Apple Bread Pudding

In this recipe

Recommended apples
Tips and Tricks
Make it ahead
store leftovers

Apple Bread Pudding is the perfect comfort food for chilly fall weather, with a slightly crunchy top and a soft, custard-like interior. It’s flavored with cinnamon, apples, and an irresistible brown sugar bourbon sauce.

Bread pudding is essentially the casserole version of French toast, so it makes a fun, decadent breakfast. It goes well with a cup of coffee or black tea and is a real eye-catcher at brunch. Since this recipe makes 10 or more servings, it’s also an easy dessert for a large dinner party.

The best apples for this recipe

Use a firm, crunchy variety of apple for this recipe. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala are good options. Avoid softer varieties like macintosh and macoun as they get mushy during the cooking process.

The Simply Recipes guide to the best apple varieties for baking

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Tips and Tricks

Apple bread pudding is easy to put together, and these tips will ensure you get the best possible result:

This recipe works best if you use stale bread, which will easily soak up the sweetened milk and egg mixture.
Beat the eggs before mixing them with the milk to ensure the batter is evenly mixed.
For best results, let the bread soak in the milk mixture before putting it in the oven. Once you’ve made the bread pudding, I recommend letting it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.

Make it ahead

This recipe is great for prepping. You can fully assemble the bread pudding, cover the casserole dish with cling film and refrigerate overnight. Make the sauce and store separately in the refrigerator.

When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and bake for 45 minutes. Heat the sauce in a saucepan over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

How to store leftovers

Leftover bread pudding can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Heat in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes or in the microwave for 1 minute.

Store the sauce separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Heat in a saucepan over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or in the microwave in 30-second increments, until warm and melted.

Consume your stale bread

French toast with eggnog
Stuffed with sausage and apples
Chicken Panzanella Salad
homemade croutons
Slow cooker banana bread pudding

preparation time
15 minutes

cooking time
55 minutes

rest time
15 minutes

total time
85 minutes

portions
10
up to 12 servings

yield
1 (9 x 13 inch) bread pudding

For the bread pudding

1 lb brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 big applespeeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
4 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Cinammon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
4 Big Eggs
1/2 Cup sugar

For the bourbon sauce

1 Cup light brown sugar
1/2 Cup unsalted butter
1/4 Cup heavy cream
3 tablespoon bourbon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Toast the bread:

Spread the bread cubes evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.

Simple tip!

You can skip this step if you are using stale bread that is dry to the touch.
Make the apple filling:

Meanwhile, place the diced apples, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir and cook until apples are soft and sugar is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from stove and set aside.
Assemble bread pudding:

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and sugar.

Place the bread cubes in the prepared casserole dish. Pour the apple filling over it. Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, evenly spread the bread pieces and apple filling. Pour the egg and milk mixture over it.

Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking to allow the bread to absorb most of the liquid.
Bake:

Bake until liquid is set and bread is golden brown on top of casserole, about 40 minutes. When the bread pudding is done baking, a sharp knife or toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
Prepare and serve sauce:

While the bread pudding is baking, prepare the sauce. Combine the brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until brown sugar is melted, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the cream and continue to stir the mixture over the heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the bourbon and let the sauce simmer for 1 minute. Remove from stove. While the sauce is cooling, stir it every 1 to 2 minutes to prevent the butter from separating.

Pour the sauce over the bread pudding and serve warm.

If you don’t plan on serving the whole bread pudding at once, consider adding the sauce to each serving. Store leftover bread pudding and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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