Breakfast Bread Pudding

This incredible breakfast bread pudding is made with bits of sweet apples and pecans. Perfect for breakfast or dessert and can be ready in minutes! This bread pudding recipe can serve one or two people.

I don’t know of anything better to wake up to than this apple and pecan filled breakfast bread pudding. Unlike many breakfast bread puddings or breakfast casseroles, you don’t have to mix the ingredients together overnight.

In fact, when you’re ready to enjoy this bread pudding, simply mix the liquid ingredients together and pour it over torn pieces of bread.

Best Bread To Use

This breakfast bread pudding recipe is ideal if you have leftover or stale bread. In the case of this recipe, I had a couple of standard sized croissants I decided to use. Actually, any type of thick bread will work. 

Bread pudding isn’t complicated – it’s simple. It’s proof that leftover bread, in this case croissants, can be transformed into an amazing breakfast without a whole lot of work.

RELATED: 20 Single Serving Breakfast Recipes Worth Waking Up To

Ingredients

See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

• croissants (See notes below)
• milk
• egg
• heavy cream (or double cream)
• brown sugar
• maple syrup
• vanilla
• sugar
• cinnamon
• diced apples
• pecans
• butter

Pro Tip: I used two croissants in this bread pudding recipe and sliced them into cubes. It was the perfect amount to fill my small baking dish.

If you don’t have croissants, feel free to use a different kind of bread; rolls, sourdough, and french bread are personal favorites. Use about 2 cups of cubed bread.

How To Make Breakfast Bread Pudding

1. In a bowl, whisk together milk, an egg, a splash of cream, a little brown sugar, maple syrup, a touch of granulated sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour the liquid over the bread.
2. Tuck diced apples and chopped pecans between the cubes of bread, then add bits of butter to the top.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
4. Make a water bath. Boil a kettle of water. Place the baking dish with the bread pudding in a larger roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the bread pudding dish.
5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
6. Carefully remove pans from the oven. Remove the smaller baking dish from the larger pan. Place on rack to cool.

What Is A Water Bath?

A water bath, or a bain-marie, is a dish of water used to bake recipes requiring gentle, even heat. It insulates the dish so that it doesn’t overcook. Please don’t be put off by this, it’s incredibly easy. You will need to find a pan that will comfortably hold your small baking dish while maintaining an inch or more of space around the sides for the water. A small to medium-sized roasting pan works well.

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients left over from this breakfast bread pudding recipe you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:

• Heavy cream: 2 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Icebox Cake, Strawberry Shortcake
• Maple syrup: Pumpkin Spice Granola, Maple Walnut Muffin, Sweet Potato Pie
• Apples: Baked Apples, Apple Butter, Apple Galette
• Pecans: Apple Cinnamon Scones, Pecan Pie, Apple Muffin

For this easy breakfast bread pudding recipe, I use a 5-inch baking dish. For best results use a baking dish of similar size.

If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.

For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.

Other Single Serving Breakfast Recipes

• Overnight Breakfast Casserole
• Strawberry White Chocolate Scones
• Blueberry Muffin
• French Toast
• Baked Oatmeal With Fruit
• Waffle

Other Ways To Use Leftover Bread

• Homemade Breadcrumbs
• Croutons
• French Toast

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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