This Strawberry Bread Pudding is the perfect easy warm dessert for spring or summer! Layered with fresh strawberries and brioche bread, this baked bread pudding is a total crowd-pleaser. Prep it in advance for a quick and easy dessert for any dinner party!
Jump to:
Key Ingredients
- Fresh strawberries: hull and slice your strawberries.
- Eggs: I always opt for pasture-raised eggs.
- Bread: I use stale brioche bread. You can make the bread stale by leaving it uncovered on the counter overnight. Alternatively, spread fresh cubed brioche on two sheet pans and bake at 350F for 7-10 minutes, or until slightly hard on the outside. Challah bread would also work great, or you can use a gluten-free bread to make this a gluten-free dessert.
- Half and half: While you can use whole milk or heavy cream, I like the richness half and half has without being overly heavy.
- Sugar: I use white cane sugar. You can also garnish the cooked bread pudding with powdered sugar, if you'd like-- it looks gorgeous!
How to make Strawberry Bread Pudding
1. Prepare your bread by slicing it into cubes and making it stale. Either leave it out on the counter overnight or pop it in a 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes to make it stale. The outside should be slightly crunchy. Stale bread will absorb the delicious custard mixture.
2. Layer the strawberries and bread in a buttered casserole dish. Make the custard by whisking together the half and half, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and salt.
3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and strawberries. Let the bread pudding rest for at least 30 minutes so that the bread can absorb the liquid. It can rest at room temperature for a half hour. If your kitchen is hot or sunny or if you are resting it for longer, put the bread pudding in the refrigerator.
4. Bake the bread pudding for about 1 hour, or until the liquid is set but the bread pudding still has a slight jiggle to it when you wiggle the pan. Cover the bread pudding with a loose layer of foil if it is browning too quickly during cooking. Allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Prep ahead tips
- This recipe is perfect for getting ahead when you have guests over! Prepare the unbaked strawberry bread pudding a few hours prior to dinner and store it covered in the fridge. Then, an hour before dessert time, simply place it in the oven!
- If you prefer, you can bake the bread pudding entirely, let it cool down, and then store it tightly covered in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for about 5 days, though it's at its best within the 2 or 3 days. When you're ready to enjoy it again, simply reheat it in a 350°F oven for roughly 20 minutes until it's heated through. For individual servings, you can warm them up either in the oven or slice by slice in the microwave.
Serving suggestions
Is there anything better than a warm baked good and ice cream?! While it is delicious on it's own, serve this bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream for a fun spin on strawberries and cream.
While I love this bread pudding during dessert time, you can serve it any time of day! It reminds me of a French toast bake and would even be appropriate to serve during breakfast or brunch! If serving in the morning, I'd serve it with a side of bacon rather than ice cream.
Variations
- For a festive red, white, and blue dessert, use half blueberries and half strawberries!
- For a chocolatey bread pudding recipe, check out my Dark Chocolate and Cherry Bread Pudding recipe!
More desserts you'll love
- Strawberry Oat Crisp
- Chocolate and Raspberry Tart
- Chocolate and Cherry Bread Pudding
- Caramelized Apple Bread Pudding
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 lb stale brioche loaf cut into 1 inch cubes, see notes
- 4 cups sliced strawberries
- 5 eggs
- 3 ½ cups half and half
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Use the butter to butter the inside of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Add half the brioche to the baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with half the strawberries. Repeat with the remaining half of the bread and strawberries. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well incorporated. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread and strawberries. Allow the unbaked bread pudding to rest for 30 minutes (see note).
- Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Check the bread pudding halfway and add a loose cover of foil if it is browning too quickly. Allow the bread pudding to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- To make your brioche stale, cut it the night before and leave it uncovered on the counter. Alternatively, spread fresh cubed brioche on two sheet pans and bake at 350F for 7-10 minutes, or until slightly hard on the outside.
- The unbaked bread pudding can rest at room temperature for a half hour. If your kitchen is hot or sunny, rest the bread pudding in the refrigerator.
Comments
No Comments