Warm, comforting, and incredibly easy to make, this Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding recipe is a simple twist on a classic New Orleans favorite.
For a long time we've wanted to have a bread pudding recipe on our site, but just never found the right time to do all of the research and testing it takes to develop something new.
Then my son Will, who travels to New Orleans frequently, told us that he'd eaten the most incredible bread pudding in a restaurant there and the chef had graciously shared the recipe.
Many thanks to Maggie Scales, Partner and Executive Pastry Chef at La Boulangerie of the Link Restaurant Group for taking the time to scale down her commercial-sized recipe. It's now perfectly proportioned for a home cook, and you won't believe how easy it is!
We made one small change by using mini chocolate chips, but Will makes it with full-sized morsels and it's delicious either way. We love the small chips and use them in our Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes and in Buttermilk Bars with Chocolate Chips. Use whatever you have on hand!
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Additional ingredient notes
- Bread - The chef's notes said "bread or croissants". You can use Brioche, Challah, French bread, or croissants. The key is to use at least day-old bread and something with a structured texture.
- Heavy Cream - You can also use whipping cream, which has a slightly lighter fat content. You could even use half and half or whole milk.
- Light brown sugar - I typically say you can use dark brown if that's what you have, but I'm not going to mess with the chef's suggestion here. I recommend light brown sugar.
- Eggs - Large is standard.
- Chocolate Chips - See my notes above. I use mini morsels, but the original recipe calls for full-sized chocolate chips.
- Flour - Use standard all-purpose flour.
- Butter - The original recipe calls for unsalted butter, but you can use salted.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
How to make it
- Cut the bread into small cubes (about ¾") and lightly toast. I did this by putting the bread cubes on a cookie sheet under the broiler. Keep a close eye out and stir as needed until uniformly toasted.
- Toss the cooled bread cubes with the sugars, cream and eggs. You can do this with gloved hands or with a large spoon. Toss in the chocolate chips last.
- Place in a buttered or sprayed 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6-8 hours.
- Mix brown sugar with flour and then toss in butter that has been cut into small cubes. See my tip below for this step.
- Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the bread cube mixture and bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until the top is firm. I test for doneness by lightly shaking the pan and making sure the center is firm.
Pam's tips
- The bread should be slightly stale for the best texture. I lay the bread slices out in a single layer for an hour or two before cutting into cubes.
- Don't overmix the bread cubes with the sugars, cream and eggs. You want the eggs to be full incorporated, but overmixing beyond that will make your bread pudding dense.
- For easiest butter in small pieces I grate it just like in our 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuit recipe. It's super easy if you freeze the butter first.
- Watch closely for your pudding to slightly "puff" at the end of baking. It's not essential to get to this stage, but it gives a bit of lightness to an otherwise somewhat heavy dessert.
Variations
You could leave the chocolate chips out altogether and have a traditional bread pudding. Raisins are very often added.
You can add chopped nuts or coconut (or both) for another fun twist.
Recipe FAQ's
Any bread with a somewhat firm texture will work. Challah, brioche, french bread and even sourdough are all good choices.
You can, though using heavy cream gives it the richest flavor. We don't recommend using milk with less fat content than whole milk.
This recipe does not call for covering the bread pudding. You can cover it for part of the baking time, but it needs to be uncovered at the end the achieve the right texture.
Storage
This is where the chocolate chip bread pudding (or any version) really shines! It's excellent for up to 5 days if kept covered in the refrigerator and then warmed in an oven or microwave oven before serving.
Bread pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can freeze it unbaked or after baking. If frozen before you will need to completely thaw it before baking as per the recipe instructions.
How to serve
Some people like to cut the bread pudding into squares before topping (which is optional) and serving.
I often just scoop it out with a large spoon and put into small bowls for serving.
Toppings for chocolate chip bread pudding
It's perfectly delicious with no topping at all, and we often serve it that way. When we do top it our favorite is bourbon sauce, but you could do any of the following:
- A light sprinkling of confectioners sugar like we do on our Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Bourbon sauce (I use Emeril's recipe but double the cornstarch to make it a bit thicker)
Related posts
Here are some of our other favorite Creole and Cajun Recipes that would be perfect as the main course served before your bread pudding!
- Fish & Grits Recipe
- Jambalaya (perfect rice every single time!)
- Creole Cream Sauce
- Spicy Cajun Pasta
- Blackened Seasoning Recipe
- Cajun Cream Sauce
- Easy Shrimp Etouffee
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 1 pound bread cut into small cubes and toasted
- 1 quart heavy cream
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup chocolate chips full size or mini
For the streusel topping
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup butter cut into small cubes
Instructions
For the Bread Pudding
- Lightly toast the bread cubes under broiler and set aside to cool.
- Mix cream, sugars, eggs with bread cubes just until the eggs are incorporated.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Place mixture in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6-8 hours.
- Top with streusel topping and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350℉ or until center is set and top is crispy and brown.
For the streusel topping
- Mix brown sugar and flour.
- Add in butter cubes (or grated butter) until mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Sprinkle over bread pudding before baking.
Notes
- Use bread with a coarse texture like Challah, French, or Brioche. The bread should be 1-2 days old and slightly stale.
- Toast bread cubes under broiler stirring as needed for uniform browning.
- Whipping cream, half and half or whole milk may be substituted for heavy cream.
- Watch closely for the pudding to slightly "puff" at the end of the baking time. This is the perfect time to remove it from the oven.
- Serve without topping or top as desired with whipped cream, ice cream, a dusting of confectioners sugar, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce or bourbon sauce.
Nutrition
Puddings & Fruit Desserts
- Iron Skillet Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Mini Strawberry Shortcake
- Key Lime Pie Pudding Shots
- Mudslide Pudding Shots with Baileys and Kahlua
- Hummingbird Bread Recipe with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Blueberry Crumb Cake with Cream Cheese
- Mini Lemon Tarts with a Cheesecake Layer
- Vanilla Mousse (No Cooking Required)
Kay says
So good!
Pam says
Yay!