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Grandma's Sunday dinners always featured this Southern bread pudding that's stuck with me for years. Hawaiian rolls turn into something truly special when drenched in our buttery sauce and topped with crunchy pecans. Nothing beats the kitchen filled with vanilla and toasty bread smells - it's comfort food at its finest.
Why You'll Love This Southern Delight
Every spoonful of this Southern bread pudding delivers pure comfort. The best part? Your kitchen probably has all these ingredients already and you'll whip it up in no time. I'm a fan of customizing with your own favorites - maybe some juicy raisins, hot caramel, or chunks of baked apples.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Don't forget extra butter sugar egg and vanilla for that wonderful sauce.
- pecans.
- The topping calls for soft butter
- brown sugar
- vanilla
- milk
- white sugar
- eggs
- For the pudding base, you'll want Hawaiian rolls
Basic items that work together to create something truly outstanding.
Putting It All Together
First, cube your rolls and let them sit out overnight to dry. Combine eggs, sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl, then pour over your bread and let everything soak about 10 minutes. Mix brown sugar, butter and pecans, then scatter on top. Bake at 350°F until golden, roughly 35 minutes. While baking, make your sauce by stirring sugar, butter, vanilla and egg together until everything blends smoothly.
Pro Tricks
Want amazing Southern bread pudding? Start with stale bread since it really soaks up all that custard mixture. For neat serving portions, cool it in the fridge beforehand. Want to jazz it up? Try adding some bourbon to your sauce. You can even swap in French bread or challah if Hawaiian rolls aren't around.
Storage Advice
Your bread pudding will stay tasty for 3 days when kept in the fridge in something airtight. Heat it back up in a 325°F oven or just microwave single portions. Got leftovers? Freeze them up to 6 months and just let them thaw overnight before warming them up again.
Serving Suggestions
This Southern bread pudding gets even better with cold vanilla ice cream melting on top. It pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or tea. You'll want to bring this out for holiday meals, family get-togethers, or whenever you're craving a bit of Southern comfort food.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why should the bread be stale?
Old bread soaks up custard way better without breaking apart. New bread's too soft and doesn't hold up while baking.
- → Can I prep this ahead?
Sure! Get it ready but hold off on baking. Refrigerate it overnight, take it out to warm up a bit, then bake. Make the sauce fresh for serving.
- → What if Hawaiian rolls aren't available?
If you don't have Hawaiian rolls, go for French bread, challah, or brioche. Just make sure they’re a little dried out first for the best results.
- → Why did my butter sauce separate?
If the butter's too warm, it can mess up the mix with egg. Cool the melted butter, then slowly stir it into the egg and sugar blend.
- → Can I freeze it?
Yes! Freeze the baked pudding (skip the sauce) for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the fridge, reheat, and make a fresh batch of sauce when serving.
Conclusion
Transform simple Hawaiian rolls into a luscious dessert loaded with pecans and silky butter sauce. Prep's a breeze if you have stale bread ready!