Irish Bread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Irish Bread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce! Such a decadent and easy dessert.

What are your favorite St. Patrick’s Day traditions?

We love to head to our local parade (STL is known for their family parades on St. Patrick’s Day, it is SO fun), drink some green beer, and then head home for Irish Bread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce.

Our dog Scout even joins the fun by wearing her favorite green sequined collar. That poor dog doesn’t stand a chance. It’s one of our favorite days!

Is there anything more comforting than bread pudding? Super simple while also being decadent, it’s the perfect way to indulge on date night, after a long week, or just celebrating everyday things.

This Irish Bread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! Oozing with flavors that make St. Patrick’s Day a favorite (WHISKEY!), warm, delicious, and SO EASY.

What’s not to love!

Delicious Irish Bread Pudding

I just have such a thing for bread pudding. I’ve made it with chocolate (hot chocolate bread pudding to be exact!), and even made an apple pie bread pudding.

And of course there’s pumpkin bread pudding and croissant bread pudding.

But you can’t beat this Irish bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce version. It’s bursting with flavor and personality.

You can bake Irish bread pudding in a large casserole dish or in individual ramekins for guests. It’s the perfect dessert to make when entertaining because it’s thrown together in minutes.

Leave the bread pudding a bit to soak up all the goodness in the custard and then bake. Top with extra whiskey caramel sauce or whipped cream for an extra special treat. Don’t you just want to dive right in??

I love to soak the raisins beforehand in the whiskey for extra bursts of flavor throughout. If you’re not a raisin lover (hello, my husband!), I have also used chocolate chips.

Now THAT is decadent! Ooey, gooey, and oh so perfect. It’s a great way to finish off a meal of Irish lamb stew and soda bread.

Whiskey Caramel Sauce: The Perfect Finish

The whiskey caramel sauce is what really takes this Irish bread pudding recipe from delicious to amazingly decadent.

Unlike some bread pudding recipes that simply serve the sauce on top, some of the whiskey caramel sauce goes into the bread pudding custard.

That means the flavor of the sauce is in every single bite of this bread pudding.

Then you can serve even more of the remaining sauce on top as well! Double the whiskey caramel sauce for double the flavor.

You might even want to make extra Whiskey Caramel Sauce to drizzle on top of ice cream or over apple crumb pie. After all, who said that you could only enjoy it for St. Patrick’s Day?

How to Make Irish Bread Pudding & Whiskey Caramel Sauce

Even though you have to make two things for this recipe – the caramel sauce and the bread pudding – don’t be intimidated. You can do this!

Ingredients you’ll need

The first step to making this recipe is making the whiskey caramel sauce. For that, you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
• 1/4 cup milk

You can use your favorite Irish whiskey for this recipe. If you don’t have a particular favorite or aren’t super familiar with Irish whiskeys, Jameson is a great option! 

Use the rest of the bottle to make some Irish old fashioneds or Irish coffees to go with your St. Patrick’s Day meal. 

For the bread pudding, you will need:

• 10 cups cubed French bread (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
• 1/2 cup raisins (or chocolate chips if you don’t like raisins)
• 2/3 cup whiskey caramel sauce
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 can evaporated milk, 12 ounces
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• cinnamon sugar to taste

This recipe makes a 9×13-inch pan or about six 6-ounce ramekins of bread pudding. So there’s plenty to feed a crowd or have leftovers if you are just feeding a few people!

I really like using French bread for this recipe. It soaks up the custard really well without getting too soggy. 

Feel free to soak the raisins in a bit of the Irish whiskey while you work on the caramel sauce for even more flavor. 

Making the whiskey caramel sauce

The most intimidating part of this recipe is making the caramel sauce, but I know you can do it.

Add the water and sugar to a saucepan and place it over medium-high heat. I suggest using a larger saucepan than you think you will need – it will give you more surface area to work with.

Stir until the sugar completely dissolves.

Now, set down the spoon and do not touch it again. Really! 

Unlike recipes like Salted Caramel Sauce that use some corn syrup as insurance against graininess, stirring this could turn it into a grainy mess.

Let the mixture simmer until it is golden. This usually takes around 17-20 minutes. 

Make sure the mixture is simmering (bubbling) the entire time. If it is not, turn up the heat a bit.

Keep a close eye on it because it will go from no color to golden to burnt quickly, but again: Do not touch it!

Once it is golden, remove the pan from the heat. Now grab a whisk and carefully whisk in the butter and cream cheese until all of the clumps are dissolved.

The mixture is super hot and can bubble up, so be careful!

Once the butter and cream cheese are worked in, whisk in the whiskey and milk. It’s probably going to bubble up again, so keep being careful. 

Once the sauce is smooth and combined, set it aside.

Making the Irish bread pudding

To make the bread pudding, combine the cream, sugar, vanilla, evaporated milk, eggs, and ⅔ cup of the whiskey sauce in a large bowl. Whisk well.

Add the cubed bread, stirring to make sure each piece of bread is covered in the custard mixture.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the bread soak up the custard. You can let the mixture soak for longer – up to overnight! – if you like.

When you’re ready to bake, pour the bread mixture into a greased 9×13-inch dish or divide it into about six 6-ounce ramekins.

Sprinkle the raisins or chocolate chips over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar as desired.

Bake the Irish bread pudding for about 35 minutes or until set. Serve it warm with more of the whiskey caramel sauce as you wish!

Recipe FAQs

What’s the best bread to use for this Irish bread pudding?

I prefer using french bread for this bread pudding. I think it’s the perfect happy-medium between a sandwich loaf and crusty sourdough. It soaks up the custard well but doesn’t turn super mushy.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! The bread should soak up the custard for at least 30 minutes, but you could let it go for as long as overnight if you like. Then you can bake it the next day.

Reheat the caramel sauce for about 30-seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring well between intervals, until warmed through.

How should I store leftovers of this bread pudding?

Store leftovers of the bread pudding in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

Reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds or warm several portions at a time in a low oven. Place the Irish bread pudding in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and place in the oven until just warmed through.

Irish Bread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce was contributed by Becky of The Cookie Rookie.