Bread Pudding with Applesauce (easy)
An old-fashioned pudding with applesauce that's soft, warmly spiced, and easy to make with stale bread and a rich custard. It can be assembled ahead and baked the next day.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the bread pudding:
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 6 cups cubed white bread or challah slightly stale; brioche also works, but it's richer and softer
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the cinnamon sugar topping:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
To serve:
- whipped cream optional
- maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish or a 2-quart casserole dish with butter.
Make the applesauce pudding:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs and ½ cup packed brown sugar until smooth.
- Add 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup whole milk, ½ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk until fully combined.
- Add 6 cups cubed white bread or challah to the bowl. Gently toss until every piece is coated. Let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes so the bread can soak up the custard; this prevents dry spots. Press lightly once or twice to make sure the liquid covers all of the bread pieces.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared dish, pressing the bread cubes down gently so they're submerged in the custard.
Topping and baking:
- Mix 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until evenly colored (or almost; cinnamon is slow to incorporate Sprinkle on top of the bread.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is almost set. It shouldn't jiggle like liquid, but a very slight wobble (like a cheesecake) is fine; it firms up more as it cools. If you want to be precise, an instant-read thermometer in the center should read around 74–77°C (165–170°F).
- Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, plain or with whipped cream and a drizzle of maple syrup if you want to.
Notes
You can double this recipe using a 9x13-inch dish. The bake time will run 10-15 minutes longer; check for the same set-center, non-jiggly doneness cue rather than going strictly by time.
Dairy: You can swap the heavy cream for more whole milk for a lighter, less rich pudding, or go the other direction and use half-and-half throughout for something closer to a bread pudding you'd get at an old-fashioned diner.
