This recipe for Cinnamon Caramel Bread Pudding is elegant enough to serve as dessert at a fancy dinner party, but it’s also easy enough to make and serve to the family (and enjoy leftovers for a few days).
I’ve always been completely enamored with bread pudding. And it’s one of my husband’s favorite treats too, so that makes dessert dates easy. I guess it’s the way that the bread soaks up the sweet, sugared cream that lures me in. It also tends to get crusty on the edges when it’s baked. So when you slice into a piece of warm bread pudding, you get a bite of tender, sweet bread edged by crunch.
Top that with whipped cream and caramel and you’ve got this dessert here. I served this at one of my neighborhood Gourmet Dinner Group parties. Every bite was enjoyed and happily devoured.
There’s a recipe in The Recipe Girl Cookbook for bread pudding: it’s a Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding. It’s a little different than this recipe- with no whipped cream or caramel sauce needed (it’s delicious all on its own). I love that recipe for what it is, but this one is a nice substitute for a great bread pudding if you don’t have my book yet. Wait… do you have my book yet?! Of course you do, right? You need my book. I promise you’ll find some great recipes in there that you’ll make again and again 🙂
P.S. My friend Ann has been cooking her way through my cookbook- planning and making dinners from the book for several weeks now. How cool is that? Every day she texts me and tells me what she’s making next. I’m so excited to interview her about her experience with the book and share it with you soon!
Cinnamon Caramel Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 20 slices cinnamon raisin bread (regular-sized, not thick slices)
- 12 large eggs
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups chilled whipping cream, divided (see *Tips below)
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 sprinkle cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 cup caramel sauce (from a jar), warmed
Instructions
- Cut bread into ¾ inch cubes. Place in a very large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 cup cream, sugar, vanilla, zest and salt until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the egg mixture over the bread; toss to coat. Cover with plastic and place a plate on top to submerge the bread in the egg mixture. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, stir the bread mixture once again and then let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13x9 inch dish with nonstick spray.
- Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared dish (use an extra small baking dish too if there is too much to fit into the pan). Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Bake until puffed and golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of cream and the powdered sugar in a medium bowl until peaks form.
- Cut the pudding into 16 slices. Serve puddings warm or at room temperature with whipped cream and warm caramel sauce.
Notes
- Note: "Whipping Cream" is not the same thing as Cool Whip. Look for liquid cream in a carton near the milk products.
- DO AHEAD: Let puddings stand at room temperature up to 2 hours until ready to serve. Leftovers heat up well too!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How many bagels for this recipe?
No bagels– you need 20 slices of cinnamon raisin bread.
My husband has always=ys loved loved bread pudding. I might like this one too, I just wish we had a printer that worked. deanna
Bread pudding is on of my favorite desert, and this version looks fantastic. Carmel makes everything better. It looks so creamy and sweet.
I`m currently obsessed with bread pudding and french toast, so this is definitely something I want to make asap!
Bread pudding is comfort dessert at its finest, I never get when people say they don’t like wet bread! Bread pudding, tiramisu. I once made a bananas foster bread pudding, its so easy yet it just wows everyone! Bet this one did the same 🙂
Look at that drippy caramel! I would eat this for every meal.
Bread pudding is one of my favorites! Thanks for sharing this recipe!