Skip to main content

Sweets · beginner

Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread Pudding

Key takeaway

Gluten-free sourdough bread pudding works when the loaf cooled two hours, the cubes are stale, and the custard soak is long enough for stubborn starch.

Stale gluten-free sourdough cubes soaked in vanilla custard. Pumpkin loaf or chocolate-cherry both work; wheat bread does not.

By Andrew KittridgeUses leftover gluten-free sourdough cubes, not a new loaf formula. Optional 30g certified gluten-free oats on top. Discard 40g in the custard for tang. No wheat bread, no uncertified oats.
sweetsbread puddingdessertcustardholidaygluten freevegetarian
Baked gluten-free sourdough bread pudding with a golden custard top

Prep

25m

Soak

45 min

Bake

45m

Servings

8

Difficulty

beginner

The short answer

Bread pudding is how a gluten-free sourdough loaf earns dessert instead of the compost. In our Indianapolis kitchen I use cubes from a loaf that cooled a full two hours, then sat out until the cut face felt dry, not gummy. Pumpkin sorghum loaf tastes like Thanksgiving. Chocolate-cherry loaf tastes like a baked brownie trifle. Plain beer bread, surprisingly, makes a savory-leaning pudding if you cut the sugar and add cheese, but this version is the sweet one Claire asks for. The custard is eggs, milk, vanilla, and a little leftover discard for tang, not for lift. Gluten-free crumb drinks slower than wheat, so the soak is patient and the bake is moderate. No wheat sandwich heels, no rye, no barley malt in the vanilla. If you want an oat crumble on top, the oats have to be certified gluten-free. Serve warm after a short rest so the custard finishes setting.

For the method behind gluten-free structure, read the gluten-free sourdough guide and keep a lively culture with the starter guide.

Why it works

  • Fully cooled, slightly stale gluten-free crumb can drink custard without dissolving into paste.
  • A 45-minute soak gives slow starches time to hydrate, which wheat pudding recipes often skip.
  • A moderate 350F bake sets eggs before the top burns, which matters with sugar and leftover sourdough.
  • A little discard in the milk adds the same yogurt tang the loaf had, so dessert still tastes like this kitchen.

Ingredients

  • 400gstale gluten-free sourdough cubes (3/4-inch)From a loaf cooled at least 2 hours; pumpkin or chocolate-cherry preferred
  • 40gunfed gluten-free sourdough discard (100% hydration)Optional tang; whisk into the milk
  • 480gwhole milk or certified gluten-free oat milk
  • 200geggs (4 large)
  • 80glight brown sugar, packed
  • 40ggranulated sugar
  • 8gvanilla extract
  • 4gground cinnamon
  • 2gfine sea salt
  • 40gunsalted butter, meltedplus more for the dish
  • 60gdried cherries or raisinsWheat-free; optional
  • 30gcertified gluten-free rolled oatsOptional crumble; certified GF oats only
  • 20gbrown sugarOptional oat crumble
  • 15gcold butter, dicedOptional oat crumble

Equipment

  • 8-inch square or 2-quart baking dish
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Digital scale
  • Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

  1. 1

    Butter a 2-quart or 8-inch square baking dish. The dish should smell faintly buttery, not greasy. Heat the oven to 350F (175C).

    3 min

  2. 2

    Spread the stale cubes in the dish. They should feel dry at the cut face. If they still compress like cake, toast them 10 minutes at 300F first.

    2 min

  3. 3

    Whisk milk, discard, eggs, both sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until the mixture looks even and smells like eggnog. No streaks of egg white.

    3 min

  4. 4

    Pour the custard over the cubes. Press gently with a spatula so the top layer gets wet. Scatter dried fruit if using.

    2 min

  5. 5

    Rest 45 minutes at room temperature, pressing once more at 20 minutes. Gluten-free crumb is stubborn; the cubes should look swollen and custard-soaked, not floating dry.

    45 min

  6. 6

    If using the oat crumble, rub certified GF oats, 20g brown sugar, and 15g cold butter into damp crumbs. Sprinkle over the soaked pudding.

    3 min

  7. 7

    Bake 40-48 minutes until the top is bronze, the edges bubble, and the center jiggles like set custard, not splash. An instant-read in the middle should read about 175-180F (79-82C).

    45 min

  8. 8

    Cool on a rack 20-30 minutes. The custard finishes setting. Serve warm with maple or yogurt. Leftovers are better the next day, reheated until the edges recrisp.

    25 min

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving. Always verify labels if you bake for celiac safety.

Nutrition facts per serving
NutrientAmount
Calories312 kcal
Protein9 g
Carbs42 g
Fat12 g
Fiber3 g
Sodium290 mg

Substitutions

Whole milk
Certified gluten-free oat milk or canned coconut milk, 480g.
Dried cherries
Raisins or chopped dried plums, wheat-free, 60g.
Brown sugar
Maple syrup, 90g total sweetener, and reduce milk by 20g.

Storage

Cool, then refrigerate covered up to 3 days. Reheat squares 12 minutes at 325F (165C). Freeze wrapped portions 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge.

Notes

  • A loaf that was sliced hot will make gummy pudding. Cool breads 2 hours, then stale them.
  • Certified gluten-free oats only on the crumble. Skip the crumble if you do not keep a trusted bag.
  • Savory path: skip sugars and fruit, use beer-bread cubes, add 80g grated cheese and herbs.
  • If the top browns before the center sets, tent foil for the last 10 minutes.

FAQ

Which leftover loaf is best?

Pumpkin sorghum for holiday spice, chocolate-cherry for dessert, beer bread for a less sweet pudding. Avoid heavily seeded crackers; they do not soak.

Can I skip the discard in the custard?

Yes. Replace with 20g extra milk. You lose a little tang. The eggs still set the pudding.

Why did my pudding turn out soggy?

The bread was too fresh, you used more than 480g milk, or you cut it before the 20-minute rest. Gluten-free cubes need a dry start and a finished bake.

Can I assemble it overnight?

Yes. Cover and refrigerate after the soak. Bake from cold, adding 8-10 minutes. The texture will be a bit tighter and more custardy.

Is vanilla extract gluten-free?

Pure vanilla is distilled and generally gluten-free. Avoid imitation flavors with mystery additives if you are highly sensitive, and skip anything with barley malt.

Technique

Keep the method close

Psyllium, fermentation temperature, and a celiac-safe starter matter as much as the formula.

Sourdough guideStarter guide

About Andrew Kittridge

Home baker in Indianapolis documenting gluten-free sourdough: psyllium structure, whole-grain blends, and loaves that actually taste like bread.

More about the kitchen