Put stale bread to good use with brioche bread pudding. The recipe uses an egg-based custard, spices, and chocolate to turn leftovers into a tasty dessert.
Brioche bread pudding is phenomenal, and the idea behind it was putting leftover brioche to good use, particularly my pumpkin brioche. Although the recipe is quick and easy, when you take the time to bake bread from scratch, naturally, you don’t want anything to go to waste. Fortunately, this recipe ensures that doesn’t happen!
In this recipe, cubed brioche, along with whatever bread you have in your pantry, is dredged in a combination of coconut milk, eggs, and spices sweetened with a bit of maple syrup. That mixture heads to a baking dish, where it’s topped with a bit of chocolate and then baked to perfection. The result is soft, decadent, golden brown goodness that makes for an impressive dessert or brunchtime treat.
Why You’ll Love Brioche Bread Pudding
- Prevents waste – When home-baked goods like brioche no longer have that freshly baked texture, there’s no reason to throw them out, and this brioche bread pudding recipe is proof. Just cube it and add a creamy custard instead.
- Pumpkin and chocolate – It’s a lovely combination! There’s something about savory pumpkin with decadent chocolate.
- Quick to prep – All this recipe requires is a little whisking and cutting, then brioche bread pudding is prepared and ready to go into the oven.
- Customizable – We’ll get into specifics shortly, but you can make brioche bread pudding all your own with your choice of milk, spices, sweetener, and even bread.
Brioche Bread Pudding Ingredients Notes
- Bread: This recipe combines brioche bread with any other bread in your pantry. Here is my homemade pumpkin brioche bread recipe or use your favorite brioche bread.
- Coconut Milk: The milk is rich, has a good flavor, and is vital to making a good custard for this brioche bread pudding. Without it, the custard wouldn’t be fluid enough for the bread cubes to absorb.
- Eggs: They bind the custard together and are responsible for firming up the liquid upon heating.
- Cacao Nibs: They add a bitter chocolatey note to the dessert.
- Maple Syrup: The syrup’s clean, complex sweetness lends itself well to bread pudding. The vanilla and caramel notes are nice as well.
Find the full ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card below!
How to Make Brioche Bread Pudding
Making this easy brioche bread pudding recipe is almost too simple. To put it together:
- Add bread to a dish: Any casserole dish will do. Spread the cubed bread out in an even layer.
- Whisk: Whisk the milk, eggs, spices, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Pour: Pour the egg mixture over the bread, make sure the cubes are evenly coated, and top with chocolate as well as a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Bake: Bake until the custard sets and the brioche bread pudding is golden brown.
Variations, Substitutions & Cooking Tips
- Use any milk you like – Cashew, oat, whole cow’s milk; you name it! If using almond milk, choose wisely. Some are a little watery.
- Experiment with spices – Anything warm works well in brioche bread pudding, including ginger and allspice.
- Swap maple syrup for another sweetener – You can use honey, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, or anything else you have in the pantry.
- Use any bread you have – Although you should, I know not everyone will have pumpkin brioche on hand, and that’s okay (it goes fast in my house too). Replace it with four slices of whatever leftover brioche bread (or any bread) is available. Just make sure it’s day-old bread.
Make Ahead
Brioche bread pudding is a great make-ahead dessert or brunch treat. It stores easily, and reheating is a breeze. No special steps are required if you plan to make this ahead of time. Just bake, cool, and store. The only thing to keep in mind is the brioche. You want it baked and ready at least a day or two before assembling the bread pudding.
Storage & Freezer Tips
Store leftover brioche bread pudding in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. If you wish to keep it longer, transfer the bread pudding to a freezer-safe airtight container or zipper bag, then freeze. It is more convenient to pack individual servings. This way, reheating is easier – you can grab a serving, warm it, and eat it, but you can store the entire pudding if you wish. Either way, the pudding will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
To reheat bread pudding:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and transfer the bread pudding to a casserole dish. If previously frozen, thaw the pudding beforehand.
- If the bread pudding looks a little dry, drizzle milk over the pudding, cover the casserole dish with foil, and heat in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Check periodically to ensure that it doesn’t dry out.
- 2 cans coconut milk
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ cup cacao nibs (or chopped dark chocolate)
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 TBS. Maple syrup
- 4 slices of roughly chopped bread (I used honey wheat)
- 4 slices of pumpkin brioche bread or your favorite brioche bread, roughly chopped
- Preheat the oven to 350. In a casserole dish, add the roughly chopped bread. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the coconut milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup. Pour the mixture over the bread. Sprinkle with cocoa nibs and drizzle with maple syrup. Place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm!
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