This Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding recipe tastes just like a cinnamon bun! It has a gooey cinnamon swirl lacing through custardy bread pudding, and is topped with a rich frosting. It’s the perfect holiday breakfast or special-occasion brunch!
Cinnamon buns are right up there with bagels + cream cheese for me as far as favorite special occasion breakfasts go.
Bagels are a rare treat (made even rarer by the fact that here in Kuwait it isn’t nearly as easy to find a decent quality bagel as it is in New York). But ironically (because there’s a Cinnabon that’s just a two-minute walk from where we live), cinnamon buns are an even more rare treat (because I try not to eat too much sugar).
Last Christmas I had a serious cinnamon roll craving and I made it my business to copycat the Cinnabon recipe (which I will definitely be sharing with you at some point!). After a couple tries, I think my recipe was even better than Cinnabon’s (of course I’m biased though).
And now regular Cinnabon doesn’t hold the same appeal that it used to. But delicious as they are, cinnamon buns are not something I make very often.
But sometimes a special occasion warrants an insanely good cinnamon bun…right? And sometimes when a killer cinnamon bun is in order, you just don’t have the time to whip up a batch.
But bread pudding. Oooh, cinnamon bread pudding.
The genius thing about bread pudding is that it takes truly minimal effort (read: 10 minutes, and that’s if you do it while enjoying a cup of coffee and a chat with a friend) the night before you want to have it. Then after a quick bake the next morning, you can serve what is sure to be the hit of brunch to friends.
Gooey cinnamon swirl, custardy bread pudding, and rich frosting. It’s the stuff sweet cinnamon dreams are made of.
Can You Soak Bread Pudding Overnight?
Yes! Read through the recipe you’re making first to see if there’s instructions on how to refrigerate it overnight.
This recipe for Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding is best if you refrigerate it for 12 hours before baking.
How Do You Know When Bread Pudding Is Done?
Here are a few different ways to tell when bread pudding is done cooking:
- It's light golden brown along the outside.
- The custard is set (not liquidy-looking).
- When a paring knife is inserted in the center, it comes out clean.
Should I Refrigerate Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding?
Yes. After bread pudding is baked, store it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Pro Tip: If you want to reheat bread pudding, you can cover an oven-safe dish with foil and heat it until warm in a 350F oven, or in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave.
More Decadent Breakfast and Brunch Recipes:
- Orange and Nutmeg-Scented Brown Sugar Bread Pudding
- Spinach and Cheddar Quiche
- Cruffins (Croissant Muffins)
- Sweet Apple Hand Pies with Cheddar Shortcrust
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl Syrup:
- ½ cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Bread Pudding:
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 cups cubed stale French bread
Icing:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Other:
- Butter or coconut oil for greasing the casserole dish
Instructions
- Make the Cinnamon Swirl Syrup. To do so, add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly, and then remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add half of the bread cubes to the prepared casserole dish and drizzle on half of the cooled Cinnamon Swirl Syrup. Add the remaining half of the bread on top and drizzle on the remaining half of the syrup. Pour in the egg mixture, gently pressing down on the top of the bread with a spoon to make sure all of the bread pieces are soaked.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.
- The next day, preheat the oven to 350F and let the pudding sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.
- Once the oven is up to temperature, bake the pudding until the custard is set and light golden on top, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Whisk together all ingredients for the icing and drizzle on the pudding while it’s still hot.
- Serve warm.
Faith's Tips
- I used a 1.5-liter casserole dish to make this recipe (similar to this casserole dish). Because 1.5 liters is equivalent to a little over 1.5 quarts (or about 6 ½ cups), you could use another dish that has a similar capacity. For example, a 2-quart capacity casserole dish with dimensions of about 11 inches by 7 inches also works well.
- Once it’s baked and cooled, store this bread pudding covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat this bread pudding, you can cover an oven-safe dish with foil and heat it until warm in a 350F oven, or in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on April 11, 2014. It was updated with more information on December 13, 2019.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
Ellen Evars says
I have never made a bread pudding and I was having a brunch and thought this was great because I could put the entire dish together and the night before. Mind turned out looking just like the picture. It was not just delish people couldn't stop talking about how beautiful it looked. If you think it's difficult, it's not. I did it in stages. Dried the bread in the oven days before and stored it in a plastic bag. I did make 1 1/2 X the recipe, and doubled the syrup and the glaze. can't wait to make it again.
ELLEN says
This bread pudding is not only a show stopper, it tastes amazing. Mine alway turns out just like your photo. I've made it many times and I love things I can put together the night before, specially when you have sleep over house guests. I always make one and a half times the syrup. I always get rave reviews. It's not difficult so give it a try.....
Paula D. Salinger says
I made this for a brunch this weekend and it was fabulous. The icing was too thin (ran right down to the bottom and didn't give that iced roll look like your pictures). Should it be 4 teaspoons of milk instead? Or a lot more powdered sugar? I'd like to make again on Christmas and just wanted to get it perfect.
Faith says
Paula, I'm so happy you made this and enjoyed it! I'm so sorry - yes, that was a typo, it should be 4 teaspoons! I just fixed it in the recipe above. Thank you so much for letting me know, and again I apologize. I hope you and your family enjoy this on Christmas; Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Beth says
I’m looking for a recipe like this - in which I can use a bunch of leftover cinnamon bread that has been sliced already. It’s pretty moist, so I can’t let it soak for hours like stale French bread. I wonder if I should dry it out a bit in the oven first. I welcome any ideas. I hate to toss great cinnamon bread but there’s too much of it.
Faith says
Beth, Yes, if your bread is pretty moist you could either wait a couple days to make this bread pudding, or cut the bread into cubes and dry it out a bit in a warm oven. I hope this helps!
Jessica says
Hi! Would a 9×13 pyrex work? I don't have a casserole dish and not sure how much 1.5L is... thank you!
Faith says
Jessica, I apologize for my late reply! I've updated the recipe card above with more information on what size of casserole dish would work (it should have a capacity of about 6.5 cups). A 9 by 13-inch dish would be a little big (an 11 by 7 inch dish would work well), but it could still work - the bread pudding will likely cook faster in a larger dish, so check it sooner. Please let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
Laura Sloan says
I just put this in the fridge and will bake tomorrow, Christmas morning, as I have done for four years now. Such a treat and a tradition that will continue for years to come I’m sure. It is known as THE bread pudding in our house. I double the recipe and use half challah bread, and half cinnamon bread. So looking forward to everyone enjoying this together tomorrow morning! Thanks for an amazing recipe :)
Faith says
Laura, I'm truly honored that his has become part of your family's Christmas tradition. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Lisa says
I made this for Christmas brunch, and it was out of this world, Faith! Everyone was sitting around the table with their mouths hanging open after the first bite. And just moments ago, I made another batch for Sunday brunch (it's soaking up all the goodness now). I make it with a brioche that I buy from Whole Foods, and it is simply divine. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Faith says
Lisa, Thank you so much for your sweet comment, I'm so glad this was a hit! You made my day. :)
lisahgolden says
I made this tonight. It is marvelous. Thank you for sharing it.
Brian says
by far the best bread pudding ever!! directions call for 12 hour chill, however works FANTASTIC with 1 hour chill as well (i made it last night). simply was amazing and my family loved it!!
Lisa @ Simple Pairings says
Wow - this looks incredible! So much easier than cinnamon buns. Can't wait to try!
Barbara says
Oh my....how fabulous is that?! Love sweet and savory overnight puddings. Makes life so much simpler AND this one is a major winner. What an awesome idea for a holiday breakfast!
Anna Johnston says
DROOL! I adore this time of year, the buns, the hot cross buns... yarm! I never would have thought to turn it into a pudding. Nice idea.
Hope you are well Faith, wishing you a wonderful weekend. :)
Christina @ but i'm hungry says
What a fabulous idea! I love cinnamon rolls, too, but rarely find the time to pull them together. (It's that planning ahead thing, darnit.) Thanks for sharing!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Oh wow!! This looks so yummy!
Anna @ Bashful Bao says
What a fabulous bread pudding--I love when dessert doubles as breakfast the next morning!
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
bread pudding with cinnamon - i die.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Love this decadent bread pudding, Faith!
Rosa says
Luscious! This bread pudding is simply divine.
Cheers,
Rosa