Apple bread pudding is the perfect comfort food for chilly fall weather, with a slightly crispy top and a soft, custardy 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 pairs well with a cup of coffee or black tea and is sure to turn heads at a brunch. Since this recipe yields 10 or more servings, it’s also an easy dessert for a large dinner party.
Apple bread pudding is the perfect way to use up stale bread or extra fruit from fall apple picking. An added bonus: it fills your kitchen with the delightful scent of warm cinnamon and apples!
Use a firm, crisp apple variety for this recipe. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala are all good options. Avoid softer varieties like Macintosh and Macoun, as they will become mushy during the cooking process.
Apple bread pudding comes together easily, and these tips will ensure you get the best possible result:
- This recipe works best if you use stale bread which readily soaks up the sweetened milk and egg mixture.
- Beat the eggs before mixing them with the milk in order to ensure that the batter is evenly combined.
- Let the bread soak in the milk mixture before putting it in the oven for the best results. Once you assemble the bread pudding, I recommend you let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
This recipe is great for prepping ahead of time. You can assemble the bread pudding completely, cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Make the sauce and store it separately in the refrigerator.
When you are ready to bake, take the casserole out of the fridge, remove the plastic, and bake for 45 minutes. Reheat the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Leftover bread pudding can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Reheat it 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 fridge. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or in the microwave for 30-second increments until warm and melted.
- 1 pound brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 large apples, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
- Toast the bread:
Spread the cubes of bread out evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.
You can skip this step if you’re using stale bread that is dry to the touch.
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman - Make the apple filling:
Meanwhile, add the diced apples, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the apples are soft and the sugar is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman - Assemble the bread pudding:
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and sugar.
Add the bread cubes to the prepared casserole dish. Pour the apple filling on top. Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, toss the bread chunks and apple filling together until evenly distributed. Pour the egg and milk mixture on top.
Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking so that the bread can soak up most of the liquid.
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman 
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman - Bake:
Bake until the liquid has set and the bread on the surface of the casserole is golden brown, about 40 minutes. When the bread pudding is done baking, a sharp knife or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman - Make the sauce and serve:
While the bread pudding is baking, prepare the sauce. Combine the brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the brown sugar is melted, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the heavy cream and continue to stir the mixture over heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the bourbon and let the sauce simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. As the sauce cools, mix 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 to serve the entire bread pudding at once, consider adding the sauce to each individual serving. Store any leftover bread pudding and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman 
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman
