Sourdough Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This Sourdough Bananas Foster Bread Pudding is the perfect way to use up leftover sourdough bread! This simple dessert recipe combines classic bread pudding with Bananas Foster–brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and bananas! Enjoy it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Oh, man, I LOVE this bread pudding recipe! Bread pudding is such an underrated dessert. It’s so simple to whip together and packs so much flavor–the warm spices of ground cinnamon, the hint of vanilla, the sweet brown sugar. Adding the bananas foster element though?! An immediate yes.
I had half a loaf of sourdough bread that was starting to go stale on my counter and knew I had to make this recipe. I also had really overripe bananas, like honestly a bit too overripe, but they needed to be used up and worked beautifully for this recipe nonetheless. When you make it, I recommend using *slightly* overripe bananas.
Alright, let’s get down to business. I have the ingredients pictured below and the full step-by-step instructions to make this delightful dessert that would honestly be great for fall or the cooler months, but I’m still basking in the summer sun and plan to enjoy every ounce of this season while it’s still here.
Looking for a unique sourdough bread recipe? Then you’ve gotta make this cherry chocolate sourdough bread!
Looking for more sourdough desserts? Check these out:
Ingredients
A few notes on the ingredients:
- sourdough bread – day-old sourdough bread works best here. If you don’t have sourdough on hand, brioche is great, but any bread will do.
- bananas – slightly overripe bananas are great for this recipe. I use *very* overripe bananas, which worked okay, but I had to cut off some of the really brown parts, because we aren’t looking for mushiness, we are looking for sweet bananas.
- whole milk – I prefer whole milk for this recipe, but you can use any milk you have on hand.
- salted butter – I always use salted butter over unsalted. If that’s all you have, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the milk mixture.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Make the Bananas Foster Sauce: Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. In a saucepan or skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until the mixture is thick and glossy. Stir in sliced bananas and cook for 1–2 minutes, just until softened and coated.
Prepare the Bread: Cube or tear up your day-old sourdough bread into bite-sized cubes and layer evenly in a greased 8×8-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Add Half the Sauce: Spoon half of the warm bananas foster sauce over the cubed bread, making sure to tuck some banana slices down between the bread cubes.
Mix Custard: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the whole milk, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until smooth and fully combined.
Pour Custard Over Bread: Slowly pour the custard mixture over the bread and sauce, pressing the bread down gently with a spoon so it soaks up the liquid.
Bake: Bake for 42–48 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is just set in the center.
Finish With Sauce: Immediately after removing from the oven, spoon the remaining bananas foster sauce over the top of the bread pudding. Let sit for 5–10 minutes before serving so the sauce can soak into all the nooks and crannies. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!
Tips for the Best Sourdough Bread Pudding
- Use day-old bread: Slightly stale sourdough holds its structure and soaks up the custard beautifully without getting mushy.
- Don’t overcook the bananas: Only cook them 1–2 minutes in the sauce — you want them soft but not falling apart.
- Press down the bread: After pouring in the custard, gently press the bread so it fully absorbs the liquid for a creamy interior.
- Serve warm: This dessert is best enjoyed fresh from the oven while the bananas foster sauce is still gooey and caramel-y.
- Make ahead: Prep everything up through step 5, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake fresh in the morning for brunch!
Equipment Needed
- 8×8 baking pan
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula or spoon
- Measuring cups & spoons
Storage
Store leftover bread pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Looking for some other delicious autumn recipes? Check out these caramel apple cheesecake bars!
Sourdough Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
Equipment
- cast iron skillet or saucepan
Ingredients
For the Bananas Foster Sauce:
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 medium bananas sliced
For the Bread Pudding:
- 6-7 slices day-old sourdough bread cubed
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Make the bananas foster sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until bubbly. Add sliced bananas and cook 1–2 minutes, just until coated and slightly softened. Remove from heat.
- Cube the sourdough bread and place evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Spoon half of the bananas foster sauce over the bread cubes.
- In a bowl, whisk together milk, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Pour evenly over the bread and sauce, gently pressing bread down so it absorbs the custard.
- Bake for 42–48 minutes, or until puffed, golden, and the center is set.
- While still warm, spread the remaining bananas foster sauce over the top of the bread pudding.
- Let cool slightly. Serve warm — fantastic with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!
