Sweet and creamy Condensed Milk Bread Pudding is incredibly easy to make. Easily customize this bread pudding recipe by adding your favorite mix-ins.
Jump to:
- What is Bread Pudding?
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- What Bread is Best for Bread Pudding?
- Recipe Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Bread Pudding with Condensed Milk
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage and Freezing Instructions
- Recipe FAQs
- Expert Tips
- More Dessert Recipe
- 📖 Recipe
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- 💬 Comments
What is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is a great way to use up stale dry bread. Stale bread cubes are soaked in rich sweetened egg-based custard and then baked.
It has a crisp exterior and a rich custardy center. Adding sweetened condensed milk to the bread pudding lightly sweetens the custard and adds richness.
Try one of these other delicious fall bakes: Apple Pecan Scones, Sourdough Discard Dutch Baby, Fresh Apple Cake, or Sourdough Apple Muffins.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Sweetened Condensed Milk Bread Pudding is made with simple ingredients that are readily available in most kitchens.
- This Easy Bread Pudding can easily be assembled the night before. The next day all you have to do is pop the bread pudding in the oven and bake.
- Bread pudding makes a delicious holiday dessert or can be served for brunch.
- Easily customize this recipe with your favorite mix-ins. See the suggestions listed below.
Love condensed milk desserts? Try these Condensed Milk Brownies these Condensed Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies, or one of these other Sweetened Condensed Milk Desserts.
What Bread is Best for Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is a great way to use up stale leftover bread. Bread pudding can be made with just about any bread. I have even made one with a stale batch of hot dog buns before.
Tip: I will save odds and ends of different types of bread in a zip-top bag in the freezer until I have enough to make a batch of bread pudding.
If you want to purchase bread specifically to make bread pudding here are a few suggestions.
- French Bread
- Italian Bread
- Challah Bread
- Brioche Bread
- Crescent Rolls
The most important thing to remember is the bread should be stale to better soak up the custard mixture. Check out this post on How to Dry Bread to easily turn your fresh bread into dry bread.
Recipe Ingredients
All you need are a few simple ingredients to transform day-old bread into Condensed Milk Bread Pudding.
Bread: You can use just about any bread you want to use to make bread pudding. The most important thing to remember when choosing what bread to use is that stale bread will do a better job of soaking up the rich custard.
Large Eggs: Eggs add richness and structure to the bread pudding helping to hold it all together.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: Condensed milk adds a rich creamy delicious flavor to the bread pudding. Do not confuse it with evaporated milk which is not as sweet nor as thick as condensed milk.
Tip: If you don't have sweetened condensed milk? You can make your own at home with just sugar and milk. Double this recipe for sweetened condensed milk from Bigger Bolder Baking to ensure you have enough for the brownies.
Milk: Use whatever milk you have on hand skim, 2%, whole, dairy, or non-dairy.
Brown Sugar: You can easily substitute white granulated sugar for brown sugar but I think using brown sugar adds a nice caramel flavor.
Unsalted Butter: Melted butter adds a rich buttery flavor and helps to keep the bread pudding from sticking to the dish. I typically use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in a recipe. If you only have salted butter go ahead and use it and omit the salt in the recipe.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
Mix-Ins: Raisins are the traditional addition to bread pudding but there are plenty of other options to choose from. See below for some of my recommendations.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
9x13 Casserole Dish: If you don't have a 9x13 pan you can substitute two 8x8 pans. You may need to reduce the baking time if using smaller pans.
Make this bread pudding your own by varying the mix-ins you add.
For this recipe, I peeled and diced two apples to mix into the bread pudding.
Add a splash of your favorite liquor to add additional boozy flavor. Some of my favorites include whiskey or orange liqueur.
Add your favorite mix-ins to make this recipe your own.
- Raisins: use either golden raisins or traditional brown raisins you can also add other dried fruit such as cranberries or cherries
- Chopped Fresh Fruit: Try apples, plums, bananas, peaches, and berries including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
- Chopped Nuts: Try pecans, walnuts, almonds, or cashews
- Shredded Coconut
- Chocolate Chips
How to Make Bread Pudding with Condensed Milk
Step 1: Heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grap either a 9x13 or two 8x8 baking dishes. Lightly butter the sides of the baking dish.
Tear the bread into small pieces and place the bread pieces into the casserole dish.
Step 2: Top with your chosen mix-ins.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs. Add the condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and whisk together.
Step 4: Pour the milk mixture over the bread mixture. Press the bread down until it is fully submerged in the custard.
Step 5: Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the bread to fully absorb the custard. This helps to create a firm bread pudding that doesn't weep.
Tip: You can also assemble the bread pudding ahead of time, cover it with foil, and refrigerate it overnight for a quick and easy breakfast.
Step 6: Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the bread pudding has set.
Allow the bread pudding to cool to room temperature.
For the Vanilla Glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl. Add the milk gradually, adding just enough until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
Drizzle the glaze over the bread pudding, slice, and serve.
Serving Suggestions
If serving bread pudding for breakfast, call it French toast casserole and top it with your favorite fruit and maple syrup.
If serving bread pudding for dessert, top it with some freshly whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, caramel sauce, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Allow the bread pudding to cool completely after baking. Cut into slices, wrap each slice in plastic wrap, and place them in a ziplock bag. Freeze for up to three months.
To Thaw: Place the frozen bread pudding in the refrigerator for about 24 hours.
To Reheat: Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 300-degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 to 20 minutes. To reheat individual servings place on a microwave-safe plate and heat in 30-second increments on high until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
If you only have fresh bread, lay the slices of bread out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the bread in the oven for 10 minutes.
No. There is a big difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk. Condensed milk has had 60% of its water removed making it much thicker than evaporated milk. It is also 40% sugar. Evaporated milk has had no sugar added.
When fully cooked bread pudding will have a puffy golden brown crispy top. The bread pudding will also firm up with very little wobble. Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the bread pudding. If it comes out clean the bread pudding is done.
You can also check the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer. When fully baked bread pudding should have an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C).
Bread pudding can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Expert Tips
- Avoid pre-sliced bread. Using a whole loaf of bread will allow you to tear the bread into larger pieces which will hold up better than thinner slices.
- Dry bread will soak up the custard better than fresh bread. Check out this post on how to dry bread to easily turn your fresh bread into dry bread.
- Do not swap evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk. They are two different things. Condensed milk is both sweeter and thicker than evaporated milk.
- Let the bread pudding rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the custard to fully absorb.
- Baking times for all recipes are only suggestions. The actual baking time will vary depending on your oven. It is helpful to know your oven and worth purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer. Oven temperatures can vary as much as 50 degrees plus or minus.
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📖 Recipe
Condensed Milk Bread Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 12 cups of torn bread
- 6 large eggs
- 2 14 oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons melted butter plus more for buttering the baking dish
- 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Bread Pudding
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 9x13 pan.
- Tear the bread into small pieces and place them in the casserole dish.
- Top with your chosen mix-ins.
- In a large bowl whisk the 6 large eggs. Add the 2 14 oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup milk, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons melted butter , 3 tablespoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and whisk together.
- Pour the custard mixture over the bread. Press the bread down until it is fully submerged in the custard.
- Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the bread to fully absorb the custard.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the bread pudding has set.
- Allow the bread pudding to cool to room temperature.
Vanilla Glaze
- Whisk the ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt together. Add the 1 tablespoons milk gradually, adding just enough until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the bread pudding, slice, and serve.
Diana Moore says
So good I couldn't stop at one serving. Super recipe. I'm going to limit myself because of the calories.
Erica Schramek says
I am so glad you liked it!
Donna Ramirez says
I'll try all of these they sound so yummy my husband loves bread pudding so I'll try that first thank you so much