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Soft. Sweet. Smells like a holiday. Feeds your belly and maybe your soul a little too.
Okay, let me just say this up front: I did not grow up eating “bread pudding.” It always sounded a little suspicious to me. Bread? In pudding? I thought it was one of those weird recipes only old-timey folks made when they had no choice. Like war-time cooking or something.
But then I had some.
Not the dry kind. Not the weird cafeteria kind. I mean the real deal — warm, cinnamon-spiced, full of buttery custard and plumped-up raisins that tasted like they’d been soaking in someone’s happy thoughts. With a glaze poured on top that made it all stick together like a good family hug.
Now? I keep stale bread on purpose just to make this.
So… Why You Should Absolutely Make This
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It makes your whole house smell like you meant to be baking.
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It’s soft in the middle, golden on the top, and absolutely swimming in cozy.
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You can prep it ahead. Like, way ahead. (I’ve even done the whole thing the night before.)
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It’s cheap. Like, weirdly cheap for how good it tastes.
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It serves 12, but honestly… I’ve seen it feed 3 on a rough Sunday. No shame.
Ingredients, or “What You Probably Already Have”
Let’s be honest. Most of this is stuff you’ve probably got hanging around. Except maybe the challah — but even that’s easy to swap.
For the pudding:
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1 loaf of stale challah, cubed — Brioche is great too. I’ve even used hot dog buns in a pinch.
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5 eggs — Don’t stress if one’s a little small.
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2 cups whole milk
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2 cups heavy cream — Or use all milk. But cream makes it dreamy.
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1 tbsp vanilla extract — More if you’re heavy-handed like me.
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½ cup white sugar — Not too sweet.
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1 tbsp cinnamon — Okay fine, maybe a bit more.
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1 cup raisins
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1 cup water
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2 tbsp butter
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1 tsp cinnamon (again, for the raisin part)
For the glaze:
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1 cup powdered sugar
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1 tsp vanilla
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2 tbsp milk (plus a splash more if needed)
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½ tsp cinnamon — Optional, but it ties it all together.
Alright, Let’s Do This
1. First, make the house smell good
Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease up a 9×13 baking dish. Butter or spray, your call.
2. Give those raisins some love
In a little saucepan, toss in the raisins, water, butter, and a bit of cinnamon. Bring it to a gentle boil. Let it bubble away for a couple minutes ’til the raisins plump up and start looking like they’ve had a spa day. Remove from the heat and just let them hang out.
3. Whisk the good stuff
In a big bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, sugar, and that full tablespoon of cinnamon. Toss in the whole raisin mixture — liquid and all. That cinnamon water is liquid gold.
4. Add the bread and be patient
Dump in your cubed bread. Gently stir until everything’s coated. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes so it soaks up all that creamy goodness. You can even walk away for a bit. No rush.
5. Time to bake
Pour it all into your prepared dish, cover with foil, and bake for 50 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until the top is golden brown and just a little crispy around the edges.
Your kitchen should smell amazing by now. Like cinnamon, sugar, and warm memories.
Don’t Skip the Glaze (Seriously)
While the pudding’s cooling just a little, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl. If it’s too thick, add a splash more milk. Too runny? Add a bit more sugar.
Then pour it right over the warm bread pudding. Let it drizzle down into all those little cracks and crevices like a cozy blanket.
Eat it warm. Eat it cold. Eat it standing in front of the fridge with a fork. You’ve earned it.
Wanna Make It Your Own?
You don’t need my permission, but here’s a few ideas:
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Add chopped apples or pears. Works great in fall.
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Toss in some chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
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Skip the raisins and use chocolate chips. (Yes, it’s dessert then.)
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Splash of bourbon in the custard or glaze. Do I need to explain?
Leftovers (LOL… if you have any)
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Fridge: Cover it up and it’ll last 4–5 days.
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Reheat: Microwave a piece for 30 seconds or warm it in the oven at 300°F for 10–15 minutes.
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Freeze: Wrap individual portions tightly. Defrost overnight and reheat. Still delicious.
One Last Thing Before You Bake
Bread pudding might not be trendy. It doesn’t have a puff pastry crust or edible flowers on top. But it’s real. It’s cozy. It’s the kind of food you make when you want to take care of someone — even if that someone is you.
So if you try it, tell me. Send a message. Snap a photo. I want to see your bubbling casserole dish and powdered sugar mess and maybe your kid sneaking a bite before dinner.
And if it made your day just a little sweeter?
Well then… that’s the good stuff.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 loaf stale challah bread, cubed
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for raisin mixture)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoons milk (for glaze)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Combine raisins, water, butter, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a saucepan. Boil until raisins plump up. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, sugar, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
- Add raisin mixture, including liquid, to the custard. Stir in cubed bread and let soak for 10 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Whisk glaze ingredients together: powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and cinnamon.
- Drizzle glaze over pudding before serving. Serve warm.