Blueberry Bread Pudding

Blueberry bread pudding is a cozy and flexible recipe that can easily be adapted to suit your pantry. It’s a cross between baked French toast and fruit cobbler, with a soft texture and gently spiced custard base. Whether you’re making it for dessert or a sweet breakfast, this recipe delivers comforting flavor with minimal effort.

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, and just about any kind of bread — from sandwich slices to leftover rolls, biscuits, or buns. Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to brighten the flavor, or finish the vanilla sauce with a splash of bourbon for a warm, elegant touch. Whether served for dessert or brunch, this flexible pudding is full of comforting flavor and easy to make ahead.

Steps to Make Blueberry Bread Pudding

1. Preheat the oven and butter a baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Add the bread and let it soak for a few minutes to absorb the liquid.
4. Toss the blueberries with confectioners’ sugar and fold them into the mixture.
5. Transfer to the baking dish and bake until golden and set.
6. While the pudding bakes, make the vanilla sauce on the stovetop.
7. Serve warm with sauce on the side or drizzled over top.

Recipe Variations

• Add an extra egg. For a firmer, sliceable pudding, use 3 eggs instead of 2.
• Try different breads. White, whole wheat, oatmeal bread, or even leftover dinner rolls or biscuits can be used. Sweeter breads may require less sugar.
• Use frozen berries. Keep them frozen before adding to the mixture to reduce bleeding.
• Swap in other fruits. Raspberries, chopped strawberries, or blackberries can be used in place of or alongside the blueberries. Blackberries work well but may release more juice, especially if frozen — reduce milk slightly or add extra bread to balance.
• Add a touch of lemon. A teaspoon of lemon zest or a squeeze of juice adds brightness and complements the blueberries.
• Skip the vanilla sauce. Replace it with a drizzle of maple syrup or top it with warm ice cream topping.
• Spike the sauce. Stir in a splash of bourbon or dark rum at the end of cooking the vanilla sauce for a deeper, more complex flavor.

How to Serve

• Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Top it with a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping.
• Make it a breakfast or brunch dish.

Print