Caramel-banana-pecan bread pudding is packed with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar, making it the perfect addition to a cozy winter brunch menu.

Published on December 21, 2025

Credit:

Kelsey Hansen

Never lose a BHG recipe again. Find a recipe you love on BHG.com? Click the heart icon to save it (and find it later) with MyRecipes.com.

A crunchy praline-like topper and a finishing drizzle of banana-laden caramel take this riff on pecan rolls to the next level. We used soft French bread hunks here—letting them dry out a bit overnight—but any fluffy, tender bread would work well. This indulgent bake, which is packed with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar, is the perfect addition to a cozy winter brunch menu. However, it can be enjoyed during any month of the year. Once you get a taste of it, you'll be making it all the time!

Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

Bread Pudding

  • 1 (8-oz.) loaf soft French bread, cut into 1-inch strips or cubes (about 8 cups)

  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 2 cups half and half or whole milk

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla

  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

  • 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

  • 2 Tbsp. salted butter, cut up

  • 1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Caramel Sauce

  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1/2 cup salted butter, cut up

  • 2 Tbsp. light-color corn syrup

  • 1 tsp. vanilla

  • 2 bananas, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 2- to 21/2-qt. baking dish. Place bread strips in prepared dish.

  2. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour mixture over bread cubes; stir to coat.

  3. Place brown sugar in a medium bowl. Using a fork or a pastry blender, cut butter into brown sugar until pieces are pea size. Stir in pecans.

  4. Stir bread mixture again to ensure all bread cubes are coated. Sprinkle pecan mixture over top. Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 160°F, 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Serve with Caramel-Banana Sauce. Serves 12.

Caramel-Banana Sauce

  1. In a medium heavy saucepan combine brown sugar, heavy cream, salted butter, and light-color corn syrup. Bring to boiling over medium-high, whisking occasionally; reduce heat to medium. Boil gently, uncovered, 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla. Pour sauce into a small bowl; cool to room temperature, 30 minutes. (Sauce can be covered and chilled up to 24 hours. Let chilled sauce stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.) Stir in thinly sliced bananas.