At the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama, tradition shows up most clearly at the table. Long before trends and reinventions, the kitchen focused on well-made Southern classics meant to be shared, remembered, and returned to. This bread pudding—finished with a straightforward whiskey sauce—is one of those recipes, which continues to be a favorite among guests and staff alike.

Opened in 1847, the Grand Hotel has welcomed generations of guests to Alabama’s Gulf Coast, offering sweeping views of Mobile Bay and a timeless Southern charm. Over the years, its dining rooms have become as celebrated as its sweeping verandas, with chefs preserving classic recipes that honor both the region and the hotel’s storied past. Among these enduring favorites is the bread pudding, a dessert that embodies the hotel’s commitment to comfort, quality, and a touch of indulgence.

BREAD PUDDING

2 cups packed brown sugar
5 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup bourbon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups half-and-half
4 cups croissant cubes or dry white bread cubes
1/2 cup raisins

Combine the brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a bowl and mix well. Add the bourbon and vanilla and stir to dissolve the brown sugar completely. Stir in the half-and-half. Mix in the bread and raisins gently.

Spoon into a buttered baking dish and place in a larger pan filled halfway with hot water. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until golden brown. Serve with Whiskey Sauce. Serves 8-10.

WHISKEY SAUCE

2 egg yolks
1/4 cup whiskey
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup water

Beat the egg yolks with the whiskey in a bowl until smooth. Combine the corn syrup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to mix well. Whisk 1 cup of the hot mixture gradually into the egg yolks; whisk the egg yolks gradually into the hot mixture. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until thickened and smooth, whisking constantly. Makes 3 cups.