This easy blueberry bread pudding recipe is rich and custardy with loads of juicy blueberries baked in. It’s a great way to use up day-old bread! Make it with brioche or challah bread and fresh or frozen blueberries for your next brunch or holiday dessert.
I can’t wait to turn the last of this year’s blueberry harvest into blueberry scones, biscuits, and cookies. But first, let’s make bread pudding!
This easy blueberry bread pudding is one of my favorite ways to turn leftover bread into a totally delicious sweet treat. I make my homemade blueberry bread pudding by soaking day-old brioche in a rich vanilla custard with eggs, milk, and fresh, juicy blueberries.
The custard bakes right into the bread, making the bread pudding thick and sliceable. My recipe isn’t overly sweet, and it’s a great brunch option whenever I feel like changing it up from French toast.
What Makes This the Best Blueberry Bread Pudding Recipe Ever?
- Rich and custardy. Just like an old-fashioned bread pudding recipe should be!
- Flexible recipe. You can adapt the custard with milk or heavy cream and make this blueberry bread pudding with fresh or frozen blueberries or any other berries.
- Make it ahead. This is a perfect make-ahead bread pudding option, since it’ll need about 30 minutes to rest before baking. You can also prepare it the day before, and bake it before serving.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Bread – Day-old bread, like soft brioche or challah, is the best option for bread pudding recipes. Similar to preparing French toast, stale bread is key, as it soaks up more of the custard. You can also use white sandwich bread or sourdough.
- Blueberries – I love making this bread pudding with fresh blueberries, but frozen berries will work, too. Remove the stems and wash the blueberries well if they’re fresh. If you’re using frozen blueberries, be sure to thaw them.
- Eggs and Milk – These ingredients form the base of the custard. You can use any type of milk. For an even richer custard, swap milk with heavy cream or half-and-half. To make dairy-free blueberry bread pudding, swap regular milk with your preferred non-dairy alternative, like oat or almond milk.
- Sugar – I use granulated sugar, but you can substitute it with brown sugar or another sweetener, like honey or maple syrup.
- Vanilla – To boost the flavors. You could also add lemon extract or lemon zest, which complements the blueberries.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg – Ground cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg add a little warmth to this blueberry bread pudding recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best bread is day-old, leftover bread. I love to make this bread pudding with soft, rich bread that has a high egg and butter content, like brioche or challah.
Sure! To make dairy-free blueberry bread pudding, swap regular milk with your preferred non-dairy alternative, like oat or almond milk.
Blueberry bread pudding consists of bread cubes mixed with fresh blueberries and custard in a baking dish. Meanwhile, a cobbler has blueberry filling covered with batter or biscuit dough, then baked.
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Prep your tools. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13 glass pan with the butter. Set aside.
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Cut the bread into cubes. Cut the brioche into about 1-inch cubes. I usually cut 1 slice of bread into 6 pieces. Add the cubes to the prepared 9×13 baking dish.
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Prepare the filling. Add the blueberries to the baking dish with the bread cubes. Use your hands to mix things together. (If there isn’t enough room to do so, you can put half the bread cubes in a large bowl. Mix half the blueberries with what’s still in the baking dish, and the other half of the blueberries with the bread in the bowl. Add the bowl mixture back to the baking dish and voila, nicely mixed bread cubes and berries.)
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Make the egg mixture. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
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Add the custard. Pour the egg mixture (custard) over the bread cubes. Using a fork, move the bread pieces around a bit so that every piece can soak up the custard. Use the back of your spoon to press the bread cubes down into the custard. Then, set it aside for 15-30 minutes. (Preferably 30.)
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Bake. Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until the bread pudding is golden and has puffed up a bit. The pudding is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (no wet custard on it). Allow the pudding to cool for 10 minutes.
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Slice and serve. With a serrated knife, cut the bread pudding into squares. Remove each square with a spatula and serve with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
- Storage: Let the bread pudding cool to room temperature, then cover it tightly with Saran Wrap in the baking pan. Or you can cut it into slices and transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing bread pudding because it will affect the texture too much.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 578IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Blueberry Bread Pudding From Scratch
I make my blueberry bread pudding in a 9×13-inch baking pan, which makes it ideal for sharing. Here’s a look at the steps:
- Cut the bread into cubes. Start by slicing the bread into 1-inch cubes (1 slice of bread usually yields about 6 pieces, in my experience). Spread the bread cubes into the bottom of a 9×13-inch glass baking dish greased with butter.
- Add the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberries over the bread. If you’re using frozen blueberries, make sure they’re completely thawed so they don’t make the bread pudding soggy. Then, use your hands to toss everything together so the berries are evenly distributed with the bread cubes.
- Prepare the custard. Now, beat the eggs in a bowl, then whisk in the milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg to make the custard.
- Pour the custard over the bread. Pour the eggy custard over the bread and blueberries, using the back of a spoon to press the bread into the custard. Afterward, allow the bread pudding to rest for at least 15 minutes before baking. I like to leave it for up to 30 minutes.
- Bake. Bake your bread pudding in a 350ºF oven for 50-60 minutes, until the top is puffed and golden. You’ll know the custard is baked through when a toothpick stuck into the center of the bread pudding comes out clean.
- Cool, slice, and serve. Cool the pudding in the pan for 10 minutes, then use a serrated knife to slice it into squares. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or drizzled with the lemon glaze from my lemon bread recipe.
Pro Tip
If there isn’t enough space to mix the bread and blueberries in the baking pan, transfer half of the bread cubes to a bowl. Toss them with half the blueberries, and mix the rest of the berries with the bread in the baking dish. Then, return the bowl mixture to the baking dish. Tada! Evenly combined bread and blueberries.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- Refrigerate. Store the cooled bread pudding covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. I usually wrap the baking dish tightly with Saran Wrap. Another option is to transfer leftover slices to an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing bread pudding as it affects the texture.
- Reheat. Warm the bread pudding in the microwave or in the oven at 350ºF until it’s hot throughout.
- Make it ahead. This blueberry bread pudding can be assembled up to 1 day in advance. Store the unbaked bread pudding covered in the fridge until it’s time to bake.
