Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce is a dish that is perfect for when you want to serve a dessert that will impress. I love making a good old-fashioned bread pudding. Bread puddings are easy to make and they taste, oh so good.

apple bread pudding with caramel sauce on a plate.


Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Buttery apple cinnamon bread is baked in a creme anglaise (creamy vanilla sauce) and then served with a rich caramel sauce. You are bound to fall in love with this bread pudding.

I like to serve this bread pudding while it is still warm and fresh from the oven. It does reheat well, so if you can’t enjoy it in one sitting, you can reheat it and enjoy it later.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

  • French bread
  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Apples
  • Cinnamon
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla bean or vanilla extract
  • Heavy cream
  • Brown sugar
  • Salt
apple bread pudding with caramel sauce ingredients on a tray.

Best Apple for Bread Pudding

If you haven’t had a chance to try Opal Apples, this is a good opportunity to try this special apple.

If you haven’t had a chance to try an Opal apple, I will encourage you to find these apples. One of the characteristics of these apples is that they don’t brown. We all know that when you cut into an apple, they brown. These don’t brown because of the natural properties of this apple.

They are also the first apple that is Non-GMO certified. So if you are concerned about GMO in your food, this apple is one that you will enjoy.

These apples are crisp, sweet, and they lend themselves to baking. They do not get too soft and stand up well. I think these would also make fantastic applesauce, apple dumplings, apple cocktails, and of course, bread pudding.

You could use other apples that are ideal for baking, I would recommend Granny Smith apples, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Mutsu, Winesap, or Pink Lady.

Best Bread for Bread Pudding

This bread pudding is made with leftover French bread. I like to buy day-old bread and turn it into bread pudding, it has a nice dense texture, and it is perfect.

If you don’t have any French bread on hand you can use brioche, Italian, challah, croissant, or panettone. I suggest something hardier than your everyday sandwich bread.

How to Make Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

  1. Wash, peel, core, and thinly slice apples. Mix butter and sugar together.
  1. Slice the bread and spread the sugar-butter mixture on the slices. Make small apple sandwiches with buttered bread, apple slices, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
  1. Place the apple sandwiches into a buttered 9 X 13-inch baking dish. Add apple slices between each sandwich.
assembling apple bread pudding in a baking dish.
  1. Make a vanilla cream sauce and pour it over the sandwiches.
apple bread pudding before being baked.
  1. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. Remove the cover and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
overhead view of baked apple bread pudding.
  1. Make the caramel sauce while the bread pudding is baking.
  1. Serve apple bread pudding with caramel sauce drizzled on top.
a serving of apple bread pudding with caramel sauce on a plate.

How to Prepare a Water Bath for Baking

For this recipe, I suggest that you use a water bath. We bake delicate foods such as bread pudding this way because this will keep the bread pudding from burning or drying out.

It is key to use two pans for your water bath, one large shallow dish, and then the baking dish with the bread pudding. You may want to also place a dish towel into the larger pan, so the smaller pan doesn’t move around in the pan.

To make the water bath, set the smaller pan into a larger pan and fill about halfway with water. This is the right amount of water in the water bath. You will want to check during the baking to make sure the water does not evaporate while baking.

apple bread pudding topped with caramel sauce on a plate.

How to store apple bread pudding

I recommend storing this bread pudding at room temperature when wrapped with plastic wrap for 2 days. If you need to hold it for longer I recommend storing the caramel apple bread pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

This can freeze for up to 3 months when placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I hope you give this apple bread pudding recipe a try! It is packed full of delicious apple flavor. You could serve this warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Love apples? Try these recipes!

More Bread Pudding Recipes

Check out more of my easy dessert recipes and the best fall recipes here on CopyKat!

apple bread pudding with caramel sauce on a plate.

Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Apple bread pudding is so moist and flavorful. Top apple bread pudding with homemade caramel sauce. 
5 from 2 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Apple Bread Pudding, Bread pudding recipes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 960kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound sugar 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1/2 pound butter, chopped into large pieces + extra for the baking dish
  • 1 loaf French bread, sliced to 3/8-inch
  • 2 apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (as with a mandolin)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce Anglaise

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce

  • 1/4 pound butter, chilled
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Bread Pudding Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  • Mix the sugar, salt, and butter together in a bowl until well blended.
  • Spread the sugar and butter mixture onto one side of each slice of bread. Make small sandwiches by placing 2 or 3 apple slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon between two slices of buttered bread. Repeat until you’ve used all of the bread.
  • Place the apple sandwiches into the baking dish. Between each sandwich add 1 or 2 apple slices.
  • Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, and whisk well.
  • Heat up the cream and vanilla in a saucepan on the stove until it almost starts to boil. Then remove from the heat.
  • To temper the eggs, ladle a small amount of cream into the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Then transfer the yolk mixture back into the pot of cream and whisk so that it does not curdle. Place over a low flame for 2 minutes, whisking until it starts to thicken.
  • Pour the sauce over the bread in the baking dish.
  • Cover the dish, place it into a water bath, and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • While the bread pudding is in the oven, prepare the caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce Instructions

  • Combine the butter and brown sugar in a pot over medium-high heat, and whisk to combine. When the sugar is melted and starts to boil, remove from the heat, add the cream, and whisk to combine. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature.
  • To serve, place a portion of the bread pudding on a plate and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 960kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 40g | Cholesterol: 264mg | Sodium: 618mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 2375IU | Vitamin C: 2.2mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 1.8mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cynthia/What A Girl Eats

    5 stars
    Oh, wow! This looks incredible! i love the combination of apples and caramel! A match made in heaven!

  2. CookinCanuck

    I haven’t tried an Opal apples, but will definitely be on the lookout for them. This bread pudding is so pretty to look at, and I’ll bet it tastes even better!

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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