Recipe

raisin-studded apple bread pudding

by deb Jump to recipe, comments

Of all the things I had anticipated about being a new mama — the sleep deprivation, the fact that sometimes babies cry for no reason, whatsoever, that they look ridiculously cute things that are too big on them — at least one of the things that I hadn’t considered was, well, the Itch. The one you get at the end of your nose nearly the second after you start feeding the baby and have not a finger free to scratch it.

what you'll need

It’s not always an itch, though. Sometimes it’s a just a bit of water that you need — just a sip! from that glass just two feet in front of you! Oh, how you would do anything for that sip of water! But a lot of times these days, it’s a recipe. I can’t help it. I have so little time to cook and yet these recipe ideas are getting louder and louder in my head… winter salads and tangy pies and buttery leeks and funky salsas and I have more dishes than I could cook in two hundred nap times, it seems, nonetheless in the 15 minutes of a single one that is left after I have both scratched my nose and taken that sweet, sweet sip of water.

dice your breadtoast bread cubesadd apples and raisinsmake custardadd the egg mixtureready to bake

So, I keep a list. I jot all of these ideas down and I arrange them according to urgency and to keep myself sane, I only look at the top item at any one time and try to plot my course accordingly. A couple weeks ago, it was a faintly gingerbread-spiced bread pudding with chunks of apples, studded with plumped raisins and on our next trip to the market, I bought some apples and on another trip, Alex bought some raisins and we hit up one of those Ukrainian restaurants in our neighborhood for some of their homemade challah and on another run I remembered to buy some milk and eggs and finally, 9 days and 14 hours and 26 minutes (or so) after I had started dreaming of a fall bread pudding that could be dessert or decadent breakfast or just something to make our apartment smell so ungodly awesome, it even mesmerizes its tiniest inhabitant, I had this one in front of me.

And — thank god — it was totally worth the wait.

raisin-studded apple bread pudding

Previously

One year ago: Cauliflower Salad with Green Olives and Capers, Onion Tart with Mustard and Fennel and Silky Smooth Pumpkin Pie
Two years ago: Simplest Apple Tart and Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Three years ago: Shrimp Cocktail, Artichoke Potato Gratin, Chocolate Stout Cake and Couscous and Feta-Stuffed Peppers

Raisin-Studded Apple Bread Pudding

Recipe notes: When I first made this in 2009, I did away with the separating eggs in the original recipe. I noted that you could add another egg and cup of milk if you’d like an eggier custard, but I rarely do this with a sweet, rich bread such as the challah shown here; it’s not needed. These days, in this 2020 update, I make several additional changes. I double the cinnamon (adjusted below from 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon), use a little less sugar (heaped 1/2 cup) when I’m using a sweet bread like challah and the full amount with a regular white bread, halve the raisins (using 1/2 cup instead of 1 cup), don’t plump them unless they’re hard, don’t bother heating the milk and molasses, and assemble everything in the baking dish, not a bowl. I do not remove the bread crusts (especially with challah), and I like to toast the almonds before I begin or they stay pale in the oven. Finally, I often make this the night before I need it and let it soak in the fridge overnight; I bake it cold from the fridge, to serve it warm.

  • 1 pound bakery white or challah bread, crusts removed if you wish, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 to 1 cup golden raisins, plumped in hot water for 15 minutes, if necessary (see Note)
  • 3 large eggs
  • Heaped 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup granulated sugar (see Note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds

Heat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter either a 9×13-inch deep baking dish or six 8-ounce ramekins. If using ramekins, set them on a baking sheet.

Spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6 minutes, until crisp. Transfer to baking dish(es). Add the apples and raisin and toss gently to combine.

In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer or whisk, beat the eggs with the sugar, spices, vanilla, salt, and molasses. Gradually add milk, beating well. Pour the custard over the bread mixture, nudging the bread around a bit to make sure it soaks all of the pieces. Let stand for 5 minutes at room temperature (minimum) or overnight in the fridge, covered tightly.

Sprinkle the almonds on top before baking. Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes (and up to 50 minutes if cold from fridge), until puffed and set, with the tops lightly browned. Let the bread pudding(s) rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.


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162 comments on raisin-studded apple bread pudding

  2. Stoich91

    So true about the crying for whatsoever no reason!!! :-) Love it! Baby pic AND bread pudding; I’m no pudding lover, but your recipe might make a convert out of me. :) Lol

  6. Bri

    Bread pudding is one of those things that can either be done so well or so poorly. This recipe looks DELICIOUS. Going to have to try it. Good luck with “The Itch”!

  10. Cookin Canuck

    This looks like a perfect bread pudding for the season! I remember having the same thoughts when I was nursing my kids. I ended up setting up a table beside the chair, with all the amenities – water, chapstick, phone, book (in case baby fell asleep)… Having a baby is definitely a learning process!

  11. Mel

    Looks fantastic! And I know what you mean about the itch and the water. My baby boy is 11 weeks and EVERY TIME I sit to feed him I am insanely thirsty. I’m glad there is someone out there going through the same issues as me right now, I’m sneaking in kitchen time when ever I can. And the remembering things at the store? Forget it.

  12. Darcey

    I think I’m going to make this for breakfast for post-Thanksgiving, pre-shopping with my family. My dad will buy me that pony I’ve always wanted if I surprise him with this decadent bread pudding. (He is obsessed with this stuff – buying whole pie tins of it at our local bakery and sitting down with the entire plate and a fork.)

  14. Lisa

    This looks yummy and I’ve never had bread pudding.
    You need to start exercising your toes! You would be amazed at what the feet can do for you when the hands are occupied with a baby. Maybe not scratch your nose or get a glass of water, but they are great at picking up other items!

  15. The Gardener’s Eden

    Oh wow. This looks great. I checked your site yesterday to see if you had posted more recipes with apples. I am writing about heirloom apples and orchards all week on my gardening site. There are so many great recipes out there, but this one is new to me. I will have to give it a try – you have given ME and itch for bread pudding. Timely and fantastic.
    Thank you Deb,
    Michaela

  19. Nutmeg Nanny

    Being a nanny I know all about babies crying for no reason. It can be frustrating but I have learned that it always gets better:)

    This dessert looks great too! I’m so happy you have found the time to make such yummy treats for your readers :)

  21. Carol

    I’ve wanted to make a fall bread pudding but just haven’t found a recipe to entice me. This one looks yummy. I appreciate the insight re: the custard quality. I’m thinking to substitute some dried tart cherries for the raisins, or maybe cranberries. Or use a golden raisin and cranberry combo. Hmmm….so many choices!

  22. Seanna Lea

    Huh. Looking at the original recipe it doesn’t really make it explicit, but maybe they expected the egg and milk mixture to be a bit thicker? A little more into custard land and less into I just mixed my milk and eggs land? I always think of custard at least at the starting to thicken stage.

    Yours, of course, looks delicious and reminds me that I have a loaf of bread waiting for me to make baked apple french toast… it’s like bread pudding only pretends to be healthy!

    1. deb

      Seanna — I agree, and had expected a thicker custard. If you, or anyone else, try it according to the original recipe’s egg separation suggestion, I would love to hear if it worked out (I had been obsessed with the idea of a fluffier egg pudding) and my flub was just user error.

  24. linda

    dear deb,
    WOW!
    we are all SMITTEN by your blog & it shows…
    CONGRATS! on the 2009 foodbuzz awards..2 awards for your fabulous blog!
    you raise the bar to new heights with your writing, photography & recipes!
    thank you for your creativity & talent!
    this week’s baking for me is your tiramisu cake & the best birthday cake!

    deb: could i replace the raisins in this apple bread pudding recipe with dried cranberries…& would i plump them up the same way as the raisins?

    hugs to adorable jacob!

  25. Susan

    This recipe looks good, but I can see where it might be difficult to fold in the egg whites. Maybe if they were beaten only to soft peaks? It seems like it would be easier if part of the bread were mixed in with the yolks first. Who knows, your way sounds like it works, so be it.

    You tweeted about hearing a baby cry at inconvenient times. I remember that feeling too. I always, ALWAYS, heard it when I got in the shower. It got to the point that I showered before Rick left for work..just so I could have some peace of mind and a continuous flow of hot water without shutting it down to listen! Gads..that maternal ear is so tuned in that it can make you begin to think you’re going crazy!

  29. michelle

    This is a recipe that I almost always have all the ingredients for. So inorder to fight the cold weather and a desprate attempt to warm up from inside out, I can’t wait to try this recipe!

    THanks for sharing!

  32. Laura J

    I’m sorry, that baby would STILL be cute in form-fitting Spandex. But he is cute in the hat. Have you seen the tiny blue jeans and the tiny, tiny workboots?

  34. Shauna from Piece of Cake

    OH MY GOD. You sent me right back to the first few months of motherhood with this post. I remember trying in vain to explain the madness of nursing to my childless friends–I can’t cough/sneeze/itch/drink/eat when I want to! FEEL FOR ME, PEOPLE–and getting nothing but blank stares. I will continue to rely on you for such reminders as a form of birth control. However, once that head control kicks in, you’ll be doing the one-arm-nursing-other-arm-sauteeing with the best of them.

    I love all these comfort foods you’ve been turning out lately. Awesome!

  40. Chelsea

    I just got into your blog recently… I have lots to catch up on! Your gorgeous, thoughtful recipes will keep me busy through the holidays and beyond.
    Although I have to admit, the real reason I was inspired to comment was to tell you how absolutely beautiful your baby is! Congratulations!

  42. No No Nanette

    my 2 1/2 year-old daughter came over to the computer while I was looking at your flickr photos of Jacob and she said “Aw, a baby! I wanna buy that baby, he’s so cute!” Lucky for her, our baby comes in 7 weeks, so it is not that big of a disappointment that Jacob is not for sale :)

  44. Pilar

    Thanks for sharing. I feel the same with my Julia. She is 7 weeks old… still just like you I carved some time to cook the simplest apple tart, yum and my husband favorite the pear and chocolate cake.

  45. Alex

    Bread pudding is one of those decadant winter-specific desserts. It’s just too sticky and dense for the heat of summer but in the cold? Oh yes.

    It also happens to be my boyfriend’s favourite dessert. Haha, I’m guessing I’m going to have to tweak it a fair bit to make it dairy free and gluten-free, but I’ll try!

    All the way from Toronto, let me extend a finger to scratch that nose :)

    Hope you’re doing well, mama!

  48. Almost Slowfood

    I was itching to cook days after baby girl was born. I’d find myself flipping through cookbooks and magazines during our nursing sessions and dreaming about the meals and treats I’d cook when I had a free moment.

    Recipe looks divine.

  49. Emily

    You might try slowly adding the custard to the whipped egg whites instead of the other way around. It’s usually easier to add thin to thick than thick to thin.

  50. natalika

    I love bread pudding! Sooo much. Yummy, yummy, yummy.

    Anyone looking for a fluffier (more flan-like)version without increasing the number of eggs might consider also trying this recipe: http://www.joyofbaking.com/muffins/BreadPuddingMuffins.html – I halve the quantities and use slightly more fruit (pear or apple with raisins or a mix of berries or whatever other fruit lays around in my kitchen) and still get 12 muffin-sized servings out of it. These “minis” are more on the creamy side and easier to take around (for work i.e.) than the standard baking dish version. Oh and they also look cute: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31554729@N08/tags/breadpudding/

  51. Katie

    Ugh. I’m the only person in my house who EATS bread pudding. And I happen to LOVE it. I make it every year at Christmas and force everyone to eat a bite, but I never convert any of them. Maybe this one would do the trick…

  56. Jennifer

    I was never as thirsty as when I would sit to nurse. You quickly figure out to have a sort of mise en place of necessities around you. Otherwise, I always felt completely stuck.

  57. Kristen

    I love it! I felt like you were talking about me. :D I am a new mother of twins (7 months now) and when I read what you posted about things you didn’t anticipate being mother, I had to laugh. I know exactly what you are talking about. Just when you start nursing, and no hands are free, the Itch comes to attack. I would use whatever I could get to (shoulder, arm…my husband). I’m sure I looked ridiculous! And then the Thirst would come. Parched. *cough* “waaater” Thankfully, my husband has come to my rescue many times. I had no idea how thirsty you get! And I’ve become quite good at the art of drinking from a glass that some else is holding. :D And then the Recipes… I have always enjoyed cooking, but since I have been pregnant and had my boys, I have never baked so much in my life! It must be a postpartum thing. This is when I discovered your site, and what a treat it has been. Not only are the posts fun to read, but I just drool over the different recipes you tempt us with. The other day, I tried your Challah. (We just finished devouring the loaf today – 1 1/2 days… is that a record?) Today it was Gingerbread. I longed for the sweet, spicy aroma to fill our apartment (and my tummy, too!) Anyway, thank you for the continued inspiration. Happy cooking/baking and mommy-ing! :)

  58. Dan

    Thanks! And thanks – one of my few food quirks is that I’m not overly fond of nuts in my recipes (except salads) and I usually leave them out when possible.

  59. Hilary

    Hi Deb,
    I’m new to your site and just wanted to thank you!! I made the squash tart a week or two ago and my boyfriend said that it was heavenly! I also made the cauliflower roasted with the capers, raisins, almonds and herbs on top last night – fantastic!! I don’t think that I’d had cauliflower since I was a kid and wanted to try to trick myself back into it. Great job.

    Your photos are incredible and I’ve been making lists of what to delve into next. Tonight I have some brussel sprouts to attend to, but I’ll be back tomorrow looking up some ways to work off my CSA veg that I’m picking up tonight. I also love your very comprehensive listing of other food/recipe/life blogs and sources. I don’t know how I’ve gone so long with stumbling upon these; guess I’m breaking out of cookbook/magazine/NYTimes and epicurious searches now!!

    Keep up the good work.

  62. Deanna B

    I went on a cooking spree yesterday and almost every single recipe was from Smitten. No knead bread? check. Cheese straws? check. Peanut butter crispy squares that melt entirely too fast? check. Today I finally branched out and remembered that oh yeah I can cook without a recipe. But then you show me this bread pudding and now its back to my kitchen being a smitten kitchen.

  63. Amy J

    Hi Deb. This is an amazing website; I’ve loved all the recipes I’ve tried so far. The pickled carrots were a particular hit at my last party. Question about this bread pudding: I love challah bread, especially the crust. Do you think it would it work ok to leave at least some of the crust on?

  67. Sarah

    Hi Deb (love your site btw)! I was wondering, is it at all possible to replace the whole milk with something a bit lighter like, say, skim or 2%? I’m thinking about making this for Thanksgiving dessert and am trying to minimize the inevitable damage on the waistline :)

  68. Rebecca

    I can’t believe you didn’t plump the raisins in hot brandy, or at least add a splash to the custard. Are you feeling okay, Deb?

  73. Kamran Siddiqi

    Deb, STOP IT!!!

    You always have me drooling over your beautifully photographed and beautifully written posts.

    I’m bookmarking this! Now, I can’t guarantee that it won’t get lost in my several million (maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit, but it sure feels like a million!) recipe bookmarks, but I can guarantee that it will be made sooner or later because it looks simply delicious!

    As a side note: Where the did you get that set of awesome plates from (like the one shown in the last photo)?

    1. deb

      Our plates are Calvin Klein Khaki/Cargo (?). Wedding presents straight from our registry! They’re sage green; I would totally get white if we could do it over again.

  75. Lisa P.

    Oh, Deb, I can relate about the Itch. Your recipe looks great — sweet and hearty. My mom actually made us bread pudding when I was newly mommed and it was so comforting. She did not use molasses, which I think would step it up a comfort notch. I’ll pass it on for the next child….

  77. Nurit from 1 Family. Friendly. Food.

    Oh Deb, this sounds familiar. Then, 6 years later, I have a kid who doens’t like to eat all that good food! And his little sister is entering a picky eating phase herslef, I fear. Arrgh. Kids.
    I’ll just have to cook all the good stuff for me and the husb. Let them choke on cheese and carbs as much as they want.
    Naaa, just kidding.

  80. jess

    I’m not typically one for bread pudding (although your’s sounds good and might tempt me to try it one more time), but your description of feeding an infant had me in flash backs. So many hours of feedings! Soon though you will be able to itch and drink and feed…it is amazing how versatile we can become. I can remember breast-feeding my first while loading the dishwasher, changing over laundry, and even fielding work phone calls. Enjoy your quiet moments with your babe–mine are already 6 & 8 and I remember people telling me that too when they were little, but really, really do.

  81. ricasuave

    I’m all about the bread puddng and this one looks amazing – the only thing that seems to be missing is a big-ass scoop of vanilla ice cream! (oh, and His Royal Cuteness looks fab in the chapeau – even if it is a tad roomy)

  84. elissa

    oh, the need for something the minute you start nursing! i used to wish for the powers of a jedi all the time…. use the force, luke! you have a terribly lovely site that makes, even me, want to cook! blessings to you!

  86. Jen-

    I’ve been wanting a good bread pudding recipe for AGES! I think I’ve got a little drool at the corner of my mouth…Yummm..

    Jacob is just delicious! My son’s middle name is Jacob. They are the best little guys aren’t they!? I read that when nursing, your body asks for water (my summation of a chapter) and it’s important to start the habit of always sitting down with baby, blanky, dribble rag AND a big glass of water every time you nurse. I never drank water much all my life til I became pregnant and began nursing. Love it now! :)

    Happy baby kissing!
    Jen-

  89. Mona

    No baby for me yet – but we are still on the same wavelength. I woke up Sunday and just couldn’t abide the thought of going to bed and not having made Bread Pudding. That. Very. Same. Day!

    I must admit, I did a “trashy” version and used sweetened condensed milk. But I did have a very good crusty farmhouse french loaf for the bread cubes….!

  91. Olive

    you know this already but I have to say it anyway..that looks yummy, I love bread puddings, any kind, I love to throw in whatever I think will work raisins, chocolate chips,coconuts, coffee..etc.. I have not thought of apples though..I wonder why, I do love apples .. thanks for sharing this, miss deb :)

  93. Karen

    Looks so good. Wish a certain someone-who shall remain nameless, but has loved me for 37 years-would enjoy it with me. Blessings on your feeding, nap, and all other times! They won’t last forever, soon you’ll be in a new season of life.

  94. Charlotte

    I had to laugh about the Itch – oh, I remember those days. And the water glass being just beyond the reach of my finger tips. Of course, as I (and son) got better at it, I remember reading Watership Down during long hours of feeding. Thanks for a new bread pudding recipe – I love bread pudding. Oh – and the Jacob pics are just too cute!

  96. Jenny

    This recipe is in the oven! My friend just introduced me to your blog and today I am trying this one as well as the salted brown butter rice krispy treats… yum.

  98. Berto

    I had a loaf of brown butter bread that was a wee bit stale and ended up being thrown in here. Needless to say the butter count was high and the deliious factor was way up!

  101. Miranda

    OK, so I’m now reading this site as much for the Smitten kitchen baby pictures as for the Smitten kitchen recipes. Is this wrong? Sooo remember the thirst thing, to the point where I now go up to complete strangers feeding their babies in cafes and hand them glasses of water. How to get extremely grateful smiles from people you don’t know!
    Oh and the pudding looks good too, will give it a go.

  102. Jessica

    What does “half-inch pieces” mean exactly, with the apples? I’m trying to go by your photo and I think you mean slices which are half an inch thick at the thickest, but that seems like very few chunks of apple distributed throughout this whole thing… could you clarify? Thank you!

  104. Brenda

    Is it bad that I scan your blog for pictures of Jacob FIRST and then read the recipe??!! My daughter is 3 and while I love that she is my little shadow and walks and talks and is potty trained, I do miss those first few months of her being such a sweet little nugget totally and one million percent dependent on me! I think this recipe might be on the breakfast table Thanksgiving morning!

  105. Gretchen

    Thank you, Deb! I was having thoughts of bread pudding with apples, but wasn’t sure what the extra moisture would do to my usual recipe if I just hacked up an apple and tossed it in. Problem solved! And, as possibly the world’s laziest cook, I have to ask – does toasting the bread make a difference in flavor or texture, or can I just follow my usual routine and let some go stale before I “pudding” it?

  106. Sara

    I just took this out of the oven. You constantly push me to try recipes and techniques I wouldn’t otherwise and to challenge myself. It came out beautifully and I can’t wait for my boyfriend to get home and see what I made him. Thanks so much for all of your guidance and recipes!

  107. Erin

    I also just pulled this out of the oven, and…wow. This is my new go-to bread pudding recipe, Deb. LOVED the raisin and apple additions. To answer your questions, Jess, I cut my apple pieces up so that they were ROUGHLY half inch in every direction. Tiny little chunks, basically, I found it really didn’t need to be perfect, AND you got delicious apple bites in every spoonful.

    I was debating throwing some chocolate chips in here as well, but am glad I opted not to. The molasses flavor with the spices are delicious enough on their own (coming from a chocoholic, no less. Seriously. I’ve made your chocolate pudding about 4 times in the past month.)

  109. Stephanie @ proactivebridesmaid

    Someone just asked me for a substitute for crystalized ginger in my Apple Ginger Crumb Bars. I was at a loss, but after reading this, I thought, hmm, maybe throw in some raisins.

    I will be so sad when apple season is over here, but I’m always happy when the next season comes along!

  110. Johanna

    molasses and spices in a bread pudding sounds amazingly good – I recently had pumpkin and chocolate in a bread pudding which I loved but now want to try this one – unfortunately tis too hot for such things right now in my part of the world but will put it on my list – feeding a baby does give loads of time to ruminate over recipes – look forward to seeing more of your late night imagination come to life

  111. deepa

    This looks amazing! Def trying it this weekend:)

    Totally agree with the whole nursing thing! As one of the commenters suggested, I, too, set up a station in the nursery and things worked out. It is still frustrating when we are on the couch and my husband is watching the SyFy channel and then just leaves the room, the remote just out of reach. I have since learned to pick up the reomote with my toes! Def a skill worth having:)

  114. TinaFromTexas

    I have 3/4 lb. pork sausage in my fridge and I had no idea what to do with it. I searched your blog, and now I can’t decide between the sausage stuffed potatoes or the tomato-sausage risotto! Thanks for giving me such delicious ideas! I can’t wait to cook tonight!

  115. The Midnight Egg

    Aha! A new reason to bring home extra bread from working in the bakery! I knew there was something other than french toast….

    ps. your baby is either incredibly photogenic or you are a talented photographer. Oh, wait…it’s both. :)

  116. Virginia

    Well I was getting ready to huff and puff about Baby Boy being MIA on this post but found his sweet self on FLickr. Don’t even think about depriving us. Recipe sounds divine of course.
    V

  118. jen

    just HAD to comment to tell you I made your pumpkin bread pudding for a brunch a couple weeks ago. IT WAS PERFECT. I used whole milk and ff 1/2 and 1/2 and it had the perfect denseness (not TOO), the perfect sweetness, and the perfect amount of spice. Rarely do I make a recipe and NOT think to myself ‘this was good but NEXT TIME…’

  119. Fire Wife Katie

    Oooh, I like bread pudding that’s not too gelatinous, I bet this would be perfect.

    But I have a question for you. What do you do with your leftovers?? I’m nursing too, but no amount of nursing is going to make up for eating all of the sweets I crave to bake. :o

    I hear ya on feeding a baby, nursing or bottle-fed. It’s not as easy as it seems like it would be!! And, it can be incredibly frustrating. Especially at 3 in the morning. I had to start a stash of sweets right next to the spot I nurse my little guy, reserved just for feeding sessions, to make it into something to look forward to in the middle of the night instead of resenting my cute little alarm clock.

  120. Donna

    I started to salivate when I saw this recipe. I’m a fan of bread pudding but find that it’s really hard to find a perfect consistency. I wanted to make this for Thanksgiving but realize that baking experiments don’t fare well with my large family so I tested it out today with my coworkers. It was a H-I-T!

    My grocery store was out of challah bread so I just used a loaf of french bread and decided to use the crust. I also substituted white sugar with brown. Yum yum in my tum tum. I am now officially ready to make this for my family on Thanksgiving.

    Thanks again for a great recipe!

  121. Erin

    I’ll have to put this one on the short-list of nap time recipes to try. I’m a new mom, too – I can completely identify with the too-many-recipes-not-enough-time problem as well as the insane thirst during feedings. So glad to hear I’m not alone!

    mmm…I bet this would be amazing with a warm caramel sauce!

  122. Jessica

    Thanks for this recipe! I made a couple of changes to the recipe for personal preference (and because I had the stuff on-hand). I soaked the raisins in hot apple cider and used lowfat milk, and it came out beautifully!

  123. eric

    i must have the same tastebuds as u, love the website and all the recipe ideas….im gonna try this but with palm sugar, toasted coconut shavings on top with kaffir lime zest and see what happens, cheers!

  124. jacqueline

    Hey there,

    I made this recipe but subsituted almond milk for the milk and date honey for the unslufered mollases and it came out wonderful!! I keep kosher so making a parve bread pudding was risky but it came out great. Keep up the great work! Love your recipes!

  125. kristin

    I made the bread pudding for a potluck brunch yesterday. It smelled divine while baking and felt like it weighed 10 pounds when I was putting it in the oven. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to eat it while still warm.

    Changes I would make: I used the 4 egg/4 cup milk option. I would try 4 cups milk and 3 eggs for the next time. It was a little too eggy. I used challah bread, so that adds to the egginess. Also, I think I’d use 2% instead of the whole milk and see if it’s noticable. Otherwise, it was super-duper-wonderful!

    Thanks for posting such enticing recipes!!

  127. Vy

    I finally got around to making this on Friday, and it was fab-u-lous!

    I had to improvise a bit with the ingredients, though. I used two cups whipping cream and a cup of almond milk and omitted the ground ginger and molasses. It was excellent without the molasses, but I imagine it would’ve been even better if I had put it in. Next time!

  128. Kate

    This recipe is fabulous! I used a rock-hard whole-wheat baguette, so didn’t remove the crust. It was absolutely DELICIOUS and looked great too. This is a perfect dessert dish for a potluck.

  129. Lynda

    Delicious! I used three day old challah, and 2% milk. I didn’t have fresh apples, so I substituted 1/2 bag of dried apples, snipped into chunks. Same with the raisins, but dark raisins worked just as well. I used toffee glazed almonds for the top. My husband’s demanded sauce, so I made a bourbon sauce, which perfectly complimented the molasses and spices of the pudding. Man-O-man-O-man!

  130. TD

    I made this bread pudding with 4 eggs and 4 cups milk and was glad to see the more pudding-y texture it come out with. Tasted very good. I used all freshly ground spices which made the pudding so so special.

  131. Layla

    Every time I make this I am missing some ingredients. And, every time I make it, it comes out wonderful. I am forever making this at my boyfriend’s apartment, so we use the only spice he has to flavor it- a nub of ginger- and brown sugar instead of molasses. I finally brought over raisins, vanilla, and cinnamon (we’d been using cranberries before) and the result is baking right now.

  132. Debbie Roberts

    Many years ago I had a bread pudding with nuts and chocolate in it, not a chocolate pudding, and then a creme brulee topping. I still remember it, but it has never been back on the restaurants(now closed) menu. Just read the recipe for the brioche french toasts but wondered if you had ever tried it on a regular bread pudding. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes – d

  133. Anna Malina

    I’m just enjoying the leftovers of this delicious bread pudding I made yesteday. It’s really good even when it’s cold, with a lot of vanilla sauce!
    I used a leftover french baguette, blueberries instead of apples and then I found some Amarettini in the cupboard which I crushed and put into the mixture. Just perfect!

  134. Amy

    That’s precisely how I became known for my almost flourless chocolate cake. It was a recipe I could make with two screaming kids hanging on my legs. No matter what I did to it, it still tasted great.

  135. Rachel

    I made this last night using wheat dinner rolls I’d made last week. I only had four left, so I doubled the apples and cut the milk by 1 cup to ensure it wouldn’t be soupy. I also must cop to adding bourbon to the custard mixture. When it was almost done, I made a half & half-based salt caramel sauce on the stove. I have never before heard my husband rave about a dessert like he raved about this. Thanks Deb!

  136. Sandra Van Laan

    My husband asked for bread pudding for his birthday. Only substitution was bakery white bread for egg bread. He gave it an excellent rating and said it was a special birthday treat. Thank you for being my “go to” cooking website!

  137. Mary

    This is delicious. I made this on New Years Eve and, thinking along the same lines as Rachel, served it with a bourbon sauce. Wonderful!

  138. Allie

    I tried this one last night using a loaf of ciabatta. I liked it, but I think next time I’ll go a bit heavier on the spices and the custard. And maybe I’ll whip up a rum sauce to drizzle over it.

  139. Laurie

    I cannot imagine a future brunch without this delicious dish. Because this time it was for a 7 am weekday breakfast, I cut the sugar to 1/2 cup. Still plenty sweet for me. Subbed an extra apple for the raisins–used one firm and one soft. The Whole Foods challah took much longer to toast. I checked it very two or three minutes until the cubes crisped. I crushed some whole roasted almonds for the topping and upped the spices a bit.

  140. Anna

    Cut the sugar to 1/2 cup, used your beautiful apple and honey challah, so no need for extra apple and added crispy bacon bits.
    Best brunch ever!
    And that apple and honey challah, well you are a genious.

  141. Alice

    Hi Deb! I just made this recipe and oh my gosh…best November comfort food ever. Especially with a dab of creme fraiche or sour cream on top! I also wanted to tell you that if you haven’t already, you must! make a dish called Hungarian mushroom soup. It will coax you completely into the soup lovers guild (SLG). It incorporates: cream, mushrooms, dill, smoked paprika, white wine, a good chicken stock (!) and lemon juice. It is perfect by itself, or thickened slightly, over egg noodles. I haven’t seen it in your archives and thought that I needed to tell you about it, since it incorporates so many of your favorite cooking themes. Please give it a whirl and let us know what you think!

  142. Kate

    YUM! This looks amazing and will no doubt be part of my Christmas brunch. Question: Can this be soaked overnight and if so, how does it hold up?

  143. Jessica

    Just made this and it was excellent! Used up a range of left-over bread, so instead of challah was a mix of chocolate hot cross buns, traditional hot cross buns and soft multi-grain sandwich bread. I also bumped up the spices, and used less sugar to compensate for the sweet bread. The only problem is trying to muster up enough self control to not eat the leftovers by myself! Thanks again Deb for a fantastic recipe.

  144. Faiqa

    Hi Deb,

    Can this recipe be made/prepped ahead, like the Salted Caramel Morning Bread Pudding? I’m hosting a brunch this Saturday, and would really like to have it ready to go in the oven when I wake up!

  145. Leah

    Will this work with peaches? I have a couple that are on this side of flavorless. Maybe cook them in a bit of sugar first?

  146. Becky

    Made this with the crusts we pulled off the stuffing bread (ended with a little more rustic look). Substituted craisins for the raisins. Spices were delicious! Will definitely make again!

  147. Julie

    Hi! I’m planning on making this and adding the extra egg and milk. Can I make the dish ahead and bake off later? Or should I make, bake and then reheat? Thanks!

  148. Christine

    I want to make this with the Challah recipe I just finished, thank YOU! My son does not like raisins, is it okay to use dried cranberries?

  149. Cathleen

    While there was a lot to love in this, the molasses flavor was a bit strong for me. So on day 2 I added a lemon glaze and liked it even more due to the added acid, sweetness, and moisture.

  150. Vivian

    Hi Deb! I love reading your commentary and all the comments people post. I am making this for New Year’s Day brunch. One of the guests is lactose-intolerant. Can I sub another type of milk? Like almond milk? What do you think?
    Thanks!

  151. Monalisa

    I have a leftover pannetone – ever tried it for bread pudding? Its a looser crumb – if thats the right word – than challah I think. Thanks.

  152. Carol S

    I have to had bread pudding since childhood but loved it. It was always served with a vanilla (or rum?) sauce. This was a Catholic orphanage so I doubt the nuns would have cooked something with rum for the kids. It added a lot in my memory. Would you recommend to make or stay away?

  153. Sophie

    This was super delicious! I had an assortment of breads to use up (hot dog buns, brioche burger buns, dinner rolls, boring white bread, croissants). Subbed crystallized ginger for the raisins and pecans for the almonds. So good!