Ruth’s Chris Bread Pudding

Ruth’s Chris is famous for two things, the steaks and the desserts, and their bread pudding recipe definitely falls into the “don’t skip it” category.

The restaurant version comes out in a huge deep pan, super custardy in the middle with that caramelized top, and it’s served warm with vanilla ice cream melting right into it. After testing it at home, I can say the flavor is almost identical, but the logistics of baking it in a normal kitchen take a little adjusting. Let’s get started!

What pan to use: The original recipe calls for a 10×13×3 pan, which most people don’t keep around. I used a 9×13 baking dish, filled it as high as I safely could, then poured the remaining mixture into a 2.5-quart casserole dish. That combo worked perfectly and still gave me the same hearty serving count the restaurant lists, which is 12 big portions. If you don’t want that much bread pudding, you can halve the recipe with no issues.

Ingredients

• 2 loaves French bread (9.5 oz each), cut into ½″ cubes and toasted
• 2½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 12 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 4 cups milk
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced

For the bread, I used two 9.5-oz French baguettes, which matched the texture and density you want for a restaurant-style bread pudding. The recipe makes a lot of custard, so you’ll need one very large mixing bowl and one large saucepan.

How to make Ruth’s Chris Bread Pudding

Preheat oven to 375. Toast the cubed bread on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, flipping halfway. Let it cool.

Combine the sugars: Mix granulated and brown sugar together, then split in half.

• Half goes into a large mixing bowl
• Half goes into a large saucepan

In the mixing bowl: Add cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, vanilla, and bourbon to the sugar. Whisk and set aside.

In the saucepan: Add milk, half and half, and butter to the sugar. Heat over medium until it boils, then remove from heat.

Temper and combine: Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the mixing bowl with the eggs.

Add bread and fruit: Stir in the toasted bread, raisins, and apple. Let it sit 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Pour into a greased baking pan, making sure some fruit lands on top. Bake 45 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm with ice cream.

Adding Custard Glaze to Bread Pudding

Here is the recipe I use for custard glaze. It’s not a Ruth’s Chris recipe, it’s just my own and what I prefer.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• Dash of cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg (whisked in a separate bowl)

How to make Custard Glaze for Bread Pudding

1. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, cream, and salt to a saucepan. Whisk over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until hot. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 2 minutes.
2. Slowly ladle a little of the warm mixture into the bowl with the whisked egg, whisking constantly to temper it. Keep adding warm liquid until the egg mixture feels warm.
3. Pour the tempered egg back into the saucepan and return it to low heat. Cook, whisking, until the glaze lightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Drizzle over warm bread pudding.

If you get a few tiny scrambled bits, don’t stress. Scoop them out and the sauce is still perfect.

Bread Pudding: Serving & How to Store Leftovers

Serving suggestions:

• Serve warm, straight from the pan, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Perfect as a dessert course after a rich dinner or for a special occasion.
• For a complete holiday table, you could pair it with a side like the Sweet Potato Casserole from Ruth’s Chris for a memorable combo.

Storing leftovers:

• Cover the remaining pudding and refrigerate.
• Reheat individual portions in a 300 °F oven for ~10 minutes until warm through (microwaving will soften the texture and crust but its still fine to do so).
• Best consumed within 2-3 days for quality.