Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Hey guys- it’s about time for more comfort food, right? Bread pudding is something I’ve always wanted to master, but could never quite get right. This recipe is super simple to put together, and it checks all the boxes a great bread pudding!

Bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts, and it’s actually really simple to put together. This version bakes in just an 8×8 inch pan, a smaller batch because that’s what we all need right now. It’s got a touch of cinnamon and a good amount of vanilla extract to round everything out. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Cinnamon Bread Pudding

This recipe is super simple, and I think if you keep your ratio of liquid to eggs just right, you can be pretty flexible about what goes into it. But we actually want to start with the bread- you start by tearing up a half a loaf of Italian or french bread- it should be about enough to fill a sheet pan with bread chunks in one layer.

Then, we’re drying out the bread in the oven. This process gives the bread more room to soak in the custard, and it helps prevent your bread pudding from being too soggy. So bake it on up for 10-15 minutes, or until its nicely dried out.

Toss all the bread into your buttered square cake pan, and set them aside. It’s custard time. It’s super simple, and you just need to whisk everything together- milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. I’m keeping it simple with just vanilla and cinnamon, but you can definitely mix up the flavors by adding citrus zest, other spices, or other extracts!

Pour the custard over the toasted bread in your prepared pan. You want to press the bread down into the custard to really coat all of the bread in the custard. Then, cover it, and put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This is where the bread really soaks up all the custard.

When it comes out of the fridge, give it one more gentle press down into the custard, and then it’s off to the oven.

The sauce comes together super quick as well- you simply put the cream, sugar, vanilla, maple syrup, and salt in a small saucepan, and cook it over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

And that’s it! It comes out of the oven puffy and lightly golden. You want to let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving, and it will fall during that time- that’s ok! Add a little maple cream sauce, and you’ve got yourself a sweet pan of comfort food. Enjoy!

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Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Servings 9 slices

Ingredients

For the bread pudding:

• 1/2 of a large loaf of italian bread
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbs. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt

For the maple cream sauce:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

For the bread pudding:

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees, and place a wire rack on top of a large baking sheet. Tear the 1/2 loaf of italian bread into pieces about 1/2 inch in size- they don't have to be perfect!

2. Evenly spread the bread chunks onto your prepared rack in your pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bread is well dried out and just starting to brown. Cool on the rack.

3. While the bread cools, generously butter an 8x8 inch square metal cake pan. Put all of the bread chunks into the prepared cake pan.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until completely combined. Pour this mixture over your bread chunks in the cake pan, and press the bread down gently to make sure it's all coated in the custard. Cover, and chill for 20-30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Remove the bread pudding from the fridge, and give the bread another gentle push to make sure it's all submerged. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread pudding is puffy, and the custard looks set when you jiggle the pan. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

For the maple cream sauce:

1. In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The mixture should be a light tan color, and will be slightly thickened. Serve generously over your bread pudding slices. Enjoy!

Dough-Eyed

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!