Vegan Bread & Butter Pudding Recipes

Bread and butter pudding has long been a much-loved dessert, known for its warm, comforting flavours and simple ingredients. Traditionally made with eggs, milk, and butter, the vegan version replaces these with plant-based alternatives without losing its classic charm.

This recipe for Bread and Butter Pudding (The Veg Space) is vegan-friendly, and a great way to use up leftover bread. The ingredients (including raisins) are soaked in vegan custard, then topped with demerara sugar. You can even soak dried fruits in sherry or brandy (or fruit juice for a no-alcohol version).

Read our post on food safety for people and pets (fresh bread dough, dried fruits and nutmeg are all toxic to pets. Don’t give stale bread to garden birds or wildfowl, as it could choke (and fatty bread can smear on feathers, affecting waterproofing and insulation).

This zesty bread & butter pudding is from Katy Beskow’s delightful recipe book Five Ingredient Vegan. It uses ready-made vegan custard and marmalade to greatly simplify the recipe.

This vegan bread pudding (Heartful Table) is a delightfully stodgy pudding, created and adapted by a Croatian chef.

Choosing the Right Bread for Vegan Pudding

Blueberry Bread Pudding (Full of Plants)

Not all bread is created equal when it comes to pudding. The ideal bread holds up well to soaking without falling apart completely. Thick, rustic loaves with some density work best. Think simple white or wholemeal bread, brioche (vegan varieties are available online or in stores), or even sourdough.

Bread texture and flavour have a big impact:

Dense bread gives a hearty pudding with a good bite.
Soft bread soaks up custard quickly and produces a creamier texture.
Sweet breads like fruit loaf add extra flavour without needing many add-ons.

Avoid bread with heavy seeds or thick crusts if you want a smooth, traditional texture.

Natural Sweeteners and Flavour Enhancers

Sugar often sneaks into vegan recipes, but some versions steer clear of refined sugar. Natural sweeteners work well in vegan puddings and bring extra depth:

Maple syrup adds warm, caramel notes.
Agave nectar has a mild flavour and blends seamlessly.
Coconut sugar gives a slight molasses taste and browns the pudding.
Date syrup offers rich, earthy sweetness with added nutrients.

Classic Vegan Bread & Butter Pudding

This recipe sticks to the essentials. It uses staple vegan ingredients and a hint of vanilla that gives a warm, comforting flavour just like the traditional version.

Ingredients:

8 slices of vegan-friendly white or wholemeal bread, buttered with vegan spread
500ml unsweetened oat or soy milk
150ml coconut cream or any thick plant-based cream
75g caster sugar or maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp cornflour mixed with 4 tbsp cold water
A pinch of salt
Optional: raisins or sultanas

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
Layer the buttered bread slices in a baking dish, adding raisins between layers if you like.
In a saucepan, heat the plant milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt until warm but not boiling.
Slowly whisk in the cornflour slurry and keep stirring until the mixture thickens lightly.
Pour the custard over the bread, pressing gently to soak.
Leave to stand 10 minutes, then bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and set.
Serve warm or cold with vegan custard or cream.

Avoiding Common Issues: Sogginess and Overcooking

Vegan bread and butter pudding tends to get soggy or overly dry if you’re not careful. Here is how to avoid those traps:

Prevent sogginess by toasting the bread and buttering it well before soaking. Don’t pour custard all at once; pour a little, press gently into the bread, then layer and pour remaining custard. This helps bread soak gradually and evenly.
Don’t over-soak before baking. Leave it to rest about 10 minutes so custard sinks in, but don’t let it sit too long or bread will become mushy.
Keep an eye on baking time. Overbaking will dry out the custard and crumbly texture. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Use a shallow baking dish to encourage quicker, even baking.