Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Cinnamon roll bread pudding is a custard dessert baked in a dish with cubed bread, cinnamon, and brown sugar, tasting like a warm cinnamon roll in spoon form. The bread soaks up an egg custard as it bakes, turning creamy inside while the top gets slightly set. The key is using day-old bread so it absorbs the custard without falling apart.

Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Bread forms the body of the pudding and needs to be cubed and day-old so it soaks up the custard evenly. Eggs and whole milk make the custard that binds everything together. Brown sugar sweetens the dish and adds a molasses depth. Cinnamon and vanilla extract flavor the custard itself. Butter, melted, coats the baking dish and is drizzled over the bread. A pinch of salt balances the sweetness. For the topping, cinnamon sugar (a mix of granulated sugar and cinnamon) is sprinkled on top before baking to create a sweet, spiced crust.

Why This Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding Works

Day-old bread has lost some moisture, so it drinks in the custard without turning to mush. As the pudding bakes, the eggs cook slowly and set the custard, turning the whole dish creamy and cohesive. The bread pieces stay distinct enough to bite through while absorbing flavor from every angle.

The cinnamon sugar topping caramelizes slightly in the oven, creating a crisp, sweet shell that contrasts with the soft custard below. Brown sugar in the custard itself adds depth that plain sugar cannot match. The result is a dessert that tastes like cinnamon roll filling, not bread soaked in milk.

Mistakes To Avoid

Using fresh bread instead of day-old bread causes the pudding to turn soupy or fall apart. Fresh bread is too moist and breaks down instead of absorbing the custard structure. The result is a loose, mushy texture rather than a cohesive spoonable dessert.

Skipping the water bath causes the edges and top to overbake while the center stays soft. The custard cooks too fast around the sides and turns rubbery or cracks. A water bath slows the cooking so everything sets at once.

Overbaking the pudding past the knife-with-soft-custard stage turns it dense and dry. The eggs continue to tighten as the pudding cools, so it firms up more after it leaves the oven. Pulling it out while the center still jiggles slightly gives the best creamy texture when it cools.

Mixing the cinnamon sugar topping into the custard instead of sprinkling it on top loses the crispy shell. The sugar dissolves into the custard and makes it grainy instead of creating a distinct sweet crust.

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Ingredients

• 6 cups bread, cubed (day-old, about 8 ounces)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for topping)

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the 9×13 baking pan inside a larger roasting pan.
2. Brush the bottom and sides of the 9×13 pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Spread the bread cubes evenly in the pan.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Pour the custard over the bread, pressing gently so all pieces are wet. Let sit for 10 minutes so the bread absorbs the liquid.
5. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over the bread. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the top.
6. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 to 50 minutes, until the pudding is set at the edges but the very center still jiggles slightly when gently shaken. Insert a thin knife near the center; it should come out with just a small amount of soft custard clinging to it, not liquid.
8. Remove the baking pan from the water bath and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.