Jack & Cola Bread Pudding
Bourbon and cola-soaked bread pudding with whiskey ice cream — a Memphis late-night legend.
Prep: 20 min · Cook: 50 min · Total: 1 hr 10 min · Serves: 8 · Difficulty: Medium · Rating: 4/5 (837 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
SOB (South of Beale) — Memphis, TN
Inspired by SOB (South of Beale) in Memphis, TN — where bread pudding is soaked in Jack Daniel's and Coca-Cola and served with homemade whiskey ice cream.
Story
I ended up at South of Beale in downtown Memphis on a Friday night in 2022, after a long day of barbecue that I had no business topping off with dessert, and ordered the Jack and Cola bread pudding anyway because the server said it was the thing to get. It came out warm, the top crusted and the inside almost custardy, with a scoop of whiskey ice cream melting into the seams and a dark caramel pooling around the base. The cola wasn't a gimmick. It read as a deep, slightly bitter molasses note under the bourbon. Bread pudding is a thrift dish, the answer to the question of what to do with stale bread, and it's been made in some form for centuries because nobody who's hungry throws out bread. The Memphis move of soaking it in whiskey and Coca-Cola is regional showmanship, and it works because the two together hit sweet, bitter, and boozy all at once. The technique people get wrong is the bread. Fresh bread turns to mush; you want it cubed and dried out, genuinely stale or toasted in a low oven, so it can drink up the custard without collapsing. And the cola has to be reduced by half first, down to a syrup, or the extra liquid throws off the custard ratio and you end up with a soupy center that never sets. Let the assembled dish soak a full fifteen minutes before it bakes, pressing the bread down so it actually absorbs the egg and cream rather than floating on top. Bake until the center is just set and the top is crackled and golden. Serve it warm. A cold bread pudding is a brick, and this one deserves better than to be eaten cold. Use brioche or challah, something enriched with egg and butter, because a lean bread makes a lean, watery pudding. Whisk the custard smooth and pour it over the bread, then actually press the cubes down into it with your hands so every piece soaks; the ones that float stay dry and bake into croutons. Dot the top with butter before it goes in so the surface caramelizes into a crackly crust. And don't overbake. Pull it when the center has just set with a faint wobble; carryover heat finishes it, and an overbaked pudding is dry and scrambled. Serve warm with ice cream and a spoonful of bourbon caramel, and let the cold cream melt into the warm seams.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread, cubed and dried
- 1 cup cola
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp butter, cubed
Instructions
- Reduce cola by half in a small saucepan (to about 1/2 cup). Let cool, then mix with bourbon.
- Whisk eggs, cream, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together.
- Drizzle the cola-bourbon mixture over the cubed brioche in a buttered 9x13 baking dish. Toss gently.
- Pour the custard mixture over the bread. Press bread down to absorb. Let soak 15 minutes.
- Dot the top with butter cubes. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes until set and golden on top.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or whiskey ice cream if you're feeling bold). Drizzle with extra bourbon caramel.
Chef Tips
- Reducing the cola concentrates its sweetness and gives a caramel-like depth. Don't use diet cola — you need the real sugar. Day-old brioche works best because it absorbs more custard.
Cook's Notes
- **Bread tip:** Day-old brioche, challah, or French bread works best — stale bread absorbs the custard without becoming mushy. Very fresh bread results in a wet, dense pudding.
- **Jack Daniel's substitute:** Bourbon (any brand) is a direct substitute. For non-alcoholic, use 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp molasses to mimic the whiskey depth.
- **Cola tip:** Use full-sugar cola, not diet. Diet cola loses its carbonation rapidly and doesn't caramelize in the sauce the same way.
- **Make-ahead:** Assemble and refrigerate overnight (the bread soaks up more custard, improving the final texture). Bake day-of.
- **Storage:** Fridge 4 days covered. Reheat portions in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes or in the microwave with a splash of cream to re-moisten.
- **Common mistake:** Not pressing the bread down into the custard. Every piece should be submerged — any dry bread on top will come out tough and dry after baking.
- **Doneness cue:** A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. The pudding should be set but still slightly wobbly — not dry. The top should be caramelized and deep golden.