Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

Cinnamon raisin bread pudding is a custard-based dessert built on stale bread, eggs, and milk, baked until the top is set and the center stays creamy. The key is using day-old bread so it absorbs the custard without turning to mush, and tempering the eggs so they cook through without scrambling.

Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

Bread (cut into cubes) gives the pudding its structure and soaks up the custard. Eggs and whole milk make the custard itself, with the eggs needing gentle heat so they set without curdling. Cinnamon flavors the whole dish, while raisins add chewiness and bursts of sweetness. Sugar sweetens the custard, vanilla extract rounds out the flavor, and butter enriches it. A pinch of salt balances everything.

Why This Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding Works

Bread pudding works because stale bread has lost moisture and can absorb liquid without falling apart. When you pour the warm custard over it, the bread soaks it up, and as the pudding bakes, the eggs set just enough to hold it together while staying creamy in the middle.

The eggs need tempering so they cook gently. You whisk them with sugar and cinnamon, then slowly add warm milk while whisking constantly, so the heat raises the egg temperature without scrambling them. This gives you a custard that sets to the right texture: firm enough to slice but still spoonable.

Baking at moderate heat and checking for doneness by watching the center is crucial. The pudding should jiggle very slightly in the middle when you move the pan, which means the carryover heat will finish setting it as it cools. Overbaking makes the eggs tough.

Mistakes To Avoid

Using fresh soft bread means it will turn to mush and the pudding becomes a shapeless mass instead of something you can scoop cleanly. Day-old bread is drier and holds its shape as it absorbs the custard.

Adding cold milk directly to the eggs will scramble them in spots, giving you a grainy, broken custard instead of something smooth. Always warm the milk first and add it slowly while whisking.

Baking too long makes the eggs cook all the way through and turn rubbery and tough. The pudding should still jiggle slightly in the center when it comes out: carryover heat finishes the cooking as it sits.

Skipping the raisins or adding them raw means they stay hard and chewy instead of plump. Soaking them in warm water for 10 minutes before stirring them in hydrates them so they add moisture and softness to every bite.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

• 6 cups day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter, melted

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Soak raisins in warm water for 10 minutes until plump, then drain well.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush a 9×13 baking pan with melted butter.
3. Spread bread cubes evenly in the pan and scatter drained raisins over them.
4. In a large bowl, whisk eggs with sugar and cinnamon until the mixture is pale and thick, about 2 minutes.
5. Slowly pour warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly, then whisk in vanilla and salt until smooth.
6. Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes, pressing gently so the bread absorbs it. Let sit 10 minutes.
7. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden and the center jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.