Panettone Bread Pudding
Panettone Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce is a supremely decadent, rich, and sticky-sweet dessert that will make your Christmas dinner unforgettable! My family favorite bread pudding recipe is elevated to a whole new festive level with the addition of panettone, but the real center of attention might just be the homemade bourbon caramel sauce.
Panettone Bread Pudding
Ooey, gooey, warm, and sticky-sweet – those are just a few ways to describe this insanely decadent dessert! Bread pudding is always a favorite of mine, especially when it’s made with festive panettone! Panettone just screams Christmas to me. Every year I usually serve it straight out of the box on Christmas Eve, but I thought this year, why not shake things up a bit and make it even more delicious?
It’s not just the bourbon caramel sauce that makes this Panettone bread pudding unforgettably good. The fruity flavored panettone itself is prepared with a list of ingredients that make it moist and rich with spiced flavor, like heavy cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg. There’s nothing worse than a dry bread pudding, and you really won’t have to worry about this with this dense dessert – especially when it’s topped off with caramel sauce!
Bourbon. Caramel. Sauce. I’m pretty much drooling just thinking about it. Even if you’re not really a bourbon connoisseur, the way it cooks into the rich caramel sauce is SO mouthwatering! Plus, it’s just a splash of bourbon that’s added, so it enhances the decadence and deep flavor of the sauce without overpowering the sweetness of it. Overall, the bread pudding and caramel sauce are each a cinch to make, and irresistibly delicious.
How to Make Panettone Bread Pudding
First, let’s make the bread pudding!
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Coat a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray and arrange the bread cubes in the dish.
- Create the mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Submerge the bread. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and press gently to submerge.
- Bake. Transfer the bread pudding to the oven and bake for 45 minutes until puffed up and set in the middle.
- Cool. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Now, let’s make the caramel sauce!
- Heat the sugar. Add the sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan, do not stir, for approximately 10-15 minutes until it becomes a deep amber color.
- Make it creamy. Remove from the heat and slowly add the cream while stirring.
- Add the final touches. Stir in the salt and bourbon. Return to the heat for an additional minute.
- Cool. Allow to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
- Enjoy. Pour the bourbon caramel sauce over your panettone bread pudding, and enjoy!
Storage
In an airtight container in the fridge, bourbon caramel sauce will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. Bring it to room temperature before pouring on top of your bread pudding if you choose to make it ahead of time.
What is panettone?
If you’ve never had panettone, you’re in for a real treat! This is a dessert bread that is famous for two big reasons – it’s Christmas-y, and it’s Italian. It’s a sweet bread that is chock-full of raisins, candied fruits, and almonds. Although it’s certainly delicious on all its own, it’s even better when baked with rich spices, added moisture, and thick bourbon caramel sauce!
You can make a homemade version with my easy Panettone recipe!
It makes the best French Toast Casserole, too.
Make even more of my favorite holiday desserts this year!
- Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
- Chocolate Chunk Brioche Bread Pudding
- Gingerbread Cheesecake Recipe
- Butterscotch Pot de Creme
For more easy dessert ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Get the Recipe: Panettone Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1-pound loaf panettone bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups half and half or whole milk
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For the sauce:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons bourbon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Equipment
- baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Coat a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray and arrange the bread cubes in the dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg,
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and press gently to submerge.
- Transfer the bread pudding to the oven and bake for 45 minutes until puffed up and set in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve warm with the caramel sauce.
To make the sauce:
- Add the sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Swirl the pan, do not stir, for approximately 10-15 minutes until it becomes a deep amber color.
- Remove from the heat and slowly add the cream while stirring.
- Stir in the salt and bourbon. Return to the heat for an additional minute.
- Allow to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
- To store for a longer period, keep in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.