Description
This Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding is a comforting, festive dessert featuring cubes of tender brioche, bursts of tart cranberries, and a creamy spiced custard enriched with bright orange zest. Topped with a luscious orange glaze, it’s the perfect treat for holiday gatherings or cozy family dinners.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Bread Pudding
- 1 loaf thick bread, cubed (preferably day-old brioche, about 12 cups)
- 1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries
- 4 cups milk
- 6 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp orange zest
Glaze
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1–1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest (optional, for extra orange flavor)
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 13×9 inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Assemble the Bread and Cranberries: Spread half of the cubed bread evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. Sprinkle fresh cranberries over the bread, then layer the rest of the bread cubes on top for even distribution.
- Mix the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, granulated sugar, and orange zest. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Add Custard to Bread: Pour the prepared custard mixture evenly over the layered bread and cranberries, ensuring all cubed bread is well soaked. Lightly press the bread down if needed to absorb the liquid.
- Rest and Bake: Let the mixture sit for 25 minutes, allowing the bread to fully absorb the custard. Then bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is just set, with a slight jiggle.
- Cool the Pudding: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. The bread pudding may deflate slightly as it cools – this is normal.
- Prepare the Orange Glaze: While the bread pudding is cooling, whisk together the melted butter, powdered sugar (starting with 1 cup), vanilla extract, orange juice, and optional orange zest. Add more powdered sugar as needed for a pourable glaze consistency.
- Serve: Drizzle the orange glaze over each slice before serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Day-old or crusty bread works best for absorbing the custard without getting too mushy.
- If you prefer, you can use dried cranberries, but the texture and tartness of fresh are ideal.
- Allowing the pudding to rest before baking improves texture and flavor absorption.
- The orange zest in the glaze is optional but adds a punch of citrus flavor.
- This dish can be made ahead and gently reheated before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of pudding)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 170mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 53g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
