 tbsp of granulated white sugar. Using your fingers work the butter into the sugar mixture forming pieces the size of small peas.
Remove foil from the bread pudding and sprinkle with the nutmeg-butter mixture. Rotate the dish and continue to bake uncovered until the custard is set. Approximately 25 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature back to 450 and bake until the top is crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Let the bread pudding cool for 30 minutes.
Tips
You can make the bread pudding ahead of time. You will prepare it but don’t bake it. Cover and refrigerate up to overnight. Remove from the fridge while the oven is preheating, uncover, and bake as directed. If the liquid has soaked up, drizzle a small amount more of half and half over the entire dish.
The sweet potato bread pudding can also be frozen. Allow it to cool completely after baking and do not pour the maple sauce on top. You want to make sure it is wrapped completely to prevent freezer burn – we suggest wrapping it in saran wrap and then again in heavy duty foil. Then place it in a freezer safe container or Ziploc. The bread pudding should last about 2-3 months in the freezer.
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Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Maple Sauce
Description
Classic bread pudding is amplified with the addition of creamy sweet potatoes, fall spices, and the most delicious maple sauce!!
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
- 9 cups bread (torn into 1-inch pieces)
- 3 cups chopped sweet potatoes (cut in 1-inch chunks)
- 4 cups half and half
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 8 large egg yolks (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (divided)
- 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter (cut into 1/4 inch pieces and chilled)
Maple Sauce
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a 9“ x 13” baking dish with non-stick spray.
- On a rimmed baking sheet spread the torn bread pieces out in a single layer. Bake the pieces until crisped and brown to dry out. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
- In a large bowl whisk together the half and half, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Add the toasted bread and toss until evenly coated. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until the bread begins to absorb the liquid and softens, approximately 20-30 minutes.
- Add a small amount of water to sweet potato chunks and microwave for about 4-5 minutes to soften (leaving just slightly al dente.
- Pour half of the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Layer the sweet potato pieces and then pour the remaining bread mixture on top. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a small bowl mix the remaining nutmeg and 3 tbsp of granulated white sugar. Using your fingers work the butter into the sugar mixture forming pieces the size of small peas.
- Remove foil from the bread pudding and sprinkle with the nutmeg-butter mixture. Rotate the dish and continue to bake uncovered until the custard is set. Approximately 25 minutes.
- Increase the oven temperature back to 450 and bake until the top is crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Let the bread pudding cool for 30 minutes.
- In a saucepan over medium heat melt the sugar and butter together, bringing to a boil.
- Whisk in Half and Half and maple extract. Pour over bread pudding and serve.
Notes
I used focaccia in this recipe, but you can use any day old bread – brioche, baguette, Italian, etc. For an extra boost of flavor, you can use a cinnamon swirl bread.
