Apple Cranberry Bread Pudding
Apple Cranberry Bread Pudding
Warm bread pudding baked with tender apples, tart cranberries, cinnamon, and a vanilla custard that sets around soft cubes of bread.
Apple cranberry bread pudding is the kind of dessert that works best when the fruit is bright and the custard is generous. Cubes of slightly dry bread soak up vanilla, cinnamon, eggs, and milk, then bake into a soft center with a lightly crisp top.
Tart apples and cranberries keep the pudding from tasting flat. The apples soften into the custard while the cranberries burst in small pockets, giving each serving a balance of sweetness and acidity.
Brioche and challah both make a rich pudding, but any sturdy white bread can work if it is a day old or lightly toasted first. The brief soaking time matters because it lets the custard reach the middle of the bread instead of only coating the outside.
Serve the pudding warm from the baking dish with a spoonful of whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a light dusting of powdered sugar. It also reheats well, making it useful for holiday brunches, potlucks, and cold-weather desserts.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
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2
Spread the bread cubes in the baking dish, drizzle with the melted butter, and toss gently to coat.
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3
Scatter the diced apples and cranberries evenly through the bread cubes.
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4
Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
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5
Pour the custard evenly over the bread mixture, pressing the bread down lightly so the top pieces begin to absorb the liquid.
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6
Let the pudding stand for 15 minutes, pressing once or twice more, until most of the bread is moistened.
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7
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is set in the center, the top is golden, and a knife inserted near the middle comes out mostly clean.
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8
Cool for 10 minutes before serving warm with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- Brioche or Challah Bread, cut into 1-inch cubes:10 cups
- Unsalted Butter, melted:3 tbsp
- Tart Apples, peeled and diced:2 large
- Fresh or Frozen Cranberries:1 cup
- Large Eggs:4
- Whole Milk:2 cups
- Heavy Cream:1 cup
- Packed Light Brown Sugar:3/4 cup
- Vanilla Extract:2 tsp
- Ground Cinnamon:1 1/2 tsp
- Fine Salt:1/2 tsp
- Powdered Sugar for serving:as needed
Tips & Notes
- If the bread is fresh and soft, toast the cubes on a baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes before assembling.
- Frozen cranberries can be added straight from the freezer; do not thaw them first.
- For a less sweet pudding, reduce the brown sugar to 1/2 cup and serve with a lightly sweet topping.
- Leftovers reheat best covered in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
