Blueberry Bread Pudding

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 07/19/21
Blueberry Bread Pudding

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Bread pudding is an excellent way to use leftover stale bread. The frugal dessert probably originated in early England. It is still a great way to use stale bread, but it's evolved over the years to become a versatile dessert often found in upscale restaurants. Many consider it a comfort food.

Small, French-style sandwich rolls were used to make the pictured bread pudding, but any good, sturdy leftover bread will do. Feel free to use everyday white loaf bread, a loaf of French or Italian bread, or a rich and buttery brioche or croissants.

Fresh or frozen berries can be used in the pudding as well. Top the pudding with the included lemon dessert sauce or use a whiskey sauce, fresh blueberry sauce, or whipped cream. Or just sprinkle some powdered sugar over the pudding and drizzle some sweet cream over it. It's wonderful warm or cold.

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Ingredients

For the Blueberry Bread Pudding:

  • 3 cups milk

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 5 to 6 cups day-old torn French or Italian bread or rolls

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries

  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

For the Lemon Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1 dash salt

  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon butter

Steps to Make It

Make the Blueberry Bread Pudding

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Blueberry Bread Pudding ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Heat oven to 350 F. Butter an 11-by-7-inch baking dish.

    greased baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and almond flavorings and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest in a large bowl.

    milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and almond flavorings in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the bread and let the mixture stand for 10 to 15 minutes.

    bread with the egg mixture in the bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Toss the blueberries with powdered sugar in another bowl and then fold them into the bread mixture.

    bread pudding mix with blueberries in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Set the baking dish in a larger baking or roasting pan and place it in oven.

    bread pudding mix in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Add about an inch of very hot water to the large outer pan.

    bread pudding in a baking dish in a water bath

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Bake the bread pudding for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until it is firm and the top is lightly browned.

    baked bread pudding in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Lemon Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    lemon sauce ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Bring the 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.

    water in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Combine the 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in another saucepan. Blend well.

    granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Pour the boiling water over the sugar mixture and place it over medium-low heat. Cook until the mixture is thickened and clear, stirring constantly.

    water mixed with the sugar mixture in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter. Stir to blend.

    lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter added to the lemon sauce in the saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Serve the bread pudding with the lemon sauce or another sauce or topping. Vanilla sauce, blueberry sauce, or bourbon sauce are all good choices.

    Blueberry Bread Pudding in a baking dish with lemon sauce on the side

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Recipe Variation

  • Omit the lemon zest from the pudding mixture and add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
382 Calories
6g Fat
75g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 382
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 295mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 75g 27%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 56g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 7mg 36%
Calcium 143mg 11%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 229mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)