Skip to content

10 brilliant bread and butter puddings

For centuries, bread and butter pudding has been a classic British dessert, invented to use up leftover bread. These days, there are so many delicious spins on the original recipe, from spiced and chocolate to fruity and savoury, so why not give this family favourite a try?

Traditional bread and butter pudding
1 of 10

Traditional bread and butter pudding

A traditional British pud that's comforting and delicious. Master a classic with this easy bread and butter pudding recipe. If you're looking for a twist, why not swap the sultanas for currants or chopped, dried apricots, substitute lemon zest for orange or spread coarse marmalade or berry jam over the buttered bread slices.

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C gas 4. Lightly butter a medium baking dish (approximately 20cm x 25cm) with 10g of the butter. Spread the remaining butter generously over one side of the bread slices. Cut each slice into quarters.
  2. Arrange half the bread quarters, buttered sides up, over the base of the buttered dish and scatter with half the sultanas and lemon zest. Repeat to use up all the buttered bread, sultanas and lemon zest.
  3. Heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan until steaming hot. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with 50g of the golden caster sugar, until pale and thick. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture onto the eggs, whisking constantly. Strain through a sieve into a jug, then stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. Slowly pour the custard over the bread pudding, being careful to soak all the bread. Scatter the surface with the remaining sugar and grate over a little nutmeg. Bake for 35-40 minutes in the centre of the oven, until golden brown. Let the pudding rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Suitable for freezing when raw or cooked (wrap the dish containing the uncooked or cooked pudding in clingfilm and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and either proceed with cooking the pudding (if uncooked) or heat through for 20 minutes at 160°C, 140°C fan, gas 3 if cooked.

See more British recipes

View full recipe details
  • Ingredients
  • 60g lightly salted butter, softened
  • 10 slices thinly sliced white bread, preferably a day old (cut the crusts off if you like)
  • 60g (2oz) sultanas
  • ½ lemon, finely grated zest only
  • 350ml whole milk
  • 100ml double cream
  • 3 eggs
  • 60g (2oz) golden caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • grated fresh nutmeg