Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread Pudding

At Ajpal, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

picture of pumpkin bread pudding with whipped cream with a fork

Easy Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Delicious bread pudding loaded with pumpkin, cinnamon, and so much flavor straight from your slow cooker – is there anything better in fall?

This dessert cooks slowly so you can start it and forget it and have a delicious pumpkin dessert that is perfect with whipped cream ready when you finish dinner! This recipe is loaded with flavor – I hope you love it as much as we do.

picture of pumpkin bread pudding with whipped cream on a fork

How to make Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread Pudding

To make this easy slow cooker bread pudding you will need:

Cinnamon raisin swirl bread – premade cinnamon raisin swirl bread has all the flavors we want for this bread pudding and makes it quick and easy to assemble.
Milk – you will need milk to bring the pudding together and give it a nice rich consistency.
Pumpkin purée – this will give your pumpkin bread pudding that earthy rich pumpkin flavor.
Caramel sauce – caramel sauce adds a lovely flavor to this pudding similar to a caramel apple, yum!
Maple extract – maple extract is a great intense maple flavor and compliments the cinnamon and pumpkin really well. You can substitute with vanilla extract if you dont have maple extract.
Brown sugar – you will need a little brown sugar just to add a little extra sweetness to this pumpkin bread pudding.
Nutmeg – nutmeg has a strong spicy bite and is a great addition to this pudding.
Eggs – cooked egg will be the binder that will hold the pudding together.
Powdered sugar – powdered sugar is the thickener for the glaze, sift before adding it for the best result.
Milk – this milk will give a rich consistency to the pumpkin glaze. You can use it to thin the glaze too if necessary.
Pumpkin purée – just a little pumpkin puree can go a long way to add a bit of pumpkin cheer to the glaze.
Pumpkin spice – pumpkin spice is a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and helps the glaze compliment the flavors in the bread pudding itself.

cinnamon bread in a whole bowl with mixture poured on it.

uncooked bread pudding in a slow cooker.

cinnamon bread, vanilla extract, and other ingredients.

Once you have assembled the ingredients use the following method

Prep. Cut the bread into cubes. Combine the milk, pumpkin, maple extract, brown sugar, nutmeg, and eggs in a bowl, whisk until frothy.

Assemble. Put half the bread into the slow cooker, pour half the mixture on top. Put the rest of the bread into the cooker and pour the rest of the mixture on top. You want to make sure the bread cubes are saturated. Drizzle the caramel sauce on the top.

Cook. Cover and cook on low for 2 and a half hours or until done (see tips below for info about how to check for doneness).

Glaze. Combine all the glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth. When the bread pudding is done cooking pour pumpkin glaze over it and serve warm. Top it with whipped cream if you like and enjoy!

picture of pumpkin bread pudding next to a slow cooker with whipped cream on a fork

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Check out these tips and tricks for perfect slow cooker pumpkin bread pudding.

Pick your base bread. You can use any bread you love in bread pudding. We love to use breads with lots of extra flavor, like cinnamon, raisins, or other additions. This recipe specifically calls for cinnamon raisin swirl bread, but you can use any bread that has cinnamon that you love. I also love using leftover date nut bread or easy peanut butter bread for this recipe for a slightly different flavor!

How to check for doneness. Bread pudding starts to brown around the edges when done – and will reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. When you insert a toothpick or knife in the middle of bread pudding it will come out clean when done.

Freeze your bread pudding. After baking and cooling, you can absolutely freeze bread pudding to be eaten later. I prefer to transfer bread pudding to an aluminum baking tray for freezing and easy thawing. Bread pudding can last in the freezer for up to three months. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator and then bake or microwave until piping hot. For best results reheating bread pudding, add glaze fresh before eating.

FAQs

Since bread pudding is baked with pumpkin, eggs, and milk, you can use stale/dry bread. Do not use bread that tastes off, or is so dry it is stiff.

Bread pudding is a mixture of chunks of bread, eggs, milk, and other flavors, that becomes soft and puffy when cooked. Bread pudding is sweet and can be served for breakfast or dessert.

Bread pudding is fabulous with a sugary glaze, scoop of ice cream, or heaping dollop of whipped cream on top.