Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is one of those dishes that, like grits and oatmeal – if you don’t eat it..you can’t make it right!
I love bread pudding that is baked to perfection and full of chunks of goodness just dripping with syrup. It’s also a great way to use up leftover bread slices and buns. You know, the 2 buns that are left over because you had to buy and extra package to match the number of hot dogs? Yep.. those are awesome in bread pudding! Keep those extra buns, hoagie rolls, bagels, English muffins in the freezer for this recipe.
This version is based on my grandmother Mae’s recipe that I changed up to make it easier to make without compromising the flavors.
Ingredients:
1 bag of day old bread
4 cups whole milk
1.5 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
Zest of one lemon (save lemon)
4 eggs
2 cups fresh blueberries
Sauce/Topping:
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp. water
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees and cut bread into one inch chunks. If you have little hands in the kitchen to help – let them tear the bread into chunks..it doesn’t have to be pretty!
Place bread on a cookie sheet and toast in oven for about 10-15 minutes or until toasted but not browning. Allow to cool on the trays before using.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, almond, lemon zest and sugar. Continue to whisk until sugar has completely dissolved.
Prepare by buttering to grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer the toasted bread and blueberries in baking dish and gently pour the custard mixture in the baking dish. Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the bread. Do not stir or at least be really gentle when pushing pieces around so the bread maintains the shape. You do not want a solid mass of bread baked in egg custard!
Bake for 55-65 minutes or until the custard has set and the tops of the bread cubes are turning brown. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes.
While bread pudding is cooling or just before serving if you are making the dish in advance, prepare the sauce by placing blueberries, sugar and water in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a soft boil. Drop the heat back to simmer and allow to bubble away until the blueberries break down and the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and pour into a serving container or allow to cool and put away until needed.
When ready to serve either dish up serving cups and allow guests to top their bowl with the sauce and whipped topping or pour the sauce over the entire dish and serve from baking dish.
My crew likes to create their own dessert so I will prepare the bread pudding and then serve it up in bowls with a table full of little toppings such as coconut flakes, the prepared blueberry sauce, whipped topping in a can, crushed nuts, and shaved chocolate. Talk about a fun time around the table while everyone enjoys their special dessert!
This does sound wonderful! I love making bread pudding with day-old Italian bread, the crust really adds a nice touch. Nice way to use a good amount of blueberries!
I tried this recipe. It’s really good. I can’t believe that it took me so many years to taste it.
I made a Peach Cobbler for Mothers Day. I wish I had made your Famous Lemon Blue Berry Bread Pudding. Still someone has consumed half the cobbler and not been into the ice cream.
Happy Mothers Day!
Semper Fi
I love bread pudding, and this looks so good, putting blueberries on my list now, going to try it, thanks.
This bread pudding looks yummy! I can’t wait to try this recipe!!!
This looks delilcious! I can’t wait to try it for my family. Thanks!
I absolutely loved your recipe for Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding! I’m the only one in my little family here that loves bread pudding! My neighbor loves it just as much, if not more, than I do! I have frozen blueberries (can I use them if I thaw them out?) I also have lemons, so I’m on my way….. The combination of blueberries and lemon sounds fabulous to me! I also love the blueberry topping for the top! Great Idea! Thanks so much for sharing your delicious recipe on Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding with all of us! I’ve saved the recipe and, once I get some bread piled up, I’m definitely going to be making this recipe! I truly do appreciate it! Thanks again! Michele 🙂
Lemon Blue Berry Bread pudding sounds delicious would be the perfect ending to a family meal
Wow! This blueberry bread pudding recipe looks so easy for me and the kids to do. I wonder how it would do with whole wheat bread as that’s all I buy for the family. I can’t wait for blueberry season either. 🙂
I adore bread pudding. This looks like the perfect summer time bread pudding since it has lemon and blueberries. Yum!
This looks yummy. My husbands mother always made bread putting but i never had any until I married him, I am not crazy for it but with the blueberries in it would make it taste so much better.
I make bread pudding often as it is a favorite around here. Haven’t tried this recipe. Pinned & will be making it soon!
Your recipe looks and sounds fabulous! I have never made Bread Pudding, but after seeing this recipe, it’s about time I make one 🙂
I like bread pudding, but have never made the attempt to bake it. And I have never had it with the blueberries. Thanks for the recipe. Now that the summer season is here, this is a great dish to bake.
We grew up loving my mother’s bread pudding..but it was basically bread, cinamon, raisins and served with cream. We never tried any other..but your recipe sounds fantastic and I know who is going to be surprising his family at the next potluck..thank you and don’t tell anyone I read this!
This looks so good! I know our kids would love it. Pinning…
This looks so delicious, I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the great recipe
I love bread pudding. I’ve never had blueberry/lemon before but it sounds delicious. I pinned it so I can make it some time.
This looks scrumptious. I just bought a bunch of fresh blueberries, and this would be the perfect way to use them.
I love bread pudding. .and blueberries with it sound yummy !!
This sounds good! I have heard of bread pudding, but have never made it. This is a great way to save your bread too!
I live in, but wasn’t raised in the south. Bread pudding is a staple around here. I have never tried it. The recipe sounds good.
I love anything with blueberries; this sounds like a delicious recipe, thanks for posting!
This looks delicious! I will have to try this! My whole family would love these!
I NEED to make this! Yummy! Great summer treat!
This sounds so good. It also sounds fairly easy to make. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
Sounds delicious! Lemon and blueberry would be a great combination.
I love love live bread pudding but I never thought of adding these ingredients! I think a trip to my berry patch is about to happen, thanks!
I love bread puddings, I have never tried putting blueberries in one though…and the combination of lemon with the fruit is bound to be good. I will be making this recipe for sure…thanks for sharing!
MOM made this stuff all the time..maybe i can make it now..thanks
I have never made bread pudding, but this one looks yummy.
This looks really good, I think I will try to make it this weekend, thanks!
I have never tried Lemon Blueberry Bread pudding. It looks absolutely amazing
Your bread pudding sounds yummy & my husband loves blueberries.
Yumm. This looks so good! Blueberries are my all time favorite, and bread pudding is right up there too. Together sounds like heaven 🙂
I love this recipe. It is an interesting twist.
My husband would love this!
I love bread pudding and this variation looks like it would be really good. We will have to make some after we make a trip to the bread store. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re killing me with these pretty pictures! Now I’m hungry and I want to eat this recipe but I can’t do that just yet because I have to make it first.
How on earth did I not discover this recipe sooner? So simple, so satisfying. Sherryl, I love this website! I’m a newbie but I think you now have a new regular. I do think Lemon and Blackberry would be a nice choice too maybe, the UK blackberry season will be here soon and it would be amazing to try it out, maybe you could post some blackberry recipes? I just love blackberries, sorry lol.
MMMMMMmmm, thanks Sherryl. I am not a fan of bread pudding as I have issues with soggy bread..but the idea of toasting it and anything with lemon and blueberries makes this sound delish! Oh, and clearing out the the many bags of frozen bread/buns/etc in my freezer sounds great too!
I don’t like soggy bread either but toasting it really helps.. also you can use less of the custard. Pour about half on the bread and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Add more if needed. Then bake the remaining custard for a new dessert. No need to waste it either!