An American Tradition--Pumpkin Bread Pudding

In the past, as I readied my pumpkin pies for the Thanksgiving holiday, I always imagined the Pilgrims coming together at a huge table with the neighboring Native Americans and ending their meal with pumpkin pie. But when I took time to delve into the historical records, I discovered that my notions didn’t square with the facts.

A December, 1621, firsthand account of Plymouth, Massachusetts, colonist “E. W.” (thought to be Edward Winslow) chronicling what Americans now call the first Thanksgiving makes no mention of pie at all. What the writer actually describes (in a remarkable work called Mourt’s Relations) is a three-day outdoor gathering of the Pilgrims and about ninety Wampanoag tribesmen, who feasted, perhaps around an open fire, on venison and wild fowl. The account suggests that conditions were far too primitive for a seated dinner or niceties like pumpkin pie (sugar and wheat flour weren’t around then), though the game was abundant and likely included wild turkey. Even if pumpkin pie had been offered, it would have been served with all the other dishes, as the modern custom of reserving sweeter ones for dessert had not yet arrived. (If you ever go to Williamsburg, you'll see what we now consider desserts presented with entrees and sides on the table of the Governor's mansion.)

Still, pumpkins were typical fare at the time. The word squash comes from the Algonkian askutasquash, which literally means 'the green things that may be eaten raw.' Roger Williams, founder of the Rhode Island Providence Plantation and a friend of the Wampanoag tribe, documented this in his 1643 work, A Key into the Language of America. Askutasquash, he noted, came in “several colours” and were the native peoples’ “vine apples.” Both the seeds and flesh of pumpkins were eaten, sometimes after being roasted in embers.

A few decades later, in a book detailing his 1638 and 1663 visits to America, John Josselyn gave a recipe for an “ancient New England standing dish” featuring stewed pumpkin. (Standing was used in the same way we employ it in ‘standing invitation’ today.) Some folks weren’t really pleased to be eating pumpkin so often, as a popular bit of doggerel from the period suggests: “We have pumpkins at morning./Pumpkins at noon./If it were not for pumpkins/We should be undoon.”

Tip: If you're interested in other recipes especially suitable for Thanksgiving or other fall menus, check out my Autumn Fruit and Vegetable Bisque here. Or look for my iced cranberry-white chocolate drop cookies, cranberry muffins or crumb bars in the recipe archives.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
This recipe and photo are from a recent book of mine, The All-American Dessert Book. The recipe was inspired by a pumpkin bread pudding in a landmark 1796 cookbook called American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons.The pudding has a soothing pumpkin-and-spice flavor and enticing aroma, and it makes a fine, never-fail substitute for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. It’s also ideal for fall and winter brunches. I've baked this pudding on a number of television shows and in cooking classes; it's always a huge hit! (For more pumpkin recipes, including cookies and quick bread, see my Recipe Archives.)

The pudding is great served with my easy Brown Sugar Orange Sauce, too.

Tip: If preparing this recipe for a crowd, you may want to double it. Bake it in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (which will be very full) for 35 minutes, then sprinkle on the brown sugar and continue baking until the center is firm when lightly tapped, 20 to 30 minutes longer.


4 large eggs
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar, plus 3 tablespoons for sprinkling on pudding
1 cup whole or low-fat milk
1 cup light or heavy (whipping) cream
1 15-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin (not seasoned pie filling)
2 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
5 1/2 cups cubed (1/3 inch) crusty French or Italian bread, crusts removed
3/4 cup dried, sweetened cranberries, optional
Brown Sugar–Orange Sauce for serving (see recipe archives)
Ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving, optional


Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 7-by-11-inch or 9-inch square baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.In a large bowl using a wire whisk, beat the eggs until frothy and smooth. Add the brown sugar, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the milk, cream, pumpkin, and spices until completely blended and smooth. Stir in the bread cubes and cranberries. Turn out the mixture into the dish, spreading to the edges. Lay a sheet of baking parchment or wax paper on the surface and press down to keep the bread submerged. Let stand for 10 minutes. Peel off and discard the paper.

Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons brown sugar over the pudding and continue baking just until the center of the pudding is firm when lightly tapped, 12 to 17 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve spooned into bowls.

Drizzle with brown sugar-orange sauce and/or garnish with scoops of ice cream or dollops of whipped cream, if desired.The pudding will keep, covered,in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat to very warm just before serving.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.