Have you ever had bread pudding before? Bread pudding is traditionally considered to be a dessert, but it is so filling and delicious I often will have it for breakfast. It just depends on your taste. The bread pudding recipe I'm going to share today is super easy and is a great way to use any leftover bread that is getting stale. I used dried cranberries to give it a little extra punch of flavor, but raisins work well too. You can even try it with chocolate chips! Top it with some caramel sauce and you are ready for a party in your mouth.
Why this easy bread pudding recipe is awesome
- Great way to use leftover bread
- Can be a breakfast or dessert
- Easy to personalize just by swapping out ingredients
Ingredients
- French bread
- melted butter
- dried cranberries
- eggs
- milk
- white sugar
- vanilla
- cinnamon
- brown sugar
- caramel sauce (this one from Ghirardelli is AMAZING!)
How to make easy bread pudding
You'll want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.
Tear bread into bite sized pieces and place in the pan, filling it up. This is a great job for kids and a great way to work off stress. There is something so stress relieving about ripping up chunks of bread!
You may end up using the whole loaf or just a portion of it depending on the size of the loaf. I usually use ¾ of a loaf of French bread.
Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl and drizzle over the bread in the pan, trying to cover as much of the bread as possible.
Sprinkle the bread with the dried cranberries. You can also use raisins or chocolate chips. Chopped nuts add a nice texture as well.
Add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to a medium mixing bowl. Beat together until the eggs have been fully incorporated.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread, making sure to cover all the bread evenly.
Sprinkle the brown sugar on top. This adds a delightful crunch and sweetness to the bread pudding.
Bake in a 350 degree oven preheated oven for 45 minutes.
If the top gets too browned, you can add some foil to the top for the remainder of the cook time. I like a little crunch on the top, so I don't cover it.
Frequently asked questions
This bread pudding is best served warm with a a drizzle of caramel sauce. I like to put the caramel sauce on after the pudding is on the plate and when it is ready to be served. About ¼ cup of caramel sauce should work for 12 servings of bread pudding.
You can also serve bread pudding cold or at room temperature.
In the refrigerator, bread pudding will last for 1-2 days. I wouldn't push it past that, as the bread tends to get hard and dry even when heated up.
I like a French bread, but have used a brioche in the past and that works well too. If you are planning to make bread pudding, I've found that it works best with bread that is a day or two old.
Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray and 8x8 pan with cooking spray.
- Tear bread into bite sized pieces and place in the pan, filling it up. You may end up using the whole loaf or just a portion of it depending on the size of the loaf.
- Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl and drizzle over bread in the pan.
- Sprinkle the bread with the dried cranberries.
- Add eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to a medium mixing bowl. Beat together.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread making sure to cover all the bread evenly.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar on top.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven preheated oven for 45 minutes. If the top gets too browned, you can add some foil to the top for the remainder of the cook time.
Video
Nutrition
This nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using online calculators. Your nutritional information may vary depending on numerous factors.
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Liz
what a great recipe! I haven't made bread pudding in years so this makes me want to make it right away! Bookmarking this and making soon!