Can You Reheat Bread Pudding?

Yes, you can reheat bread pudding, and it’s one of the more rewarding leftovers to revive. The oven, with a small amount of cream or milk added before heating, restores the custardy interior and leaves the top with just enough texture. The microwave works for speed but the result is softer and less interesting.

Can You Reheat Bread Pudding?

Yes. Bread pudding keeps in the fridge for three to four days in a sealed container or covered dish. Like all egg-based custard desserts, it should be refrigerated within two hours of baking and reheated to 75°C (165°F) throughout. The food safety risk is low for plain bread pudding; versions with fresh fruit or cream on top should be treated with a little more care.

Why Bread Pudding Dries Out

Bread pudding is a baked custard: eggs and cream or milk soaked into bread and set by gentle oven heat. As it cools and sits in the fridge, the custard firms further and the bread absorbs the remaining moisture from the egg mixture. By the next day, it can feel almost stiff. This is the same mechanism as cold quiche, and the fix is the same: add a little liquid before reheating so the custard has something to loosen into.

Reheating Bread Pudding in the Oven

The best method for both texture and flavour.

1. Take the bread pudding out of the fridge 15 minutes before reheating.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
3. Place individual portions in an oven-safe dish. Drizzle one to two teaspoons of cream, milk, or whisky sauce over each portion.
4. Cover with foil.
5. Heat for 12 to 15 minutes. The custard should be warm throughout and the top should have a little give when pressed gently.
6. Remove the foil for the last three minutes to allow the surface to dry out slightly and form a light crust.

Reheating Bread Pudding in the Microwave

Ready in under two minutes but produces a softer result. The custard can become slightly rubbery if overheated.

1. Place a portion in a microwave-safe bowl and drizzle with a teaspoon of cream or milk.
2. Cover loosely with a damp paper towel.
3. Microwave at 70% power for 45 to 60 seconds.
4. Check the centre: it should be warm but not steaming hot. Residual heat continues for 30 seconds after you stop.
5. Add 15-second bursts if needed.

Serving Options

Reheated bread pudding pairs well with:

• A fresh pour of warm cream or crème anglaise after reheating
• A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top (the contrast of warm pudding and cold ice cream is better than any reheating method alone)
• A drizzle of whisky or bourbon sauce, added cold after reheating

Which Method Should You Use?

Q: I love to make bread pudding, and I finally have everything I need to make it. My daughter, however, will not eat it once it cools down. Is there a way I can reheat it so we can enjoy our dessert for more than just tonight?

A: Bread pudding is easy to reheat, all you need is an oven or a microwave.

The Oven

Typically, people will want to reheat their bread pudding in the oven as you can be sure it is all the way warmed through. All you need to do is tightly wrap the dish (given it is oven safe) and place into a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the amount of bread pudding you have leftover.

The Microwave

When you want your dessert quickly, just add the amount you would like in a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on low power for two to eight minutes.

If your pudding dried out or lost its creaminess, simply add some heavy cream, whipped cream, or even ice cream before serving.

Bread pudding is a guilty pleasure for many of us, and now we do not need to eat it all in one night thinking it will go to waste. Instead, spread out the dessert over a few days and enjoy. Remember only to reheat what you will eat in one night, you should never reheat food twice.