Stale Bread Recipe: How to Make Easy Bread Crumb Pudding

Sneak Preview: Turn stale bread into a delicious dessert with this easy Bread Crumb Pudding recipe! Packed with yogurt for extra protein, pecans, and raisins, this dish is a flavorful way to minimize food waste and treat yourself.

Bread crumb pudding on a plate covered with whipped cream and caramelized pecansPin

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If you bake bread at home, you’ve likely faced the challenge of what to do with leftover loaves that go stale faster than store-bought versions. Instead of letting them go to waste, why not transform them into something delicious?

Enter this Bread Crumb Pudding—a sweet and satisfying way to repurpose stale bread crumbs into a comforting dessert. Other great options? Croutons or melba toast, but this pudding might just become your favorite

Why You Will Appreciate This Recipe

  • Eco-Friendly: Reduces food waste by using stale bread or cake crumbs.
  • Balanced Sweetness: Not too sugary, with subtle spice.
  • Customizable: Add raisins, pecans, or even mini chocolate chips.
  • Quick to Make: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps.

Happy Bakers Speak Up

Just made it, Delicious!” —KEN

The Inspiration Behind Bread Crumb Pudding

After making my Steakhouse Bread Recipe countless times, I found myself with more leftovers than two of us could eat. That’s when I remembered Helen Corbitt’s Cake Crumb Pudding from her cookbook.

Her recipe called for either cake or bread crumbs, making it perfect for repurposing leftover bread. When I worked at the Greenhouse (a luxury health spa once associated with Neiman Marcus)—we always used bread crumbs for this recipe. And yes, if you happen to have stale, un-iced cake, it works beautifully here too!


ingredients for bread crumb puddingPin

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • BUTTER:
    • Salted
    • If using unsalted, add a pinch of salt
  • SUGAR:
    • Use brown sugar for a butterscotch flavor
    • Granulated for a milder flavor
  • EGG:
    • Large eggs preferred
    • Any size works
  • YOGURT:
  • BAKING SODA:
    • Use only baking soda (works with the yogurt)
    • Do not substitute baking powder
  • RAISINS:
    • Raisins, currants, or golden raisins (aka sultanas), dates or figs; optional
    • Mini chocolate chips for kids.
  • PECANS:
  • FLOUR:
    • All-purpose flour (bleached or unbleached)
  • CINNAMON AND CLOVES:
    • Use ground cloves sparingly for memorable flavor
  • BREAD CRUMBS:

How to Make Soft Bread Crumbs

  1. Slice or tear stale bread into 1-inch pieces.
  2. Pulse in a food processor or blender until soft crumbs form.
  3. Avoid using dried-out bread or crusty sourdough for this recipe.

Variation: Cake Crumb Pudding

  • Use un-iced cake crumbs.
  • Pulse in a food processor until crumbly.
  • Adjust sugar to taste, depending on the sweetness of the cake.

FAQ

What kind of bread works best?
Soft, stale bread like whole wheat or sandwich bread is ideal. Avoid crusty or chewy varieties.

Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes! Substitute yogurt with a dairy-free alternative like almond or coconut yogurt.

Can I skip the raisins and nuts?
Absolutely. Replace with chocolate chips or leave them out entirely.


How To Assemble Bread Crumb Pudding

Creaming the butter and sugar with a stand mixer.Pin
Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
Adding the remaining ingredientsPin
Add the egg, yogurt, baking soda, raisins (or currants), pecans, flour, and spices.
mixing everything with a stand mixer.Pin
Mix until smooth.
Adding the bread crumbs.Pin
Finally, add the bread crumbs.
Preparing bread crumb pudding for baking in a casserole dish.Pin
Pour into a 1-qt dish or 8-inch square pan. Heat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 15 minutes longer.
Baked pudding in a dish with a spoon.Pin
Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. I like to sprinkle chopped caramelized nuts over the cream.

📌Pro Tips

  • Individual Servings: Spoon batter into muffin pans for single-serve portions.
  • Storage: Freeze leftovers for a quick treat later.
  • Spice It Up: Add a dash of nutmeg or orange zest for extra flavor.

Parting Thoughts: Bread crumb pudding is a delicious way to recycle leftover bread (or cake) crumbs. Sometimes, I spoon it into muffin pans instead of a quart dish to make individual servings that are easy to serve and convenient to freeze.


Need help troubleshooting? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com–photos welcome!

bread crumb pudding on a dish with whipped creamPin
Yield: 8 servings

Stale Bread Recipe: How to Make Easy Bread Crumb Pudding

This is a great way to recycle leftover bread from bread that is less fresh than you would like. Add an egg and yogurt for protein, whole wheat bread for fiber, and spices for a knock-out flavor.
5 from 9 votes
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Video

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • ¼ cup (56 g) butter
  • cup (71 g) brown sugar
  • 1 large (50 g) egg
  • ½ cup (113 g) unflavored Greek yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup (75 g) raisins or currants
  • ½ cup (55 g) pecans, chopped
  • ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose unbleached flour substitute whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups (168 g) bread crumbs

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
  • Beat ¼ cup (56 g) butter and ⅓ cup (71 g) brown sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy.
  • Add 1 large (50 g) egg, ½ cup (113 g) unflavored Greek yogurt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ cup (75 g) raisins or currants, ½ cup (55 g) pecans, chopped, ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose unbleached flour , 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ground cloves. Mix until fluffy.
  • Stir in 2 cups (168 g) bread crumbs. Pour this mixture into a 1-quart (oven-safe) casserole dish.
  • Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Serve hot or cold with ice cream, whipped cream, or another sauce like whiskey sauce or soft custard sauce. They are all good!

Notes

Notes
  • If your bread is extremely dry (like croutons), add more yogurt or an extra egg to ensure the mixture is adequately moist.
  • The batter should be fairly wet before baking for the best texture in the finished pudding.

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 333mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 227IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2mg

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

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4.56 from 9 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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7 Comments

  1. I made this yesterday and followed it exactly.
    It was dry and hard.
    Is there something I am missing?
    I couldn’t serve it.
    Luckily I had some berries and ice cream to serve my guest.

    1. Hi Helen,

      Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that your recipe didn’t turn out as expected. I know how frustrating it can be when you’re preparing something for guests and it doesn’t work out. Here are some possibilities:

      1. Overbaking. Did you check for doneness a little early? Ovens can vary, and sometimes they run hotter than the set temperature.
      2. Was your bread extra dry or stale? You might need to add a little more liquid. How did your batter look compared to my pictures?

      Berries and ice cream sound like a fantastic save–I’m sure your guests still appreciated your effort and creativity.

  2. 5 stars
    I try every breadcrumb pudding or cake recipe on the internet that I can find, as I always have an excess of fresh crumbs taking up way too much space in the freezer. I usually find them a bit stodgey and disappointing, but was delighted with this simple, economical and delicious recipe – there’s nothing ‘crummy’ about it at all, tastes like a real, cakey, fruit and nuts pudding, and particularly yum with ice-cream. A keeper of a recipe – thank you!

  3. Jill Uher says:

    4 stars
    A tasty way to use leftover bread!

    1. Thank you, Jill. Glad you enjoyed it.

  4. The pecans are missing from the printed recipe.
    How much should be added?
    Just made it, Delicious!

    1. Hi Ken,
      Sorry about the omission. Stir the pecans in with the raisins.