Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

This indulgent Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding is an elegant dessert that’s easy to prepare, full of holiday flavor, and a crowd favorite! The custard-soaked dessert combines both sweet and tart flavors with cranberries, crunchy walnuts, zesty orange sugar crumbs, and a buttery orange glaze. This bread pudding is sure to be a hit!

Cranberries and orange is the perfect flavor combination for the holidays. I love the mix of sweet and tart, and there are endless ways to combine them in my holiday cooking!

If you’re looking for an easy, delicious dessert to serve when you’re entertaining family and friends this season, then this orange cranberry bread pudding is the recipe for you!

What is Bread Pudding?

Bread pudding is a popular dessert in many countries. It’s a bread-based treat that uses day-old bread, milk or cream, and a variety of other ingredients. Many versions use eggs and a fat such as butter. Add-ins vary, as you can have sweet or savory bread pudding. Bread is soaked in the liquids and then baked.

You may have had a breakfast version, called “baked French toast” or “French toast casserole”. These are inspired by simple but delicious bread pudding, which has been around for centuries!

Ingredients for Cranberry-Orange Bread Pudding

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this dessert:

• Cubed, day-old bread (I used brioche)
• An orange
• Granulated white sugar
• Large eggs
• Brown sugar
• Milk (2% or whole)
• Pure vanilla extract
• Ground cloves
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cinnamon
• Salt
• Fresh cranberries
• Chopped walnuts (optional)
• Whole berry cranberry sauce, canned

For the Orange Glaze

• Confectioners sugar
• Melted butter
• Orange zest
• Orange juice

How to make Orange Cranberry Bread Pudding

Note: This recipe calls for both zesting and juicing an orange. I recommend zesting the orange first, then juicing it. This zester is the one that I use.

This recipe has quite a few steps, but it really is not hard! Your friends will think you spent WAY more time in the kitchen than you actually do.

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Evenly spread cubed bread on a baking sheet and let bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the bread is mostly dry. When the bread is done, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (Alternatively, you can cube the bread the day before and let it sit out uncovered to dry. )

Orange Sugar

1. Zest the orange, dividing the zest into two halves. Set aside. One half is for the glaze, the other half for the pudding. 
2. In a small bowl combine the 2 tablespoons of white sugar and half of the zest for the pudding. Rub the zest and sugar together with your fingertips until it is very well combined. Set aside. 

Bread Pudding

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the 6 eggs. Add the 2 cups of milk to the eggs, then stir to combine. 
2. Next, add brown sugar, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until the custard mixture is well combined. 
3. Add the cooled bread cubes to the egg mixture and fold together until all of the bread has been covered in egg. Then, let the bread mixture rest for 15 minutes. 
4. While it is resting, prepare a 2-quart casserole or 9×13 baking dish by buttering the bottom and sides. Once buttered, sprinkle white granulated sugar on the bottom. This will give a caramelized bottom to the pudding. 
5. Juice the orange. Remove 2 tablespoons of juice to a small bowl for the glaze. The remainder is for the pudding. 
6. After 15 minutes, mix in the fresh cranberries and chopped walnuts. 

Assemble

1. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish. If there is excess egg, just pour it over the top of the bread cubes. 
2. Empty the can of whole berry cranberry sauce into a bowl and stir it to break up the jelly. 
3. Next, spread the cranberry sauce over the top of the bread, slightly pushing it into the mixture in areas. 
4. Take the excess orange juice and drizzle it over the top of the cranberry and bread. 
5. Sprinkle the zested sugar over the top of the cranberry and bread. It will stick together in small clumps. This is ok as this will give a nice crystal crunch when served. 

Bake

1. Bake the bread pudding for 45-50 minutes. The pudding is done when the custard has set throughout. 
2. Let the bread pudding cool for 30-40 minutes before serving. It is best served warm, but not hot. While the bread pudding is cooling, prepare the glaze. 

Glaze and Serve

1. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, melted butter, the reserved 2 tablespoons of orange juice, and the reserved zest of ½ an orange. Whisk together until the sugar is completely combined and dissolved. 
2. Finally, drizzle some of the glaze over the top of the bread pudding, reserving the remainder for serving. Garnish each slice with a few Sugared Cranberries, too!

FAQs

Can I make this Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding in advance?

Bread pudding can be excellent when prepared in advance! An overnight soak in the fridge before baking allows the flavors to meld even more. It will also save you time and stress on the day you want to serve it. 

Follow the recipe as directed, but instead of baking it, just cover the baking pan with an air-tight wrap and pop it in the refrigerator. Uncover and bake as directed in the morning!

What kind of bread is best?

I used brioche because this is what was on the day-old rack at the bakery that sounded the most decadent. Other choices are Italian, French bread, or challah bread. Using day-old or stale bread is a great way to save money and reduce food waste. You could even consider using day-old croissants or danishes.

Can I use gluten-free bread? 

Yes, you can! If you make sure all the other ingredients are also gluten-free, you can easily make this dessert gluten-free!

What about a dairy substitute?

You can use a dairy alternative such as oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk and achieve the same delicious results. 

How do I store Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding?

The bread pudding can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator tightly covered or transfer leftovers to an airtight container.

Can you freeze bread pudding?

Yes, you may. After baking and letting the bread pudding cool, cover it tightly and pop it in the freezer. When you are ready to serve it, first let it thaw in the refrigerator and then warm it, covered with foil, in the oven. 

Can I serve bread pudding cold?

Yes! Though I prefer it warm, a cold bread pudding with ice cream would be a wonderful dessert on a hot day.

Similar Recipes

Make one of these baked dishes for a dessert or decadent breakfast:

• Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bread Pudding
• Almond Berry French Toast Casserole
• Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast Casserole
• Chocolate Croissant Baked French Toast
• Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
• Caramel Apple Baked French Toast

Which one will you make next time?

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