Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding
This Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding is made with soft, buttery brioche bread soaked in a rich vanilla bean custard, studded with bright blueberries, and swirled with a warming brown sugar cinnamon filling that melts into every single bite. Baked until beautifully golden and served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt — this is the ultimate cozy dessert that feels indulgent, comforting, and completely irresistible.
If you try out this recipe, I’d love to see it! Leave a comment with a star rating below and tag @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and hashtag it #wellmadebykiley
Ingredients You Need:
Full ingredients and recipe are in the recipe card below. Read through this section for all the ingredients substitution and baking tips!
Brioche Bread: The star of this bread pudding — soft, buttery, and rich brioche bread soaks up every drop of the vanilla bean custard for the most incredibly tender and indulgent base. Drying it out overnight gives the best results.
Vanilla Ice Cream: The perfect finishing touch — a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the warm bread pudding creates the ultimate contrast of warm and cold in every bite.
Brown Sugar: The base of the gooey cinnamon roll filling that caramelizes beautifully throughout the bread pudding and adds a deep, rich, molasses-like sweetness to every single layer.
Salted Butter: Melted into both the cinnamon roll filling and the vanilla bean custard for a rich, buttery depth of flavor throughout — also used in the optional butter rum sauce for an extra layer of indulgence.
Cinnamon: Adds a warm, cozy spice to both the cinnamon roll filling and the vanilla bean custard that makes every bite feel deeply comforting and irresistible.
Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: Adds a warm, sweet, and aromatic flavor that enhances the cinnamon roll filling, vanilla bean custard, and optional butter rum sauce throughout.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the warm, rich flavors throughout every component of this bread pudding.
Blueberries: Sweet and bright blueberries are layered throughout the bread pudding for juicy pockets of fresh flavor in every bite — fresh or frozen wild blueberries both work beautifully.
Milk: Combined with the heavy cream to create the base of the rich vanilla bean custard that soaks deep into every piece of brioche bread.
Heavy Cream: Adds richness and a silky, creamy texture to the vanilla bean custard that makes this bread pudding incredibly indulgent and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Eggs: Provide structure and stability to the vanilla bean custard while helping it set beautifully during baking for a perfectly custardy and creamy result.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the vanilla bean custard and balances all the rich, warm flavors throughout the bread pudding.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: The base of the optional butter rum sauce that adds an incredibly rich, silky, and indulgent sweetness that makes the sauce absolutely irresistible.
Rum: Adds a warm, bold depth of flavor to the optional butter rum sauce that pairs beautifully with the brown sugar and vanilla — rum extract works as a substitute for an alcohol-free version.
Why You’ll Love Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding:
Soft And Buttery Brioche Bread: The brioche bread soaks up every drop of the rich vanilla bean custard for the most incredibly soft, buttery, and indulgent base that makes this bread pudding truly irresistible.
Rich Vanilla Bean Custard: The vanilla bean custard soaks deep into every piece of brioche bread for a rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet base that makes every single bite melt in your mouth.
Bright And Juicy Blueberries: Sweet blueberries are studded throughout every bite, adding a bright, juicy pop of flavor that pairs perfectly with the warm brown sugar cinnamon swirl.
That Gooey Brown Sugar Cinnamon Swirl: The warming brown sugar cinnamon filling melts into every single bite for a gooey, caramelized, and deeply comforting flavor that takes this bread pudding completely over the top.
Perfectly Golden And Beautiful: This bread pudding bakes up to a gorgeous golden color with a slightly crisp top and a soft, custardy interior that is absolutely stunning straight from the oven.
Served Warm With Vanilla Ice Cream: A scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the warm bread pudding is the ultimate finishing touch — the contrast of warm and cold makes every bite completely irresistible.
The Ultimate Cozy Dessert: This bread pudding is the definition of comfort food — warm, indulgent, and deeply satisfying in every single bite.
Perfect For Any Occasion: Whether it's a holiday gathering, a special dinner party dessert, or a cozy weekend treat, this blueberry cinnamon roll bread pudding is always the showstopper on the table.
Tips for Making Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding:
Dry Out The Bread Overnight: For the best results, leave the brioche bread cubes out overnight to dry out before making the bread pudding. Dried out bread absorbs the vanilla bean custard more evenly and gives the bread pudding the best texture.
Lightly Toast The Bread If Needed: If you didn't dry the bread out overnight, spread the cubes on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven at 350F for 7–10 minutes. Be careful not to fully bake the bread — you just want a light toast on the outside.
Whisk The Custard Well: Make sure to whisk the vanilla bean custard until there are absolutely no ribbons of egg remaining — a well-combined custard soaks into the bread evenly and gives the best creamy, custardy result.
Layer Everything Evenly: Build the bread pudding in three even layers of bread cubes, cinnamon roll filling, and blueberries for the most consistent pockets of flavor and filling throughout every single bite.
Press The Bread Down: After each layer and after pouring the custard, gently press the bread down with the back of a wooden spoon to make sure every piece is well-soaked and there are no dry parts.
Let It Rest In The Refrigerator: After assembling, cover with foil and let the bread pudding rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking — this allows the bread to fully absorb the custard for the best texture.
Make It Overnight: For the absolute best results, assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. This gives the bread maximum time to soak up every drop of the rich vanilla bean custard.
Use Frozen Wild Blueberries: Frozen wild blueberries work beautifully in this recipe and do not need to be thawed before layering into the bread pudding — they bake up perfectly juicy and bright throughout.
Make The Butter Rum Sauce While It Bakes: Use the baking time to prepare the optional butter rum sauce so it is ready to drizzle the moment the bread pudding comes out of the oven.
Don't Let The Butter Rum Sauce Boil: Once the butter rum sauce reaches a very light simmer, remove it from the heat immediately — letting it boil or simmer too long will cause the sweetened condensed milk to caramelize and the sauce to become thick and hard.
Look For A Slight Wobble: The bread pudding is done when the top is golden and set but the middle still has a very slight wobble when shaken — it will continue to set as it rests out of the oven.
Let It Rest Before Serving: Allow the bread pudding to rest for at least 10–15 minutes after baking before slicing and serving — this helps it set up properly and makes it much easier to slice cleanly.
Serve Warm For The Best Experience: This bread pudding is at its absolute best served warm straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of warm butter rum sauce, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
How to Store Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding:
Best Served Fresh: This blueberry cinnamon roll bread pudding is at its absolute best served warm and fresh straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of warm butter rum sauce.
Make Ahead: This is a wonderful make-ahead dessert — assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover tightly with foil, and store in the refrigerator overnight. Bake the day of serving for the freshest, most delicious result.
Refrigerator: Store leftover bread pudding covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the butter rum sauce separately in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezer: Freeze individual portions of the baked and cooled bread pudding in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To Reheat Bread Pudding: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 30–45 seconds, or reheat in the oven at 325F for 10–15 minutes until warmed through for the best texture.
To Reheat The Butter Rum Sauce: Gently reheat the butter rum sauce in the microwave in 15–20 second intervals, stirring in between, or warm on the stovetop over low heat until smooth and pourable.
To Serve From Cold: Let refrigerated bread pudding sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before reheating for the best texture and most even warmth throughout.
FAQs:
Q: Can I make this blueberry cinnamon roll bread pudding ahead of time?
A: Yes. This is a wonderful make-ahead dessert — assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover tightly with foil, and store in the refrigerator overnight. Bake the day of serving for the freshest, most delicious result.
Q: Can I use a different type of bread?
A: Brioche bread is strongly recommended for its soft, buttery texture that soaks up the vanilla bean custard beautifully. Challah or any other enriched bread works well as a substitute if brioche is not available.
Q: Can I use fresh or frozen blueberries?
A: Both fresh and frozen blueberries work well in this recipe. Frozen wild blueberries are highly recommended as they bake up perfectly juicy and bright throughout the bread pudding without needing to be thawed first.
Q: Do I have to make the butter rum sauce?
A: No. The butter rum sauce is optional but highly recommended — it adds an incredibly rich, silky, and indulgent finishing touch that takes this bread pudding completely over the top. Vanilla ice cream alone is also absolutely delicious.
Q: Can I substitute the rum in the butter rum sauce?
A: Yes. One teaspoon of rum extract works well as a substitute for the rum in the sauce if you prefer to keep it alcohol-free.
Q: Why do I need to dry out the bread?
A: Dried out bread absorbs the vanilla bean custard more evenly and gives the bread pudding the best soft, custardy texture throughout. Fresh bread can become too soggy and may not hold its structure as well during baking.
Q: How do I know when the bread pudding is done?
A: The bread pudding is done when the top is golden and set but the middle still has a very slight wobble when shaken. It will continue to set as it rests out of the oven so do not overbake.
Q: Can I freeze this bread pudding?
A: Yes. Freeze individual portions of the baked and cooled bread pudding in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven at 325F before serving.
Q: Can I make the butter rum sauce ahead of time?
A: Yes. The butter rum sauce can be made in advance and stored in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Gently reheat before serving.
Q: What size pan should I use?
A: A 9" round pan or an 8" or 9" square baking pan all work well for this recipe. Make sure to line the pan with parchment paper that drapes over the edges for easy removal.
Love this? Check out my other bread pudding recipes:
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Bread Pudding with Bourbon Maple Syrup
Small Batch Classic Bread Pudding with Homemade Buttermilk Syrup
Make sure to tag me @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and leave a review or comment if you try this blueberry cinnamon roll bread pudding Happy baking!
