Apple Pecan Bread Pudding is here to settle the debate: dessert or breakfast? (Spoiler alert, it’s both.) With cinnamon spiced apples, buttery pecans, and bread cubes soaking up a maple custard like they’ve got nothing better to do, this dish is cozy, indulgent, and unapologetically decadent.
Top it with creamy maple sauce, and it’s guaranteed to disappear fast.
Here is Why This Apple Pecan Bread Pudding Recipe Works
It’s a bread pudding glow-up: French bread gets a second chance at greatness, soaking up a rich maple custard for a dessert (or breakfast!) that’s anything but basic.
All the cozy vibes: Warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and tender baked apples bring serious fall energy to your table.
Creamy maple sauce = game changer: This silky, buttery topping takes an already decadent dish to the next level. Skip it if you want, but why would you?
Customizable to your cravings: Use tart apples, sweet apples, or a mix; swap in your favorite bread; or throw in extra pecans for that perfect crunch. It’s your pudding, your rules.
The Ingredients
Produce: Apples, lemon juice
Pantry: French bread, brown sugar, cornstarch, maple syrup, heavy cream, pure vanilla, raw pecans
Spices and Seasonings: Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt
Fridge: Butter, eggs
Note: You can substitute the cornstarch for instant ClearJel or quick tapioca if desired.
Variations
Cranberry Walnut Apple Bread Pudding: Add ½ cup of dried cranberries and ¾ cup of toasted, chopped walnuts to the apple mixture.
Salted Caramel Apple Bread Pudding: Swap the creamy maple sauce for a drizzle of salted caramel sauce and sprinkle flaky sea salt over the pecans.
Chocolate Pecan Custard Bake: Fold in ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the mixture before baking.
You can also swap the maple sauce for the rum sauce that is in our bananas foster bread pudding.
Tips for Success
- Dry, toasted bread absorbs the custard better without turning soggy, so don’t skip this step!
- Tart varieties like Granny Smith hold their shape and balance the sweetness, but feel free to mix in a few sweet apples for variety.
- Giving the mixture 20 minutes to rest ensures every bread cube is thoroughly soaked in that luscious maple custard.
- Prep ahead tip: Assemble the recipe the night before, cover it tightly, and let it sit in the fridge overnight. In the morning, pop it in the oven and bake as directed.
- Cover the dish while baking.The foil traps steam, helping the pudding cook evenly and stay moist before you add the pecan topping.
- The maple cream sauce can be prepared in advance and warmed up when it’s time to serve.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Allow to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: For longer storage, portion leftovers into individual servings and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Warm thawed leftovers in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or microwave individual portions in 20-second bursts until heated through.
Apple Bread Pudding with Maple and Pecans
Apple Maple Bread Pudding is the perfect blend of cozy and indulgent. With spiced apples, crunchy pecans, and a creamy maple sauce, it’s a dish that feels special enough for holidays but easy enough for any day. Plus, the make-ahead option means less stress and more time to enjoy with family and friends.
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Apple Maple Pecan Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1-½ pounds French bread cut into 1-inch pieces (14 ounces of bread)
- 6 apples peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes-about 8 cups
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1-½ tablespoons cornstarch or instant clearjel or 2 tbs. quick tapioca
- 1-½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 6 whole eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup pure maple syrup (the good stuff- not pancake syrup)
- 2-½ cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
- 1 cup coarsely chopped raw pecans
Creamy Maple Sauce:
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with butter or oil spray and set aside.
- Add the bread cubes to the baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Toast until the bread cubes are dry and a light golden brown. About 8-12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Place the apple cubes in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
- In a small dish, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples, add the bread cubes and toss to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- In a pitcher whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, maple syrup, cream and vanilla. Pour the custard evenly over the bread and apple mixture and dot with 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and set the dish on the counter top for 20 minutes to allow the custard to absorb into the bread cubes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 60 minutes, then remove and discard the foil. Sprinkle the top with the chopped pecans. Return the dish to the oven and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or until puffed and set in the center.
- Transfer from the oven and cool for 15 minutes, cut into squares and serve warm with Creamy Butter Maple sauce.
For the Creamy Maple Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the syrup, cream, and butter, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the cornstarch/water slurry and cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer the sauce to a pitcher and serve with the bread pudding.
Notes
- Other options for the bread are: Challah, Brioche, plain white sandwich bread, Pugliese bread or Italian sourdough.
- Choose tart apples like Granny Smith or a combination of tart and sweet apples.
- You can substitute ClearJel in the same amount as cornstarch. If using instant tapioca, use 2 tablespoons.
- The cornstarch slurry is the secret to a creamy maple sauce.
- Pure maple syrup is the gold standard here. But hey, if pancake syrup is what you’ve got, I won’t judge, it’ll still be tasty!
- Prep Ahead Tip: Prepare the dish the night before but don’t bake it. Cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight, then bake it in the morning.
