Cinnamon Apple Bread Pudding

This easy Cinnamon Apple Bread Pudding has layers of soft cinnamon swirl bread, tart Granny Smith apples, and a creamy spiced custard baked together until warm and tender. The top gets lightly golden while the middle stays soft and custardy, which is exactly how I think bread pudding should be.

I especially love this recipe because the cinnamon swirl bread does part of the work for us. There is already cinnamon and sweetness tucked into every slice, so you can get plenty of flavor without making a complicated dessert. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of cream and you have one cozy apple dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Apple Bread Pudding

There are plenty of reasons this recipe has stuck around at our house.

• Quick prep. It only takes about 5 minutes to get everything into the baking dish.
• No fancy bread required. A loaf of cinnamon swirl bread adds tons of flavor.
• Sweet and tart. Granny Smith apples balance the sweet custard and bread.
• Warm and cozy. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and apples make this especially good for fall, although we make it any time of year.
• Feeds a crowd. One 9×13-inch pan makes about 15 servings.
• Easy to dress up. Add vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce, or a simple splash of cream.

Ingredients Needed

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this cinnamon apple bread pudding.

• Cinnamon swirl bread
• Granny Smith apples
• Eggs
• Heavy whipping cream
• Milk
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cloves
• Salt
• Sweetened condensed milk

A Few Ingredient Notes

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Using cinnamon swirl bread is one of my favorite shortcuts in this recipe. It adds cinnamon flavor throughout the bread pudding without needing to make or season plain bread from scratch.

Cut the bread into bite-size cubes so the custard can work its way between all those little pieces.

Granny Smith Apples

I usually use Granny Smith apples because their tart flavor balances the sweet bread and sweetened condensed milk.

They also hold their shape well during baking instead of disappearing into the custard.

Heavy Whipping Cream

Use heavy whipping cream or whipping cream for the 1 1/2 cups of cream in this recipe.

The cream adds richness and helps give the bread pudding that soft custardy texture.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Make sure you are using sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk.

They are sold in similar cans, but they are very different. Sweetened condensed milk is thick and sweet and provides most of the sweetness for this bread pudding.

How to Make Cinnamon Apple Bread Pudding

The full printable recipe with amounts is at the bottom of the post, but here is what you can expect before you start.

1. Prepare the Bread and Apples

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut about 16 ounces of cinnamon swirl bread into cubes.

Peel and core 3 Granny Smith apples, then cut them into small cubes.

Add the bread and apples to the prepared baking dish and gently mix them so the apple pieces are scattered throughout.

2. Make the Custard

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:

• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Whisk until the eggs are completely blended and the mixture looks smooth.

3. Pour the Custard Over the Bread

Slowly pour the custard mixture over the cinnamon bread and apples.

Gently press the bread down into the liquid so the pieces can soak up the custard.

You do not need to smash everything down. Just make sure most of the bread gets a chance to soak.

4. Bake

Bake the bread pudding at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes.

You’ll know it is getting close when the center begins to puff slightly.

The finished bread pudding should be soft and moist in the middle, but it should not look runny or have uncooked liquid around the center.

5. Serve Warm

Let the bread pudding cool for a few minutes before serving.

We especially like it warm with vanilla ice cream because the ice cream starts melting down into all those cinnamon apple layers.

A drizzle of cream is delicious too.

My Tips for the Best Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is pretty forgiving, but a few small things make a noticeable difference.

Cut the Apples Small

Small apple cubes soften nicely during the relatively short baking time and make sure you get apple in more bites.

Large pieces may still be too firm when the custard has finished baking.

Give the Bread Time to Soak

Once the custard is poured over the bread, gently press everything down.

If you have a few extra minutes, you can let it sit before baking so the cinnamon bread has even more time to absorb the custard.

Don’t Overbake It

Bread pudding is supposed to be soft.

If you bake it until every part feels dry and firm, you’ve gone a little too far.

Look for a lightly puffed center and custard that is set but still moist with a little center jiggle.

Check the Center, Not Just the Edges

The edges will cook before the center does.

Look at the middle of the pan when deciding whether it is done.

Serve It Warm

You certainly can eat bread pudding cold, but I think this one is much better warm.

The cinnamon and apple flavors come through more, and anything you put on top gets a little melty.

What Are the Best Apples for Bread Pudding?

Granny Smith apples are my first choice for this recipe. They are tart, firm, and hold up well in the oven.

That tart flavor is especially nice here because cinnamon swirl bread and sweetened condensed milk already add plenty of sweetness.

A few other good baking apples include:

Pink Lady

Pink Lady apples are crisp with a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors. They tend to hold their shape well during baking.

Honeycrisp

Honeycrisp apples are sweeter than Granny Smith but still have enough structure to work well in baked desserts.

If you like a sweeter apple bread pudding, this is a good option.

Braeburn

Braeburn apples have a concentrated apple flavor that works really well with warm spices like cinnamon.

They can release a little more juice during baking but usually hold their shape nicely.

Jonagold

Jonagold apples are sweet with enough tartness to keep them interesting. They soften during baking without immediately turning to mush.

You can also use a combination of apples. Mixing a tart apple with a sweeter variety gives you a little more depth of flavor.

Can I Use Regular Bread Instead of Cinnamon Swirl Bread?

You can, but the flavor will be different.

Cinnamon swirl bread gives this recipe a head start because cinnamon and sweetness are already baked into the bread.

If you substitute plain bread, I would expect the finished dessert to be less sweet and less cinnamon-forward.

A sturdy white bread, brioche, or challah would be the easiest substitutes.

Does Bread Need to Be Stale for Bread Pudding?

No. You can make this recipe with fresh cinnamon swirl bread.

Slightly dry or day-old bread can absorb custard particularly well, but you do not need to wait around for your bread to get stale before making dessert.

If your bread is very soft and fresh, just handle it gently while mixing.

How Do I Know When Bread Pudding Is Done?

The center is the best place to check.

As it finishes baking, the bread pudding will begin to puff slightly in the middle. The egg custard should look cooked and set rather than liquid.

It should still be soft and a little gooey because bread pudding is not supposed to bake up like a dry cake.

If the middle still looks runny, give it a few more minutes.

What to Serve With Apple Bread Pudding

This dessert is great on its own, but toppings definitely do not hurt.

Try it with:

• Vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream
• A drizzle of heavy cream
• Caramel sauce
• Chopped pecans or walnuts
• A little extra cinnamon
• Powdered sugar

Vanilla ice cream is still my favorite. Warm apple bread pudding and melting vanilla ice cream are pretty hard to beat.

Can You Make Bread Pudding Ahead of Time?

Yes.

You can bake the bread pudding ahead of time, refrigerate it, and reheat individual servings when you’re ready to eat.

If I were making it for company, I would still prefer baking it fairly close to serving so everyone can enjoy that freshly baked texture.

How to Store Apple Bread Pudding

Because this recipe contains eggs, milk, and cream, leftover bread pudding should be refrigerated.

Allow it to cool, then cover the baking dish or transfer individual portions into an airtight container.

Store it in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.

How to Reheat Bread Pudding

For an individual serving, microwave it until warmed through.

For a larger amount, cover the baking dish loosely and warm it in a 300°F to 325°F oven until heated through.

If the bread pudding seems a little dry after refrigeration, a small drizzle of cream before reheating can help bring some moisture back.

Can You Freeze Bread Pudding?

Yes. Bread pudding can be frozen, although I prefer the texture when it is fresh or refrigerated.

Let the baked bread pudding cool completely, then wrap individual portions well and freeze them in an airtight freezer-safe container.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More Cinnamon Apple Recipes

If apples and cinnamon are your kind of dessert combination too, try these next:

• Easy Cinnamon Apple Crumb Streusel Muffins
• Moist Walnut Applesauce Cookies
• 15-Minute Cinnamon Muffins
• Gourmet Caramel Apples
• Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

Originally Published: March 11, 2019 Updated (text and photos): August 31, 2026