Easy Panettone Bread Pudding

Name: Easy Panettone Bread Pudding
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter (very soft); ½ Panettone (13 ounces, cut into one inch cubes, I used Panettone with raisins); 3 large eggs (room temperature); ¾ cup milk (whole or 2% milk); ¼ cup pure maple syrup; 1 tablespoon brown sugar (packed); ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 3 tablespoons brown sugar (packed); 2½ tablespoons all purpose flour; 2½ tablespoons butter (very soft or melted and cooled); ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

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This Easy Bread Pudding is made with Panettone. With the holiday season just around the corner what better way to celebrate then with this easy breakfast or brunch idea. Make with your favorite panettone, it will be loved by all!

It’s indulgent yet easy to make in only a few simple steps which makes it quite perfect for a holiday dessert or a sweet addition to brunch.

Panettone whether homemade or store bought is definitely a must at Christmas time in Italy. I have been seeing Panettone in the grocery stores, the bakeries and even the Coffee bars since early October.

Ever since I made my Italian Easter Bread Breakfast Casserole my daughter has been bugging me to make it more often. So I decided why not try it with Panettone? This time I knew adding some Maple syrup right in the mix would be perfect. If you prefer you could always use Pandoro in place of the Panettone.

Recipe Ingredients

Panettone – either homemade or storebout
Eggs
Milk – whole or 2% milk
Maple syrup – pure maple syrup is best
Brown sugar – light brown sugar
Cinnamon – ground cinnamon
Flour – all purpose flour
Butter – salted butter
Chocolate chips – I used mini semi sweet chocolate chips although you could use regular milk or even white chocolate if you prefer

I used half a store bought Panettone for this recipe, enough for a family of four. And yes this year we will be celebrating all together. Best Christmas present ever!

A piece of bread pudding on a black plate.

How To Make A Panettone Bread Pudding

In a small bowl whisk together the brown sugar and flour add the butter and combine to form coarse crumb, stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the cut up Panettone and gently combine. Pour into prepared baking dish top with crumb topping and bake, (if the top starts to brown too much cover with foil and continue baking). Drizzle with maple syrup before serving.

What Is The Difference Between Bread Pudding And French Toast Casserole?

Bread Pudding: Bread pudding is typically made by layering or mixing chunks or slices of bread with a custard mixture made from eggs, milk (or cream), sugar, and flavorings like vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg. The mixture is allowed to soak and absorb the custard before baking. Bread pudding has a dense, moist, and somewhat creamy texture.
French Toast Casserole: French toast casserole, also known as a “breakfast casserole,” involves arranging bread cubes or slices in a baking dish and then pouring a custard mixture over them. It’s often refrigerated overnight to allow the bread to absorb the custard before baking. French toast casserole has a slightly firmer and more bread-like texture compared to bread pudding

Expert Tips

Size of croissants: If you don’t have 3 large croissants, just use 6 small ones. We are cutting them into pieces anyways!
Grease and flour your pan: Don’t forget to grease and flour the bottom and sides of your baking dish for easy removal of your bread pudding with croissants and chocolate chips!
Prevent top from burning: If the top of your brown pudding starts to brown too quickly after 20 minutes of baking, place some foil on top to prevent burning.
Check for doneness: Your bread pudding may still appear wet if you insert a toothpick into the middle of it, yet the custard might be set. If the center jiggles but doesn’t wiggle, it’s done. Or just use your instant read thermometer, if it reads 160 degree F, it’s done.
Brunch: While this does make a great dessert, it’s quite perfect for an adult boozy brunch with a glass of prosecco or a mimosa!

Recipe FAQs

How do you know when bread pudding is done?

Panettone bread pudding is done baking when the center of the custard is set, but still soft. If you were to gently shake the pan, you should just see the center jiggle but just barely. The center might also look a little puffed due to the egg, as with most dishes that contain egg, the edges will cook first and the center last.

Should I toast the Panettone first?

You could, but the cubed panettone should be dry enough to soak up the custardy mixture. If you are still convinced you need to toast them, then spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway through until they seem hard and dry.

What could I substitute for the Panettone?

If you wanted you could substitute with large cut up pieces of croissant, or Pandoro, day old bread, brioche, sourdough bread or even cinnamon and raisin bread.

How to serve bread pudding?

While a dusting of powdered sugar is fine by me for this bread pudding, this would make a delicious dessert also, you could serve with pastry cream, whipped cream, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream or try homemade no churn vanilla ice cream!

Can I Make This In Advance?

What makes it particularly wonderful is that you can prepare it the night before and simply pop it in the oven in the morning, allowing you to enjoy a hassle-free and delicious breakfast with minimal effort.

Storage And Reheating

Since this chocolate bread pudding recipe has both dairy and eggs, it is best to store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat for 30 – 60 seconds in the microwave or in a low oven for about 10-15 minutes, so your chocolate chips get melty again!

More Christmas Morning Recipes

This delicious Easy Panettone French Toast Casserole would probably work with any type of sweet yeast bread. But if you have any leftover Panettone now you know what you can make. Enjoy!