Marry This Doughnut Bread Pudding is a decadent and gooey recipe, which is a clever and delicious way to transform stale glazed doughnuts into a rich, custardy dessert with a surprise layer of raspberry jam. It’s the ultimate comfort food treat, ready in about an hour and a half, plus resting time.
Jump to RecipeDoughnut Bread Pudding Recipe Ingredients
- 12 stale (day-old) glazed yeasted doughnuts
- 4 large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups half-and-half
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
- Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish
How To Make Doughnut Bread Pudding
- Prep Oven and Make Custard: Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Generously spray a 2-quart (or 9×9-inch) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest until the custard is smooth.
- Assemble the Pudding: Using a serrated knife, cut the stale doughnuts into quarters. Arrange half of the doughnut pieces in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Dollop the raspberry jam over the top of the doughnuts.
- Soak the Pudding: Cover the jam with the remaining doughnut pieces. Slowly and evenly pour the custard mixture over the top. Let the dish stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the doughnuts to absorb some of the custard.
- Bake the Bread Pudding: Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for about 50 minutes, until the edges are set but the custard is still slightly wobbly in the center.
- Finish Baking and Rest: Uncover the bread pudding and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is slightly puffed. Let the bread pudding rest for at least 15-30 minutes before serving.
- Serve: Dust with powdered sugar, if you like, and serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream.
Recipe Tips
- How to get the perfect texture? The most important secret is to use day-old or stale yeasted doughnuts. Stale doughnuts are firmer and can absorb the rich custard without completely disintegrating into mush, giving the final pudding a perfect soft but not soggy texture.
- Why do I have to let it soak before baking? This is a non-negotiable step! Letting the assembled pudding rest for 30 minutes before it goes into the oven gives the dry doughnut pieces a chance to soak up the custard, which ensures the final product is moist and creamy all the way through.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely! As the original recipe tip suggests, you can fully assemble the bread pudding (before baking), cover it, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Just let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before you bake it.
- How do you know when the pudding is done? The pudding is perfectly baked when a knife inserted near the center comes out with moist custard, but not raw, liquid egg. The center should have just a slight jiggle. It will continue to set as it rests.
What To Serve With Doughnut Bread Pudding
This is an incredibly rich and decadent dessert that stands perfectly on its own. The whipped cream is a wonderful addition. It is also fantastic served with:
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
- A drizzle of caramel sauce
- A side of fresh berries to cut the richness
How To Store Doughnut Bread Pudding
- Refrigerate: Cover the cooled bread pudding tightly with plastic wrap or foil. It must be stored in the refrigerator due to the egg and dairy content. It will keep well for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat individual servings gently in the microwave or place the entire dish, covered with foil, in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
Doughnut Bread Pudding Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1/8th of pudding
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Protein: 9g
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Sugar: 55g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
It is not recommended. Yeasted doughnuts have a bread-like structure that is perfect for soaking up the custard. Cake doughnuts are much more dense and are more likely to become very heavy and soggy in the pudding.
Yes, absolutely. If you don’t have raspberry jam, this dessert would be equally delicious with a strawberry, apricot, or even an orange marmalade filling.
A dry bread pudding is usually the result of not using enough custard for the amount of bread, or from over-baking. Make sure the doughnuts are well-saturated and pull the pudding from the oven when the center still has a slight wobble.
Try More Recipes:
Doughnut Bread Pudding Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes1
hour15
minutes550
kcalA fun and decadent dessert that transforms stale glazed doughnuts into a rich, creamy bread pudding with a surprise raspberry jam filling.
Ingredients
12 stale glazed yeasted doughnuts, quartered
4 large eggs
2 1/4 cups half-and-half
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup raspberry jam
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest to make the custard.
- Arrange half of the doughnut pieces in a greased 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Dollop the jam over the doughnuts, then top with the remaining doughnut pieces.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the top and let the whole thing stand for 30 minutes.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 50 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed.
- Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving warm.
Notes
- Stale Doughnuts are Best: The most important tip for this recipe is to use day-old, stale yeasted doughnuts. They provide the perfect structure and absorb the custard without becoming mushy.
- Don’t Skip the Soak: You must let the assembled pudding rest for 30 minutes before baking. This is the secret to a uniformly moist and creamy result.
- Bake Covered, Then Uncovered: The initial covered baking time gently cooks the custard through, while the final uncovered time is what creates the beautiful, golden-brown top.
- Let it Rest: Resting the bread pudding for at least 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven is crucial for allowing the hot custard to set up, making it easier to slice and serve.
