Ah, cranberry bread pudding! That’s a wonderfully cozy dessert, perfect for winter or holiday season, with tart cranberries and soft, custardy bread. Here’s a complete recipe for a Cranberry Bread Pudding:
Ingredients (serves 6–8)
For the pudding:
- 6 cups of day-old bread, cubed (challah, brioche, or French bread works best)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional, for extra sweetness)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups milk (whole milk or half-and-half for richness)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Zest of 1 orange (optional, but pairs beautifully with cranberries)
- Pinch of salt
For the topping (optional):
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pan
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish (or similar size).
- Prepare the bread
- Place cubed bread in a large bowl.
- If using fresh cranberries, lightly toss them in a little sugar to reduce tartness and mix with the bread cubes.
- Make the custard
- In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, and a pinch of salt.
- Combine bread and custard
- Pour the custard over the bread and cranberries.
- Gently stir or press down with a spatula so the bread absorbs the liquid.
- Let it sit for 10–15 minutes if you have time (helps the bread soak thoroughly).
- Optional topping
- Mix brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top.
- Bake
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.
- A knife inserted into the center should come out mostly clean, maybe with a tiny bit of custard.
- Serve
- Let it cool slightly before serving.
- Optional: drizzle with a simple glaze (powdered sugar + orange juice) or serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Tips:
- Day-old bread works best because it soaks up the custard without turning mushy.
- For a richer flavor, substitute part of the milk with heavy cream.
- You can mix in other fruits like apples or pears, but cranberries give a nice tart contrast to the sweet custard.
If you want, I can also give you a quick, single-bowl, minimal-cleanup version that’s almost as rich and delicious. It’s perfect if you want this dessert fast.
Do you want me to give that version too?
