I’m especially excited to share this peach bread pudding recipe with you! After experimenting in the kitchen for months, this version of my flavorful, and addictive bread pudding will warm your heart. I’m totally in love with this recipe!
The fresh peaches, warm spices, butter, bourbon, and custard will make your kitchen smell so good. Better yet, the texture of the pudding will have little sugar-coated crunchy bits on the top of the casserole.
This bread pudding is an impressive yet comforting dessert, and the bourbon-laced sauce is so decadent, this peach cobbler bread pudding will be one of your favorites. I hope you’ll try some more of my bread pudding favorites lie favorites like apple bread pudding, and pumpkin bread pudding. These bread puddings are incredibly delish!!
How To Pick The Perfect Fresh Peach
How can you tell if a peach is ripe? You don’t have to squeeze your fruit; that will cause bruising. If a peach is obviously rock hard and has a greenish or light-yellow ring around the stem, it is NOT ripe. A ripe peach should be a bright golden color, often complemented by a reddish tint on one side. There should be a sweet fragrance when it’s smelled and some slight give when pressed. Look for golden or reddish skin around the stem.
If the peaches aren’t quite ripe, place them in a large paper bag on the counter. If you happen to have a ripe banana, or even better, one with black spots, you can add it to the bag with the peaches to accelerate the ripening.
The peaches will ripen quickly, so please check them often. Once ripe, place them in the refrigerator.
How To Peel A Fresh Peach
- Peaches: You need to make sure the peaches are ripe. Using a paring knife, cut an X on the bottom of each peach.
- Blanch: Use a large Dutch oven and fill it with water. Bring to a boil.
- Ice Bath: In another large bowl, fill with cold water and ice. Use a large Dutch oven and fill it with water. Bring it to a boil. In another large bowl, fill with cold water and ice.
- Process: In batches, place the prepared peaches in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then remove them and immediately put them in the prepared ice bath. The peaches will be so easy to peel. Starting at the X, use a paring knife, lift the skin away from the peach! It’s really simple and easy.
Best Bread For Bread Pudding
My favorite bread for making bread pudding is Brioche bread. It’s a French bread that is favored because of its rich, slightly sweet flavor. Challah bread, French bread, and sourdough bread also make good choices. Whichever bread you choose, it’s best used when slightly stale so that it can absorb the custard more effectively. If you don’t have day-old bread, check out the tips below for more information.
Can Canned or Frozen Peaches Be Used?
Yes, they can! Frozen peaches should be thawed and drained. Canned peaches should be rinsed and well drained. Extra moisture can ruin the bread pudding, so take extra care to ensure all excess moisture is removed. Lay the sliced peaches on a double layer of paper towels and dab the tops with additional paper towels.
Peach Bread Pudding Ingredients
- Butter: I use unsalted butter.
- Milk: Whole Milk gives the pudding a rich texture
- Heavy Cream: Also labeled as Heavy Whipping Cream. The full-fat cream adds moisture to the dessert.
- Granulated Sugar: White sugar
- Cinnamon: The perfect warm spice to complement the fresh peach flavor.
- Nutmeg: Ground nutmeg will add fragrance and a warm, slightly sweet taste
- Salt: Sea salt or kosher
- Eggs: I use large eggs
- Vanilla Extract: This ingredient adds warmth to the dish. Any brand is fine as long as it is pure vanilla extract.
- Bourbon: Any brand. As a substitute, you can use dark rum or any robust liquor
- Bread: A hearty bread, such as French. Try to buy it a few days in advance and let it go stale. Try brioche for a richer texture.
- Peaches: Fresh peaches are recommended for best results, or high-quality canned, drained
Tips
- Press: Once the bread pudding and custard are in the prepared baking dish, gently press the top of the bread down with a spatula to coat the cubes in the liquid. Let it stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes, or until the bread is soaked through.
- Texture: The perfect bread pudding starts with the right texture of the bread. If the bread is too fresh, your pudding will be wet and mushy.
- If you have fresh bread, no problem! Just cube, place on a large, rimmed baking sheet and place in a 200-degree oven for 20 minutes. Keep checking every 10 minutes thereafter. You’re looking for a dry texture, making sure the bread doesn’t take on any color. It should not be hard and dry like a crouton, just stale.
- For a more rustic look, feel free to tear the bread instead of cubing it. Make sure the pieces are uniform in size.
- Sauce: Feel free to adjust the amount of bourbon in the sauce. I think that with one tablespoon, there’s not a strong bourbon flavor. Some recipes add up to 1/4 cup of bourbon. Now that has a robust, pronounced bourbon flavor. I don’t care for that much bourbon! You can adjust the amount of bourbon to a little less for those sensitive to the taste of alcohol, or more for adults who enjoy a good bourbon-laced dessert! For the kids, vanilla ice cream instead of the sauce would be equally delicious.
- Variations: Switch up the sugar. Use 1/2 cup of white granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar for a more caramel-like flavor.
- Shortcut: Skip making our bourbon sauce and top the bread pudding with commercial caramel sauce to save some time.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This in The Fridge? Once cooked and cooled, your Southern peach bread pudding will last up to four days in the fridge, if it lasts that long!
- Can You Freeze This? Yes! Bake the peach bread pudding with fresh peaches, then let it cool completely. Wrap it up tightly then freeze for up to two months. When ready to enjoy, let it thaw in the refrigerator. You can gently warm it up in the microwave (on 60% power – avoid overheating).
- Make-Ahead: I think my peach bourbon bread pudding may even be better the next day! The flavors will develop overnight. Just gently heat up in the oven or microwave. The sauce can be warmed on the stovetop.
- Food Safety: For more information on food safety, check out this link.
How To Make Peach Bread Pudding
- In a small saucepan, add milk, heavy cream, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until the butter is completely melted.
- Combine the eggs, vanilla, and bourbon. Whisk it in the milk mixture.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the bread cubes and pour the custard over the bread. Gently toss them, then let the bread pieces soak.
- Add the peaches and gently fold. Let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes.
- Pour the bread mixture into the baking dish and bake, uncovered. Serve it with the sauce.
***See the full instructions below.
More Peach Dessert Recipes
- Peach Moonshine
- Peach Cobbler
- Peach Crisp
- Peach Fluff
- Peach Bread
- Peach Pie –with double pie crust!
- Peaches and Cream Pie
- Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
- Peach Pound Cake
- Peach Crumb Bars
- Bisquick Peach Cobbler
- Peach Blueberry Crisp
- Peach Cobbler Dump Cake
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Peach Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Bread Pudding:
- 7 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 12 cups stale bread, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 4 peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
Instructions
Make Bread Pudding:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC). Butter a 9X13 inch baking dish generously with about 1 1/2 tablespoons butter; set aside.
- In a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan add milk (2 cups), heavy cream (2 cups), sugar (1 cup), remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, cinnamon (1 1/2 teaspoons), nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon), and salt (1 teaspoon). Cook over medium heat. Stir frequently until the butter is completely melted. Remove from heat and cool for about 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, check the milk mixture and be sure it's just warm to the touch. Whisk in eggs (6), vanilla (1 tablespoon), and bourbon (1 tablespoon).
- In a very large mixing bowl, add bread cubes (12 cups). Pour the custard over the bread. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold, making sure any dry pieces of bread get soaked. Add (4) peaches and gently fold the mixture until evenly combined. Allow the mixture to sit on the counter and soak for 20 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid mixture.
- Pour the soaked mixture into the prepared baking pan and evenly spread. Bake in preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
Make Sauce:
- While the bread pudding is baking make the sauce by combining butter (1/2 cup), sugar (1 cup), and heavy cream (1/2 cup) in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until sugar is dissolved.
- Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla (1 tablespoon) and bourbon (1 tablespoon) until well combined. It's ready to serve!
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