In all honesty, I kind of wowed myself with this apple pie bread pudding recipe. Granted, bread pudding is already one of my favorite desserts, but this? I may have had to take photos with a mostly empty pan because this got devoured! Enjoy the recipe and know hat some links are affiliate links where I earn a commission if you purchase through them.
Should I be posting “healthy” recipes right now? Maybe. And I will post some soon, but first I had to share this apple pie bread pudding. Had to.
I shared the photo of the partially prepped recipe on Instagram when I first made it and got so many emails and messages asking for the recipe. Of course I had to oblige everyone, right?
Over the holidays, friends invited my family to dinner. Of course, I had to bring something. My mama raised me to never come empty handed.
I asked my friend’s son what he wanted me to bring – mostly because I messed up his Christmas gift and got nut free but NOT something that was made in a nut free factory.
I know allergies better than that, and I still feel terrible about it. H asked for apple pie.
And that’s when my selfishness kicked in.
As unpopular as the opinion may be, I don’t love pie. Specifically, I don’t love the crust. No shock – when I make pie, I make a streusel topping on it. Plus, making a pie takes time. I needed an easier dessert that night.
I wanted to honor his request for an apple pie, however. As I looked around my kitchen, the idea of an apple pie bread pudding was born.
I had made a homemade French bread on Christmas Eve, and I had tucked the leftovers into the freezer. I pulled that out and cut it into cubes once it warmed to room temperature.
This time around,I “cheated” and dried the bread in my oven to ensure it was “properly stale” for the apple pie bread pudding.
Easy peasy – I added the bread to my glass baking dishand turned the oven to 250 degrees. I stirred them at the ten minute mark, and within 20 minutes, they were good to go.
The bread pudding tasted great all by itself, but….
What bread pudding isn’t better with a sauce? Of course an apple pie bread pudding needs a caramel sauce. I used my homemade version, which is super quick and easy to make.
Add dollop of whipped cream, and who could resist?
Were it not quite so cold, I would have added vanilla ice cream in place of the whipped cream as an option. Feel free to swap toppings in and out however you prefer.
All I can tell is that you have got to make this. It started as an experiment, but oh my word I cannot wait until I can justify making this again.
Besides, I used yogurt and 2% milk, so it can’t be that bad for me, right? There’s just a little caramel sauce. And whipped cream is mostly air, right?
This low maintenance dessert pushes it up on my favorites list for that reason alone. Cut up bread a day or two in advance when I have time.
Mix up the filling in a minute or two and toss it with the bread cubes, then bake. Homemade caramel sauce is almost as easy. Winning!
If you have leftovers, this makes a great breakfast, too. It’s almost like French toast, so it counts, right? Just toss a little of the caramel sauce in your coffee, and you are set.
How to Make Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
Use a loaf of day old French or Italian bread. Slice into one inch cubes – or about that size. If you prep them ahead of time, let sit out for a day to get stale.
If you need to make this quickly, place on a cookie sheet at 250 in your oven for twenty minutes, and stir halfway through.
In a large bowl, mix together Greek yogurt, eggs, milk, brown sugar, one tablespoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Slice apples into small chunks. If you choose, you can peel, but there’s no need to. Add to the filling mixture as you to to keep them from turning brown.
Add bread to the bowl and stir gently until coated. Place into a 9×13 glass baking dish. Cover with foil and place in the fridge for an hour and up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove bread pudding from the fridge and use a spatula to gently press the mixture down. Slice butter thinly and distribute over the top.
Mix granulated sugar and remaining cinnamon together and sprinkle over the top of your apple pie bread pudding.
Bake for 40 minutes until edges are browned. Let cool and slice. Serve with caramel sauce and whipped cream or ice cream.
Store any leftovers in your fridge for up to three days in a tightly sealed container.
Have you ever tried apple pie bread pudding?
Apple Pie Bread Pudding
Yield: 20 slices
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Rest Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
This simple and delicious apple pie bread pudding is a perfect make ahead dessert. It has the flavors of apple pie but isn't as sweet and is far easier to make. Top with caramel sauce and whipped cream or ice cream. Enjoy the leftovers for breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of Italian or French bread (one pound)
- 1 1/2 c vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 c milk
- 4 eggs
- 1/3 c brown sugar
- 4 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t nutmeg
- 1/2 t salt
- 5 Granny Smith apples
- 2 T granulated sugar
- 3 T butter
Instructions
- Slice into one half inch cubes and let sit out for a day to get stale.
- In a large bowl, mix Greek yogurt, eggs, milk, brown sugar, one tablespoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Slice apples into small chunks (discarding the core). Add bread to bowl and stir gently until coated. Place into a 9x13 glass baking dish. Cover with foil and place in the fridge for an hour and up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix granulated sugar and remaining cinnamon together and sprinkle over the top of the bread pudding. Slice butter thinly and distribute over the top.
- Bake for 40 minutes until edges are browned. Let cool and slice. Serve with caramel sauce and whipped cream or ice cream.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days in a tightly sealed container.
Notes
If you have fresh bread, cut it into the cubes, and bake it at a low temperature. Place the cubes on a cookie sheet at 250 in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20Serving Size: 1 piece
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 147Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 226mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 6g
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