Christmas Bread Pudding for Mirth, Inspiration, and Love | Sara's Kitchen Witchcraft

Leftover bread makes for a damn good dessert, I'll tell you that.

Jump to Recipe | Jump to Witchcraft

Before you even ask, yes, I still have some hamburger buns. At the time of my writing this, I only have three left, though, so... that's pretty good, given we started with 48!

A good six or so buns went directly to this here bread pudding, though, so of course, this helped. And I gotta say, after finding this recipe from Valerie's Kitchen and trying it out (with a couple of my own modifications, of course), I've come to realize that bread pudding is basically just a baked version of French toast. I'm not complaining, though; I love French toast, and this stuff was so good, especially while it was still warm. Only thing I will say is entirely unnecessary with Valerie's recipe is the cream sauce she suggests after. I tried it, and it was good, but the actual flavor of the pudding itself shined without it (and would go better with some maple syrup, in my opinion).

Either way, this'll make a great, quick, easy dessert for December mornings or for a more cozy, old-world feeling dessert on Christmas day. For the magic, we're taking a look at apple, cranberry, cinnamon, nutmeg, and of course, dairy for our needs, so let's dive in!

Magic in Christmas Bread Pudding

As I said, this is one of them old world desserts, and it being reminiscent of French toast just makes sense: this was a meal that used up the scraps of old, stale bread to breathe new life into it as a delicious, rich dessert. As such, this could easily invoke the sentiment of reinvention in your life, or at least transmutation, which is really what this time of year is all about: taking the everyday routine and transforming it into something full of whimsy, joy, and fun. And of course, with fruits like apples and cranberries, as well as the fact that this is all wheat and dairy—our ancestors' signs of abundance—this means that we can get plenty of love and good spirits baked into the foundation, too.

A perfect blend of fire and water in these ingredients, as well as the planets Mars, Jupiter, the Sun, and the Moon, mean that this is not only a fabulous blend of energy for kicking your spirit into overdrive, but also a way to give your heart and mind a balm that allows you to let loose and really enjoy the moment. These ingredients will help you shine with joy and really appreciate every minute of it, which is what we want this holiday season!

Christmas Bread Pudding

Prep time: 15min

Cook Time: 50-55min

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of torn up old bread (about 6 hamburger buns' worth)

• 1 ½  to 2 small apples, diced

• 1 (120g) cup dried cranberries

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup (240ml) 2% milk

• 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• ½ Tbsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Rip up your bread into 1 inch cubes and toast for 10min

3. While your bread toasts, chop your apples and add to a large bowl with your cranberries

4. Beat eggs and sugar together in a separate bowl, then mix with spices, milk, and cream

5. Add bread to the bowl of apples and cranberries, then add all the wet ingredients together and mix until the bread is coated in the custard

6. Add to a greased, deep baking dish and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until set.

7. Let cool for 10min, then serve with maple syrup!

Now, even though I'm not the biggest fan of super bready stuff like this, I will say... it was delicious. So cozy, so warm, so satisfying to chew through, and so perfect with a cup of coffee or tea! Definitely consider popping it onto your table this Christmas! ♥

---

Other Recipes You May Like:

---

Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.

Follow Sara on Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube, and explore her fiction writing here.