Easy Caramel Bread Pudding
This Easy Bread Pudding Recipe comes together with just five ingredients but is anything but bland! Infused with sweet cinnamon swirls and topped with rich caramel sauce, it’s truly decadent, especially when served warm with vanilla ice cream on top!
Bread pudding is my husband’s favorite dessert of all time – right next to our double chocolate oatmeal cookies and lemon truffles. He’s obsessed! And honestly, who can blame him? It’s totally delicious.
However, classic recipes can require quite a few ingredients, and that just won’t do around here. So, we took the dish and simplified it, reducing the ingredient list to just five items. Yep, you read that right. FIVE!
And it’s not bland or boring either. You get tons of sweet, decadent, cinnamon, and caramel flavors with a fraction of the work. We’ll walk you through all our secrets to guarantee you create a showstopping dessert.
What is Bread Pudding?
The name is super misleading because bread pudding is not pudding at all. Think of it more like French toast casserole. It features stale bread with a creamy egg-based custard, cinnamon, and vanilla.
The bread is coated with the liquid and baked until golden. As a result, the edges are lightly crisp, and the center maintains a soft, custard-like consistency.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions to make this easy bread pudding recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Cinnamon Swirl Bread – This is a deviation from typical recipes but is our secret to bold flavor without a ton of ingredients! Make sure to use stale bread for the best results. Fresh bread won’t soak up the custard, and your dessert is likely to become soggy.
- Vanilla Coffee Creamer – This creates the creamiest, sweetest custard you’ll ever taste!
- Eggs – These help hold the mixture together. Egg substitutes just won’t work.
- Caramel Sauce – We use store-bought caramel sauce to save time but feel free to make it yourself.
How to Make Caramel Bread Pudding
- Cut the stale bread into cubes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and coffee creamer.
3. Then, pour the mixture over the bread cubes in a greased casserole dish. Gently press the bread into the custard mixture, making sure it’s completely coated. Set aside to soak.
4. Once the oven is preheated, bake the mixture uncovered until the top is puffed, golden brown, and springs back to the touch. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean!
5. Set the pudding aside to cool slightly. Then, cut it into pieces, and serve with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce.
Variations
Feel free to experiment with different mix-ins and flavor combinations!
- Bread: Not a fan of cinnamon? Use plain French bread, Challah bread, or any kind of bread you like best.
- Mix-Ins: Feel free to include chopped nuts, chocolate pieces, or dried fruit when combining the ingredients.
- Boozy: Add a tablespoon or two of rum or bourbon to your custard mixture for extra depth of flavor and a kick of warmth.
- Toppings: Swap the caramel sauce with chocolate sauce, vanilla glaze, or powdered sugar.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- Store leftover caramel bread pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooled bread pudding for up to 2 months! Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat your dessert in the microwave or covered with aluminum foil in the oven.
Common Questions
Yes, we do! You can use milk, half and half, or evaporated milk. Just keep in mind that the taste and texture will change slightly depending on what you use.
We prefer to serve bread pudding warm, but it’s equally as delicious cold. It’s up to you!
Yes! Just assemble the ingredients, cover them in the oven, and chill overnight. Bring the mixture to room temperature, and bake as normal when you’re ready to serve.
We love to serve our easy bread pudding recipe with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. However, you can’t go wrong with a dollop of whipped cream, either!
More Easy Dessert Recipes
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Easy Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce (5 Ingredients!) Recipe
Equipment
- 1 (9×13) Casserole Dish
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (12 slices) cinnamon swirl bread, stale or dried overnight
- 3 cups vanilla coffee creamer
- 5 eggs
- 12 ounce jar caramel sauce
Instructions
- On a large cutting board, cut the stale bread into 1 1/2 inch cubes with a serrated knife.16 ounces (12 slices) cinnamon swirl bread, stale or dried overnight
- Spray a 9×13 glass pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and coffee creamer.5 eggs, 3 cups vanilla coffee creamer
- Pour the mixture over the bread cubes. Press the bread down into the custard mixture with the back of a spoon making sure all the bread is coated. Let the bread soak while the oven preheats to 350F.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top is puffed and browned and springs back when touched. A knife inserted 1 inch from the edge of the pan should come out clean.
- Allow the bread pudding to cool for 30 minutes, then cut into pieces. Serve with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce.12 ounce jar caramel sauce
- Store the bread pudding and caramel separately in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat.
My husband’s favorite dessert is bread pudding! I love this simplified version with coffee creamer. It is absolutely delicious and always a hit!