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French Toast Bread Pudding Recipe

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French Toast Bread Pudding is the most magical of all brunch recipes. With a beautifully caramelized outer crust and a soft, sweet, gently spiced interior, this will truly blow your mind.one large slice of French Toast Bread Pudding with cake plate behind Have you ever been in a restaurant and tasted something so incredibly good that you just couldn’t leave without finding out how it was made?

I Had to Ask!

Sometimes I’m only curious about the cooking technique or about the ingredients — but there was one occasion when I was desperate to know everything. I was at a  cozy B & B in northern California, with a very small dining room and an even smaller kitchen.

The chef was very kind and chatted with me long enough to give me a rough idea of the ingredients and cooking technique. I wrote everything down the second I had the chance. I recreated it and called it French Toast Bread Pudding.

I’ve been making this recipe for about twenty years, and it’s never fails to be the biggest hit at any brunch.

Side view of bundt-shaped French Toast Bread Pudding

What’s in French Toast Bread Pudding?

  • bread
  • butter
  • neutral oil
  • eggs
  • milk
  • half and half
  • vanilla
  • cinnamon
  • salt
  • chocolate

large pile of sliced sandwich bread

How to Make French Toast Bread Pudding

– Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 10-inch bundt pan, or a 10 x 3 or 4-inch cake pan.

– If the bread you’re using has a tough crust, remove it. Then cut the slices in half or fourths.

– In a large saucepan, whisk the eggs with the milk, half and half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, until it’s blended. Now heat it, and let it warm only enough to dissolve the sugar.

Below are the different stages of what this mixture will look like as it’s whisked. The 4th image is right after it’s been warmed. It will never be 100% blended, but should be a smooth consistency.4 images of stages of mixing milk and egg for French Toast– Melt the oil and butter together in a large sauté pan.

– Dredge each slice of bread into the oil-butter mixture, coating one side only.

one slice of bread in melted butter– Line the bottom of the greased pan with one layer of the bread, greased side down, tearing the bread into any sizes and shapes necessary to better fit the pan.

– Pour enough of the egg mixture to cover the layer of bread. Bake this until the egg mixture appears solid.

– Dredge each of the remaining bread slices into the egg mixture and add them to the cake pan, greased side down. Between each layer, drizzle with about ½ cup of the egg mixture and a sprinkling of the chocolate.

Below are the different stages of the layering process for making this amazing French Toast dish.Bundt pan being filled with French Toast and chocolate chips

– Pour in any of the remaining egg mixture that the pan will hold, adding it little by little.

– Place the pan on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for about 1¼ hours.

top view of French Toast Bread Pudding right out of the over– Let it rest for about 15 minutes. Then, go around the sides of it with the dull side of a small knife, to make sure it isn’t stuck. Invert it onto a large platter.

Recipe Tips for French Toast Bread Pudding

– As you’re layering the bread, break the bread into any shapes and sizes necessary to fill all of the crevices.

– The recipe calls for chocolate chips, but you can also use raisins, currants, or any combination thereof.

– The bread pudding will rise quite a bit above the top of the pan. That’s okay! It’ll fall down as it cools.

– If you have any trouble releasing the French Toast Bread Pudding onto a plate or platter, leave it upside down for a while in the pan. If it’s still not coming out, run a kitchen towel under very hot water, wring it out, and place this on top of the inverted pan. Leave it for a few minutes and try again.

–  You can use gluten-free bread if you’d like. I’ve used Canyon Bakehouse’s Seven Grain & Cinnamon Raisin gluten-free breads for this, and the result was delicious! 

Top view of bundt-shaped French Toast Bread Pudding

Can French Toast Bread Pudding be made ahead?

Yes it can  — but, it’s best when baked the same day that you’re planning to serve it. You can however, make the egg mixture and prepare the bread the day before.

Can you use leftover French toast to make this recipe?

Great question, but unfortunately not. The key to the success of this recipe is all in the technique.

I hope you adore this French Toast Bread Pudding as much as my family and I do!

More unique French toast recipes:

 

one large slice of French Toast Bread Pudding on white plate

French Toast Bread Pudding

Valentina K. Wein
French Toast Bread Pudding is the mother of all brunch recipes. With a beautifully caramelized outer crust and a soft, sweet, gently spiced interior, this will truly blow your mind.
5 from 13 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 604 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds (about 2 loaves) of your favorite soft sliced bread (see notes)
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
  • 9 large eggs
  • 1½ cups low-fat milk
  • 1½ cups half and half
  • 1¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil like vegetable)
  • ¾ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips (see notes)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to grease a 10-inch bundt pan, or a 10 x 3 or 4-inch cake pan. Grease the pan very well!
  • If the bread has a thick crust, use a serrated knife to cut it off. If it's a soft, thin crust, there's no need to. Then cut the slices in half or fourths.
  • In a large saucepan, whisk the eggs with the milk, half and half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, until it's blended. Place the pan over medium-low heat and let it warm only enough to dissolve the sugar, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
  • Add the oil and butter to a large sauté pan, and over low heat, let the butter melt. Stir to blend.
  • Dredge each slice of bread into the oil-butter mixture, coating one side only, and placing them on a baking sheet as you go.
  • Line the bottom of the greased pan with one layer of the bread, greased side down. When necessary, tear the bread into different sized pieces to better fit the curves of the pan -- and use smaller pieces to fit in any little crevices.
  • Then pour just enough of the egg mixture to cover the layer of bread. Bake just this portion in the preheated 400°F oven, until the egg mixture appears solid, about 10 minutes.
  • Now, gently dredge each of the remaining bread slices into the egg mixture and add them to the cake pan, greased side down, filling all possible crevices. Between each layer, drizzle with about ½ cup of the egg mixture and a sprinkling of the chocolate. Also, gently press down on the bread layers with the back of a large spoon or your hands as you go.
  • Once you’ve filled the pan almost to the top, carefully pour in any of the remaining egg mixture that the pan will hold. Pour in just a little bit at a time and let it sink in, then a add a bit more, and so on. You should see the liquid rise to the top of all of the bread layers.
  • Place the pan on a foil-lined baking sheet, as it will likely overflow.
  • Bake in the 400°F oven for about 1¼ hours. It will rise out of the pan (like a soufflé), and will be uneven. Check on it after about 45 minutes, and periodically there after. It's done when it no longer jiggles and is golden brown. If the top seems like it’s getting too dark before it's done, cover it with foil for the remaining cooking time.
  • Once you’ve removed the pan form the oven, let it rest for about 15 minutes. Then, go around the sides of it with the dull side of a small knife, to make sure it isn't stuck. Invert it onto a large platter.
  • Slice it like you would a cake.

Notes

-The amount of bread you use might vary, depending on what you use and the thickness of the slices. Challah, Brioche or another egg bread is a great. You can even use cinnamon rolls or raisin bread.
-For a gluten-free version I use Canyon Bakehouse's Seven Grain & Cinnamon Raisin gluten-free breads.
-In addition, or instead of chocolate chips, you can use finely chopped chocolate, raisins or currants.
Keywords dessert for breakfast, Mother's Day Brunch Recipes, brunch cakes
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

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Comments

    • valentina says

      Hi Heather, you can make the egg mixture, and prepare the bread (slice it and remove the crusts if necessary) the night before. I wouldn’t suggest baking the night before — it’s just so much better as close to out of the oven as possible. Cheers! 🙂

      Reply

  7. Liz says

    As a huge fan of both bread pudding and French toast, I can’t think of a better brunch treat!! It looks absolutely scrumptious!!!

    Reply

  9. Ron says

    Valentina, I love french toast and will always choose a good bread pudding for dessert so so sounds amazing. I will have to give this a try next weekend. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

    • valentina says

      Thank you, Ron! Love when two favorites come together in one recipe. Hope you and your family are well! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply

  14. David @ Spiced says

    What a cool idea, Valentina! I love breakfast foods, and this one is certainly no exception. French toast is delicious…but then turn that into bread pudding? Yes, please! Bread pudding is so hard to take a photo of, but you managed to do it…and do it quite well! I want a slice of this with my morning coffee this weekend!

    Reply

    • valentina says

      Thanks, Kathy. Oh yes, it would be fantastic for a holiday brunch! Enjoy and hope you and your family are well. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply

  18. priya says

    This one is indeed a magical recipe Valentina. You might be surprised that I have never ever tried bread pudding before. I am going to try this for sure.

    Reply

    • valentina says

      Thank you, Priya. You must try bread pudding — if not this one, another. Hope you’re well and enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply

    • valentina says

      I make this just as often with raisins as I do with chocolate — and sometimes both! Thank, enjoy and stay well! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply

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