Panettone Bread Pudding
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Panettone Bread Pudding makes the best Christmas morning breakfast or a delicious dessert. Italian sweet bread is soaked in a spiced custard and baked until puffy and golden brown.
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panettone bread pudding
Panettone Bread Pudding makes a perfect holiday breakfast or dessert. We start with cubing sweet and buttery Italian Panettone Bread and letting is soak into a spiced custard mixture. Once the custard absorbs into the bread cubes, we bake it until its perfectly golden on the outside but still super gooey and soft in the inside.
During the holidays, Panettone Bread is a classic Italian gift that gets passed around. You can buy them at most grocery stores or online and we always have at least 1 or 2 of these on our counter every year. Making bread pudding out of Panettone is my favorite way to enjoy it every time.
This bread pudding has a combination of flavors of traditional bread pudding, French toast and the gooey insides of a cinnamon roll. This bread pudding is sweet enough and can be enjoyed plain as it is or top it with powdered sugar, a light icing, whipped cream, ice cream, fresh fruit or a caramel sauce.
If you love bread pudding, be sure to try my Spiced Pineapple Bread Pudding!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
key ingredients
- Store-bought Panettone loaf: You can find this Italian bread in most grocery stores or online especially during the holidays. We use a whole loaf of fresh Panettone (stale Panettone works too) in this recipe and you can cube it into about 1-inch cubes or tear it into small pieces. You can also make this with Chocolate Chip Panettone.
- Milk: The base of the custard mixture. Use whole milk or reduced fat milk.
- Eggs: Both whole large eggs and an egg yolk are used to make the custard mixture.
- Sugar: We use both granulated sugar and brown sugar to sweeten the bread pudding.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a warm flavor. Sometimes I add vanilla bean paste to add more warm flavor.
- Fresh orange zest: Brightens the flavors and adds a citrus zest twist. You can add lemon zest if you want more citrus flavor.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg adds the perfect amount of holiday spice.
how to make Panettone Bread Pudding
Butter baking dish: Brush the bottom and sides of a 13×9 inch baking dish with melted butter. Then place panettone cubes into buttered dish.
Make custard mixture: Mix remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk together until combined.
Pour on top of bread cubes: Pour custard on top of panettone cubes and make sure all of the cubes are completely covered. Gently press the panettone down with a spatula to get covered in the mixture if needed.
Let sit in refrigerator: Cover baking dish with foil or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to sit for 1 hour to overnight. This will allow the mixture to absorb into the bread pieces.
Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 25 more minutes. Let bread pudding cool and then top with a light icing of your choice, powdered sugar, or fresh berries if desired. Enjoy!
what is panettone bread?
Panettone also known as “small loaf of bread” is an Italian spiced bread that’s buttery, sweet, and studded with raisins and candied dried fruit. It’s traditionally enjoyed as a dessert or breakfast on Christmas. The bread is extra dense since it’s made with butter and is popular worldwide- not just Italy.
recipe tips & variations
Serve warmed: The best way to serve bread pudding warmed when the custard is still oozing out making it extra soft.
Add-ins: Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruits, liqueor (see list below), cream cheese, cinnamon chips, and caramel.
Topping ideas: Whipped cream, sparkling sugar, vanilla ice cream, light icing or glaze, powdered sugar, drizzled melted milk or white chocolate, or a little maple syrup make great options.
Other bread options: If you don’t have or can’t find Panettone, you can still make this recipe! Challah bread, croissants, thick slices of bread, and just about any other type of leftover bread. Stale bread could also be used since the custard will absorb into it.
Add liqueur: Add a few tablespoons of Amaretto (almond liqueur), Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur),Cointreau (orange liqueur), or your favorite bourbon to the custard mixture.
More richness: If you want this Panettone Bread pudding to be extra rich, use 2 cups of heavy cream and 1 cup of whole or reduced fat milk.
leftovers & storage
To store: Store leftover Panettone Bread Pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Place cooked bread pudding in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and place in the oven at 375 degrees to warm.
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Panettone Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 panettone cut into cubes
- 3 cups whole or reduced fat milk
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Brush the bottom and sides of a 13×9 inch baking dish with melted butter. Then place panettone cubes into buttered dish.
- Mix remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk together until combined.
- Pour mixture on top of panettone cubes and make sure all of the cubes are completely covered. Gently press the panettone down with a spatula to get covered in the mixture if needed.
- Cover baking dish with foil or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to sit for 1 hour to overnight. This will allow the mixture to absorb into the bread pieces.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 25 more minutes. Let bread pudding cool and then top with a light icing of your choice, powdered sugar, or fresh berries if desired. Enjoy!
I always look forward to panettone at Christmas. Now this is the ultimate pudding to use it in. Perfect for dessert and on the brunch menu too.
Like leftover cranberry sauce, there’s bound to always be leftover panettone! Using it in a bread pudding is a delicious and smart idea because it is a thrifty and delicious dessert.
This is such a fun and delicious recipe. I made it with my great niece and we not only had a blast but it was delicious!
I’ve pinned this recipe for after Christmas. I live in Italy and am married to a doctor. Every year he gets given so many panettones at Christmas, I often end up giving some away! This year, I’m keeping one to make this puding!
Such a genius idea to use panettone bread in a bread pudding! 🙂 The bread itself already has so many great flavors happening. I bet this is delicious.
I didn’t love the panettone I bought, so I made this and it was SO good! Everyone devoured it. I’m going to buy another panettone just so I can make this again!
I’m the only one in my family that LOVES Panettone and I’m completely OK with it now that I have your bread pudding recipe! I have to make the biggest one typically and feel guilty eating the whole thing. But with your bread pudding recipe, the whole family will devour it!
Thank you so much for this!
This is such a great way to use panettone. I had never thought to turn it into a bread pudding.
This recipe looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it out. My family will love this thank you for sharing!