Fried apple bread pudding is a simple fall dessert full of buttery fried apples and cinnamon. I drizzle on the caramel sauce and maybe a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream for full effect. This is one of those perfect comfort foods warms you from the inside out!
Gather the family up TONIGHT and spend some time together with warm bowls of this simple but decadent fried apple bread pudding.
The kids are only getting older and so are we! When was the last time you cuddled up on the floor in your living room and handed around bowls of something sticky and sweet? (There are apples in this, so really you are feeding your kids fruit!)
I know fall can be a season of hustle and busy. But YOU are a human and humans need time to pull back too and connect with other humans. If you don’t have kids or a mate invite over some friends or heck go meet the neighbors! A good bread pudding opens doors!!!
How to make bread pudding
Bread pudding is chunks of bread with a sweet egg custard. In this case I’m using fried apples to take it in a delicious fall flavor direction.
The process is nice and easy. Cut bread and apples. Cook apples a bit. Make a little sauce for the bottom of the pan. Stir everything together. Bake!
You win at the kitchen game!
What to serve with bread pudding
Bread pudding is really good with something creamy. I like a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream with the warm bread pudding but homemade whipped cream is also really great!
Apple bread pudding really should have caramel sauce too! It is the perfect, sticky, sweet match to the butter apples! Don’t miss out on this great combo (the caramel sauce is SO easy to make your kids can do it!)
Cook with your kids
A bread pudding recipe is a great way to pull your kids into the kitchen and cook with them. The process is simple, and the results are delicious. Teach them how to hold a knife, peel an apple, and crack an egg.
Fried Apple Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 8 cups of French bread cubed
- 2 cups apples thinly sliced 2-3 apples – Granny Smith or Honeycrisp are both great
- 10 Tbsp. salted butter divided
- 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar divided
- 2 Tbsp. corn syrup
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon plus additional to sprinkle if desired
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Use a bread knife to cut the bread into approximately 1” size cubes to make 8 cups.
- Peel, core and thinly slice the apples until you have two cups of slices. (A mandolin is a good slicing tool here.)
- Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a heavy bottom skillet such as cast iron over medium- high heat. Add the apple slices, turn the heat down to medium and cook stirring occasionally with a spatula for 3-5 minutes until the kitchen smells strongly of apples and the fruit is starting to turn golden with a few brown edges. Set aside – they will cool somewhat while you prepare the rest.
- In a medium saucepan combine the rest of the butter (1/2 cup), 1 cup of brown sugar and the corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat and whisk occasionally until the mixture is combined and butter is melted. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a 9”x12” baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs together. Add milk, cream, ½ cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add the bread cubes and fried apples. Fold the mixture together gently with a wooden spoon. Spread it into the baking dish.
- Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired. (Gives the top a finished look!)
- Bake for 50 minutes. The bread pudding is done when it reaches 190F-200F internally with a thermometer or is brown on top with a slight jiggle to the center.
- Let rest for 15 minutes, cut into squares and serve with warm caramel sauce and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Caryn
This looks amazing! I was wondering, have you ever made bread pudding using your famous Cast Iron Skillet bread instead of French bread? Would it be worth a try, or possibly not hold up as well?
Mirlandra
Hi Caryn, I think it should be absolutely fine! Any good quality bread should work very well. Different textures will have different textures in the finished result but all good! Enjoy that bread pudding!