Last Updated on March 26, 2022 by Anne-Marie

This gluten-free bread pudding recipe is made with pumpkin and cranberries. It's easy to make this recipe for gluten-free bread pudding dairy-free, too.

Why this recipe works

This gluten free bread pudding recipe with pumpkin is one of my favorite comfort foods. I love the combination of pumpkin flavors, spices, cranberries, and a bit of coconut.

It’s perfect for holiday season get-togethers since it makes the perfect amount for a crowd.

If you’re making this gluten free dessert for a small group and don’t want a lot of leftovers, cut the recipe in half.

How to make this gluten free bread pudding recipe

You can make this homemade bread pudding several days before needed.

Just cover with aluminum foil, refrigerate, and reheat in a microwave by the serving. Or reheat the whole pan in a 325 degrees F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

1. Spray the inside of a 2-quart baking dish rectangular baking dish and set aside.

2. Cut or tear the gluten-free bread into 1/2 inch pieces. You should have about 10 lightly packed cups of bread pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl.

3. Cover bread with dried cranberries and coconut.

4. In a medium bowl whisk eggs and egg whites.

5. Add vanilla extract , pumpkin pie spice, salt, sugar, skim milk, and condensed milk to eggs and whisk until blended.

6. Pour egg, spice, and milk mixture over bread and cranberries. Mix together bread and liquids until the bread mixture is saturated.

Let stand for 30 minutes periodically pressing the bread down with a wooden spoon or spatula to help bread absorb the liquid.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

8. Bake the pumpkin and cranberry bread pudding in a bain-marie (water bath) until puffed and firm in the center, about 1 1/2 hours.

9. Serve warm or at room temperature, either plain, with a sauce, or with whipped cream or ice cream.

How to bake this easy pumpkin bread pudding

To make your pumpkin and cranberry bread pudding super moist, you must cook it in a bain-marie or hot water bath. The moisture from the water creates uniform heat around the food.

The bain-marie also prevents the bread pudding from getting dried out or rubbery. It’s an extra step, but it’s worth doing.

How to create a bain-marie:

1. Find a baking dish that is larger than your 2-quart baking dish.

2. Place your baking dish containing the bread pudding inside of the larger, 3-quart baking dish.

3. Fill the larger baking dish with 1/2 to 1 inch of water.

4. Open the oven door, carefully lower the dishes into the oven, close the door, and bake.

5. If you’re concerned that you may slosh the water into your bread pudding, place both dishes in the preheated oven first.

Then pour the water from a measuring cup with a spout, a tea kettle, or a water pitcher into the larger pan.

6. Close the oven door and then bake your bread pudding.

What’s the best bread for a gluten bread pudding?

Depending on what kind of bread you use, you can make this a gf bread pudding with leftover gluten slices of bread.

You can use Trader Joe’s or Udi's Gluten Free wheat bread, white bread, or even raisin bread.

Toasting the bread: If you don’t have stale bread, just cut up the bread into bread cubes. Then place the pieces on baking sheets and place in a warm oven until the bread is lightly toasted.

Thrifty tip: This easy gluten free bread pudding recipe is a terrific way to use bread ends if your family’s like mine and refuses to eat them.

I freeze bread loaf ends and use them in meatloaf, Thanksgiving stuffing, Oven Baked French Toast, and my Blueberry French Toast Casserole Recipe.

Can I make this a dairy free bread pudding?

This easy bread pudding recipe can be made dairy free by substituting unsweetened coconut milk for the skim milk.

Another dairy-free option is using other alternative milks like:

• soy milk
• oat milk
• almond milk
• flax milk
• rice milk

Use whatever works for your food allergies in this delicious treat.

Use a can of coconut cream instead of evaporated milk since it’s thicker than most alternative milks.

What kind of sweetener?

I like to reduce the sugar in my recipes, so I use powdered monk fruit sweetener or Swerve Sweetener.

Both taste great and are no-calorie, all natural sweeteners.

But you can use regular white sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sugar, instead.

Additional ingredients

Not everyone is a big fan of raisins, so I used cranberries in this old-fashioned dessert. It’s a great way to use up leftover dried cranberries from holiday baking.

However, you can use dried cherries instead. They’re also delicious and a good food.

Coconut: Make sure to use unsweetened shredded coconut. No need to buy sweetened since you’re adding sweetener to this recipe.

Love chocolate? Next time you make this add some chocolate chips. To keep this gluten and dairy-free, use Enjoy Life Baking Chocolate Semi-Sweet Mini Chips.

How to serve cranberry pumpkin bread pudding

The best thing about this gluten-free bread pudding recipe is that it’s terrific on its own. However, it’s only made better by adding a topping!

Whipped cream: look for ReddiWip Non-Dairy toppings (either almond or coconut) in the dairy section.

You can also whip cooled canned coconut cream into a “whipped cream.”

Ice cream: Serve with a scoop of soy, coconut, or regular ice cream.

Sweet sauce: Some people use a vanilla sauce or a dairy-free caramel sauce. You could also drizzle some real maple syrup on this delicious bread pudding.

Check out Easy Bread Pudding Recipe with Whiskey Sauce if you like to make a dairy-free bourbon sauce recipe.

Check out the Best Gluten Free Thanksgiving Desserts Recipes and the Best Keto Thanksgiving Recipes for more delicious recipes for your holiday table.

How to serve leftovers

Individual slices of  this easy pumpkin bread pudding recipe reheat well in the microwave. Remember to cover with plastic wrap when reheating.

Serve with whipped cream, homemade caramel sauce, or a scoop of ice cream. (Non-dairy or the real thing.)

For a special treat, try slices cold. It’s pretty good!

More pumpkin dessert recipes

Try these delicious gluten free pumpkin desserts:

● Pumpkin Cheesecake Lasagna Recipe

● Keto Pumpkin Mousse Recipe

● Crockpot Pumpkin Dump Cake 

● Weight Watchers Pumpkin Mousse 

● Dairy Free Pumpkin Fudge Recipe

Originally published on October 20, 2011 and November 2, 2017. Updated with new pictures and information.