I did not grow up having bread pudding, but after I’d been a homemaker for a few years and I was staring at my budget spreadsheet, it became a staple in our house. Anytime I have a bread end, an extra hamburger bun, a stale bagel…I cube it up and stick it in a big gallon bag I keep in the freezer. Once it fills up, I know it’s time, and my kids get so excited. Bread pudding really is the perfect dish: humble enough for the weeknight home cook but fancy enough to serve to company. The base recipe is delicious on it’s own, but there are endless ways to jazz this up; I’ll list a few below! We love having this for dinner with a protein and some fruit, but it’s great as a breakfast or even dessert as well.

Ingredients

10-12 cups of cubed bread

4 T butter, melted

6 eggs

2 cups milk

1 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

Directions

If your bread isn’t cubed already, do that now and set aside in an extra large mixing bowl. Pre-heat your oven to 350. Brush some of your melted butter in an 8 by 8 casserole dish. I’ve also used a deep pie pan or a 9 by 9. You could probably even use a large cast iron skillet. Pour the rest of the melted butter over the cubed bread. In another bowl, whisk your eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the mixture over the cubed bread and mix well. I use my *clean* hands for this. Transfer your goopy delicious mixture into your buttery dish and go wash your hands. Put the bread pudding into the oven for 45-50 minutes. Let sit at least 10 minutes before eating!

Add-In Ideas

*Sub 1/2 of the maple syrup for any kind of fruit preserve. We love peach!

*Add 1/2 cup of fresh fruit plus 1/2 cup of nuts. I love blueberry plus almond!

*Add 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips plus 1/2 cup dried cherries, omit the cinnamon

*buy a small container of the best quality vanilla ice cream you can afford, let it melt in the fridge overnight and serve it as a sauce over the bread pudding for a great dessert

*Add 1 cup raisins and double the cinnamon