Take your dessert to the next level with an amazing smoked bourbon bread pudding! This is not your grandmother’s bread pudding infused with bourbon inside and out, made with bourbon soaked raisins, and topped with an simple bourbon brown sugar glaze.
Smoked Bread Pudding
Classic bread pudding makes a wonderful, comforting dessert especially when you top it off with a scoop of ice cream of a sweet sauce. But, classic bread pudding doesn’t stand a chance against this smoked version!
It’s not just the mild addition of smoke in every bite, it’s also the addition of bourbon flavor. To make the smoke flavor come through, take the extra step to smoke the bread itself and then, smoke the bread pudding with some mild and fruity wood.
And to make the bourbon flavor more prominent, soak the raisins in bourbon first, mix some bourbon into the creamy egg mixture, and make the bourbon brown sugar sauce. Altogether, this is the best twist on a classic bread pudding!
Ingredients for the Bread Pudding:
Bread – when it comes to sweet bread pudding, I love to use Brioche. It is soft and sweet and does a great job at soaking up all the flavors.
Milk and cream – for a rich and creamy result, use whole milk and heavy whipping cream.
Eggs
Butter – little melted butter for the fat. I prefer to use unsalted so I can control the amount of sodium in the dishes.
Brown sugar – you can use either dark brown or light brown sugars. Dark brown sugar has a deeper molasses flavor.
Bourbon – use the bourbon you like to drink. I never recommend using cheap wine or liquors in cooking because the flavors do come through!
Raisins – use as many raisins as you wish and remember to soak them in rum for a few minutes first.
Vanilla extract and cinnamon – all to make that flavor the best!
For the Bourbon Brown Sugar Sauce:
Brown sugar – light or dark, although light will dissolve a little better.
Butter – unsalted is best. It’s better to add a pinch of salt when needed because salted butter contains a lot of sodium.
Heavy whipping cream – it won’t make the sauce very creamy but it will help the consistency.
Cinnamon
Bourbon
How To Stale Bread For Bread Pudding:
The longest part about preparing any bread pudding is getting the bread stale. Easiest (but longest) way is to let it get stale on it’s own, over a period of a day or two.
Cut bread into small, 1-inch cubes and spread the pieces evenly in a large rimmed baking sheet and just let them dry for about 24 hours.
For the Best Smoked Flavor!
For the best smoked flavor of the bread pudding and to stale bread fast, stale it in the smoker.
Preheat smoker to 200°. Cut the bread into small, 1-inch cubes and spread them in a large grilling topper tray. It’s best if the bread is in one even layer.
Place the bread onto the smoker and let them harden for about 1.5-2 hours and take it out.
How To Make Bread Pudding
Place raisins in a small bowl and add bourbon. Let the raisins soak for about 15 minutes.
Grease a 9×13 baking dish and spread the stale bread in it. Raise the smoker temperature to 325°.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of bourbon that raisins were soaking in. Whisk it all together and pour over the bread in the baking dish. Press on the bread gently to help it absorb the eggs mixture.
Take raisins out of the bourbon and save the remaining bourbon for the sauce. Spread the raisins evenly throughout the top of the bread pudding and pop it onto the smoker.
Smoke bread pudding for about an hour.
To Make The Brown Sugar Sauce:
In a small sauce pot, start melting butter. Whisk in brown sugar, cinnamon, and heavy whipping cream. Bring to a low boil over medium heat and lower the heat to about medium low.
Let it simmer, while slowly whisking, for 5-8 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Add bourbon and simmer a couple more minutes.
When Is Bread Pudding Done?
One way to tell is to touch the middle of the pudding and see how wiggly it is. If the middle hasn’t baked through yet, it will be quite wiggly and soft and it even might feel a little squishy.
Bread pudding should starts to feel firm in the center and yield when you gently press into it. You can also check the internal temperature in the center of bread pudding and aim for 170°F-175°F.
Some More Recipes To Try:
Smoked Bourbon Bread Pudding
Ingredients
For the Bread Pudding:
- 16 oz Brioche loaf
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup bourbon divided
- 1 cup raisins
- pinch salt
For Bourbon Brown Sugar Sauce:
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup bourbon from above
Instructions
- Note: If you don't want to stale the bread on the smoker, you can simply cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and let it stale on the counter for a day or two. (This will give you less smoked flavor in the bread pudding though.)
Prepare the Bread:
- Preheat smoker to 200°. Cut the bread into small, 1-inch cubes and spread them in a large grilling topper tray. It’s best if the bread is in one even layer.
- Place the bread onto the smoker and let it harden for about 1.5-2 hours and take it out.
Prepare the Bread Pudding:
- Place raisins in a small bowl and add the 1/2 cup of bourbon. Let the raisins soak for about 15 minutes.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish and spread the stale bread in it. Raise the smoker temperature to 325°.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of bourbon that raisins were soaking in.
- Whisk it all together and pour over the bread in the baking dish. Press on the bread gently to help it absorb the eggs mixture.
- Take raisins out of the bourbon and save the remaining bourbon for the sauce. Spread the raisins evenly throughout the top of the bread pudding and pop it onto the smoker.
- Cook bread pudding on the smoker for 50-60 minutes.*
Bourbon Brown Sugar Sauce:
- In a small sauce pot, start melting butter. Whisk in brown sugar, cinnamon, and heavy whipping cream. Bring to a low boil over medium heat and lower the heat to about medium low.
- Let it simmer, while slowly whisking, for 5-8 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Add bourbon and simmer a couple more minutes.
- Pour some of the sauce over the top of the hot bread pudding and save the rest for the individual portions if people want more.
Notes
Nutrition
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