Beer Bread Pudding Recipe

This bread pudding recipe is a classic version with a fun twist…the use of beer. It’s easy to make, lighter in calories than most (because of the beer substitute) and will make your comfort food taste buds sing!

My local bagel store often has day-old bagels in a brown bag at a steal of a price! I often stop by and grab a bag for this recipe. 

Although I’m using leftover bagels for this recipe, feel free to use whatever bread you might have on hand. We always seem to have a couple pieces of the loaf that aren’t eaten. I stick the pieces in the freezer until I have amassed enough for this recipe. Like a squirrel…storing for a later time ;).

Note: If I’m making bread pudding for just us, I half the recipe. The full size is perfect for sharing (a sick neighbor, perhaps?)

When my children were young, they loved helping make bread pudding by “cutting” the bread for me. Really, they tore the bread into little pieces. I had to keep an eye on them because they were prone to tear it into little, little bits if I didn’t stop them early enough. But it was a great way to get them involved in the kitchen!

Place your cut bagels into a greased 9 by 13 pan and pour a bottle of dark beer over all of the bread. Stir it to make sure all the bread gets coated. Let it soak for about 1 hour (if you are using traditional bread you can go with only 30 minutes. Bagels are much heavier and require more time)

• dark beers work best because of their rich flavor.
• try using flavored beers for a fun variety!
• soak your bread longer if you use large pieces or have exceptionally dry bread

After the bread has soaked you need to make up your bread pudding “glue”. Melt your butter, add your cream, and then your brown sugar and spices.

• I use brown sugar for this recipe because of the richness it develops with the beer.
• Don’t try to sub out your heavy cream for something lighter, it just won’t work.
• Keep the heat on medium and stir often.
• Butter. Friends, I’m on a mission to bring back butter.

In another bowl crack your eggs and give them a good mixing until fluffy.

• Feel free to add another egg if you like your bread pudding a bit more on the wet side than dry.

Add your warm cream mixture to your eggs and beat well. Pour the whole thing on to your soaked bread. Bake that up in a 350 degree oven…yum!

Beer Bread Pudding Recipe

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Ingredients

 

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• 6 cups bite-sized day old bagels
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 4 eggs
• 12 oz dark beer
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger or cloves cloves for a darker flavor, ginger for a brighter flavor

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Instructions

• Cut your bagels and bread into bite sized pieces. Place into greased 9 by 13 pan.
• Pour your beer over the bread tossing to coat all the pieces. Let sit for 1 hour.
• In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter on medium heat.
• Add the cream, vanilla, sugar, and spices to the butter. Whisk until smooth and warm.
• Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, beat well.
• Pour warm cream into the egg mixture and whisk well.
• Pour cream and egg mixture over the cut bread.
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Notes

Serve bread pudding with cream or ice cream!

Note: This bread pudding recipe is a basic, try jazzing it up with nuts, fruit, different spices, and more!