Apple Pie Bread Pudding

There’s something about warm bread pudding that feels right this time of year. Especially when it’s filled with cinnamon-spiced apples, buttery brioche, and all the flavors of a freshly baked apple pie.

This Apple Pie Bread Pudding brings everything you love about the classic fall dessert into one comforting dish. It starts with a homemade apple pie filling made with tart Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and a splash of water and our Amoretti® Natural Apple Pie Artisan Flavor. The apples cook down until tender and juicy, creating a sweet, spiced filling that tastes just like the real thing.

From there, the apple mixture is layered over dried-out brioche bread before everything gets a generous soak in a rich apple pie custard. Made with warm spices and more of our Amoretti® Natural Apple Pie Artisan Flavor, the custard brings all the flavors together as the bread absorbs every last bit.

Once baked, the result is a golden, custardy bread pudding with soft, buttery brioche, tender pieces of apple, and plenty of apple pie flavor in every bite. We love serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a generous drizzle of salted caramel.

Despite having a few steps, this recipe is surprisingly easy to put together and can be made ahead of time, making it a great option for Thanksgiving, holiday entertaining, or a cozy afternoon at home.

What Makes This Apple Pie Bread Pudding So Good?

The secret to a really good bread pudding is getting the balance of textures just right. You want a soft, custardy center with a lightly golden top and plenty of flavor throughout.

For this recipe, we're using brioche. Its buttery flavor and slightly sweet taste make it a natural pairing for the cinnamon-spiced apple filling. We recommend using day-old or dried-out brioche, which absorbs the custard without becoming overly soggy.

We also cook the apples before assembling the bread pudding. This gives them a head start on softening and allows the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon to develop into a filling reminiscent of homemade apple pie.

Why We Use Amoretti® Natural Apple Pie Artisan Flavor

A good apple pie dessert is all about the flavor. We wanted to bring that familiar combination of juicy apples, warm cinnamon, and sweet pastry notes into every part of this bread pudding.

Amoretti® Natural Apple Pie Artisan Flavor makes that easy. Its concentrated flavor captures the taste of classic apple pie, making it a great addition to both the cooked apple filling and the custard.

Adding it to the custard helps carry those familiar apple pie notes throughout the bread pudding, so you get that delicious flavor in every bite.

Can You Make Apple Pie Bread Pudding Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! This is one of our favorite things about this recipe, especially during the busy holiday season.

You can prepare the apple filling and custard ahead of time, storing each separately in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble. For even easier prep, you can assemble the entire bread pudding, cover it, and refrigerate before baking.

When you're ready to serve, simply bake according to the recipe instructions. If baking straight from the refrigerator, you may need to allow a little extra time in the oven.

It's a great dessert to have ready to go when you're hosting Thanksgiving or planning a holiday dinner. And if you happen to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12-15 (14oz) thick-cut slices of brioche bread, dried out overnight, cut into 1” cubes
• Turbinado sugar for topping
• Vanilla ice cream

Apple Pie Filling:

• 4 large granny smith apples, peeled and diced
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 and 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon Amoretti® Natural Apple Pie Artisan Flavor

Custard:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons Amoretti® Vanilla Bean Paste
• 1/2 tablespoon Amoretti® Natural Apple Pie Artisan Flavor
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted & cooled

Directions:

1. In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Add the butter and eggs and whisk until there are no ribbons of egg left. 

1. Grease a 9x9 square pan with cooking spray and line with a sheet of parchment paper for easy removal. Grease the parchment as well.
2. In the bottom of the pan, place 1/3 of the bread cubes into the bottom followed by 1/3 of the apple pie filling spread all over the top of the bread cubes. Repeat until there is no more bread and apples. There should be three layers of bread and apples, with the apples resting on the very top layer of the bread pudding,
3. Pour the custard all over the bread, making sure all of the pieces are well-soaked. With the back of a spoon or spatula, gently press down on the bread to help coat all the pieces. Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar.
4. Cover the pan with and let rest for at least 30 minutes, or place into the refrigerator to bake the following morning.
   

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Once ready, remove the foil from the top of your pan and bake the bread pudding for 55-65 minutes, or until the top is golden and set, but the middle is still slightly wobbly when shaken. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10-15 minutes.
3. Once ready, slice and serve the bread pudding warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel.
4. Enjoy!