Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

When autumn arrives and the air turns crisp, there’s nothing quite like the aroma of cinnamon-spiced apples baking in a rich, creamy custard. This apple bread pudding transforms day-old French bread into an elegant dessert that’s both comforting and sophisticated.

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Why This Recipe Works

The secret to exceptional bread pudding lies in the perfect balance of textures and flavors. The French bread provides structure while absorbing the rich vanilla custard, creating a creamy interior with a slightly crispy top. The apple slices maintain their shape during baking, adding bursts of natural sweetness that complement the warm cinnamon. Using a water bath ensures gentle, even cooking that prevents the custard from curdling while creating the silkiest texture possible.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

• French bread – Day-old bread works best as it absorbs the custard without becoming mushy
• Butter – Creates a rich flavor and helps bind the sugar mixture to the bread
• Sugar – Sweetens the bread layers and balances the tartness of the apples
• Apples – Choose firm baking varieties that hold their shape during cooking
• Cinnamon – Adds warmth and classic apple pie spice flavor
• Eggs – Provide structure and richness to the custard base
• Vanilla bean or vanilla extract – Infuses the custard with aromatic vanilla flavor
• Heavy cream – Creates the luxurious, silky custard texture
• Brown sugar – Used in the caramel sauce for deep, molasses-like sweetness
• Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances the sweetness

Best Apples for Bread Pudding

Choose apples that maintain their shape during baking:

• Jonagold – Sweet-tart balance perfect for desserts
• Opal Apples – These non-browning apples stay crisp and are naturally Non-GMO certified
• Granny Smith – Tart flavor that balances the sweet custard
• Honeycrisp – Sweet with excellent texture retention
• Braeburn – Complex flavor with good baking qualities

Best Bread Options

While French bread is ideal, these alternatives work beautifully:

• Panettone – Adds subtle sweetness and interesting texture
• Brioche – Adds richness and buttery flavor
• Challah – Creates an extra-rich, custardy texture
• Croissants – For an indulgent, buttery version

How to Make Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

1. Wash, peel, core, and slice the apples thinly. Mix butter and sugar together.

2. 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.

3. Place the apple sandwiches in a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish. Add apple slices between each sandwich.

4. Make a vanilla cream sauce and pour it over the sandwiches.

5. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 10 minutes, uncovered.

6. Make the caramel sauce while the bread pudding is baking.

7. Serve apple bread pudding with caramel sauce drizzled on top.

Water Bath Technique

The water bath (bain-marie) is essential for this recipe:

• Use two pans – Place your baking dish inside a larger roasting pan
• Fill halfway – Add hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish
• Monitor water level – Check during baking and add more hot water if needed

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Room Temperature Storage – Cover with plastic wrap and store for up to 2 days at room temperature
• Reheating Method – Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-45 seconds or in 300°F oven for 10 minutes
• Freezing – Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating

Love apples? Try these recipes!

• Apple Bread
• Apple Chips Air Fryer
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins
• Apple Coffee Cake
• Applesauce Cake
• Bisquick Apple Cobbler
• Caramel Apple Martini
• Dutch Apple Pie
• Homemade Apple Crisp

More Bread Pudding Recipes

• Duff’s Bread Pudding
• Golden Corral Bread Pudding
• Raglan Road Bread Pudding

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

Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Rich bread pudding filled with tender apples and cinnamon, baked in creamy vanilla custard and topped 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 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 960kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

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