Apple Bread Pudding

Apple lovers have so many delectable dishes to choose from. Some of our favorite apple recipes include apple cake, apple fritters, apple pie and spiced applesauce. But there’s another apple dish that doesn’t get enough attention: apple bread pudding. It’s an old-fashioned recipe that’s so easy to make in your trusty cast-iron pan.

This dish is wonderful for dessert (served with ice cream or whipped cream) as well as for breakfast and brunch get-togethers. Sliced apples and day-old bread bake up in a spiced batter of eggs and milk. The result is a warm, sweet and creamy treat that will fill your house with the most heavenly autumn scent as it bakes. It may just become one of your new favorite fall desserts!

Ingredients for Apple Bread Pudding

• Apples: We use tart Granny Smith apples to balance the sweetness of this apple bread pudding recipe. Our guide to the best baking apples has ideas for other types you can try.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar goes into the pan when simmering and softening the apples, and it also sweetens the batter.
• Butter: Use salted or unsalted quality butter here. It works with the sugar to soften the apples.
• Day-old bread: You can use older bread that’s become stale and dry, or dry out fresh bread by leaving it unwrapped or toasting it until crisp. Dry bread soaks up and holds the eggy batter better than fresh bread, which would yield soggy, gummy pudding.
• Eggs: Used in the batter, eggs give this dish flavor, moisture and structure once baked. Choose four large eggs, and beat them lightly before starting the recipe.
• Brandy or apple juice: Bring out the apple flavor of the dish with a little apple brandy, like Calvados or applejack. Or, get that flavor with apple juice or apple cider.
• Almond milk: This recipe uses vanilla almond milk to create the batter, but you can also use unflavored. The almond flavor in the milk is a nice complement to the apple and cinnamon flavors of the bread pudding.
• Cinnamon: Just a little ground cinnamon gives the recipe so much fall flavor. Here’s our guide to choosing the best cinnamon.
• Vanilla: Choose a good quality, pure vanilla extract for the best flavor in the dish once it’s baked. Our Test Kitchen prefers these brands of vanilla.
• Walnuts: A half cup chopped walnuts gives a little crunch to the soft texture of this apple bread pudding recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the apples

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat, and then add the sliced apples and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Cook and stir the apples for about six minutes, until they become golden brown and soft.

Stir cinnamon into the apples.

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Pull the pan off of the burner and pour in the brandy or apple juice. Return the pan to the burner and cook the apples for another minute or two, until the sauce is thickened and syrupy. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 2: Make the batter

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Whisk together the almond milk, eggs, vanilla extract and the remaining granulated sugar in a large bowl. Gently stir the bread cubes into the liquid, then let the mixture rest for five minutes until the bread has softened.

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Stir in the cooked apples and walnuts.

Step 3: Prep the skillet

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Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet; place the skillet in the preheated oven until the butter has melted.

Step 4: Bake the bread pudding

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Spoon the apple-bread mixture into the skillet, spreading it into an even layer. Melt the remaining butter, then drizzle it over the top. Slide the pan back into the oven and bake the bread pudding for 50 to 55 minutes. It’s ready when it looks puffed and golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve apple bread pudding while it’s warm.

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Recipe Variations

• Serve with caramel sauce: Make a simple caramel or salted caramel sauce on the stove, then drizzle it over portions of the apple bread pudding recipe.
• Substitute brown sugar: Give the bread pudding a richer, caramel-like flavor by using light brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar.
• Make it gluten-free: All you have to do is choose a gluten-free loaf of bread! Let the slices dry out a little, or cube the bread and toast it in the oven.
• Add dried fruit: Give your bread pudding extra flavor and texture by mixing in dried fruit like cranberries, raisins, pineapple or blueberries.
• Use dairy milk: Use regular or 2% milk instead of almond milk for a somewhat more creamy bread pudding. You can add extra vanilla extract to replace the flavor of the almond milk.

How to Store Apple Bread Pudding

Let the bread pudding cool. Wrap the pan tightly with storage wrap or transfer the bread pudding to a tightly sealed container to prevent it from losing moisture. Because this dish is made with eggs and fruit, store it in the fridge for up to five days.

Can you make apple bread pudding ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble this dish the night before you want to bake it. After combining the apples and bread with the batter, cover the bowl and place it in the fridge to rest overnight. The next day, take the mixture out of the fridge and allow it to warm up on the counter for 30 minutes. Then, follow the steps to heat and butter the skillet, and bake the bread pudding.

The bread pudding can also be fully cooked in advance, refrigerated and then reheated in a covered pan in the oven until warmed through.

How do you reheat apple bread pudding?

Cover the bread pudding in the skillet with foil and place it in a 350° oven until warmed through, 20 to 30 minutes. You can also reheat single portions in the microwave in 30-second bursts until it’s warmed through.

Apple Bread Pudding Tips

What’s the best bread to use for bread pudding?

Use sturdy bread like sourdough, French bread or a rustic white loaf for bread cubes. The sturdier the bread, the more it will keep its shape and some of its texture after baking. Softer breads like white sandwich bread or sweet loaves like brioche or Hawaiian can also be used; they’ll be softer in the baked bread pudding. Slice your bread into equal-sized cubes to get an even distribution of apples, bread and nuts throughout the bake.

Whichever type you choose, it’s important to let the bread dry out somewhat and become stale so it can absorb more of the batter and hold up better once baked. Or, slice the bread into cubes and toast them in the oven until lightly browned with crispy edges—this gives the bread some extra flavor as well.

How can you avoid soggy bread pudding?

Use stale or toasted bread; the dry texture helps the bread absorb the batter so that it doesn’t pool in the bottom of the skillet. Heating the skillet in the oven before adding the bread pudding mixture also gets the baking started more quickly. Spread the mixture evenly in the skillet so that it all cooks through at the same rate. Finally, let the bread pudding bake thoroughly, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

What do you serve with apple bread pudding?

When enjoying the apple bread pudding recipe for dessert, serve it with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A cup of tea or coffee is delicious with it as well. Apple bread pudding made as a breakfast or brunch dish can be served with whipped cream, fresh fruit, yogurt, or a savory breakfast side like bacon or sliced ham.