Last updated on March 23rd, 2026.
Rich, buttery brioche is soaked in a silky custard infused with melted white chocolate, adding gentle sweetness and rounding out the creamy flavors. Baked until golden, the pudding develops a soft, custardy center with lightly crisp edges. Every bite is smooth, rich, and comforting, an elevated take on a classic that feels both cozy and indulgent.
This is one of those recipes I didn’t plan to make, but it turned out so good I had to share.
Last-minute guests and the panic of having no dessert to impress led to this creamy, sweet, buttery, and comforting pudding.
This is a dessert fit for a crowd, and like its distance cousin the Classic Italian Tiramisu, the more rustic it looks the better. Don’t worry about cutting the perfect slice, use a big spoon and a serve in a deep bowl drizzle with some caramel sauce, and a scoop of ice cream or a generous dollop of whipped cream.
Key Ingredients
The complete recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card. Below is a quick recap for the main ingredients and how to replace when possible.
- Brioche Bread. I used my homemade brioche bread, and the good news, is that it does not need to be stale brioche bread will soak in the liquids even when fresh. Yes, you can use store bought, but don’t skip the toasting step.
- For texture: whole cream, heavy cream, and egg yolks (also whole eggs). Bread pudding is more about the texture than anything else, and it best when is creamy, custardy with slightly crisp topping. The cream and yolks provide the creaminess and the milk thins down the mixture make it easier for the bread to soak.
- For flavor: cinnamon stick, light brown sugar and melted white chocolate. Unlike the classic bread pudding, this one is loaded with buttery and creamy flavors coming from the bread. I used melted white chocolate to “round up” the flavors. For a more intense flavors: add 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or replace the white chocolate with milk, or dark chocolate.
- More topping options: chopped nuts, white chocolate chips, raisins.
Making it
This Bread pudding is super easy and straightforward, the only downside, is that it calls for a few bowls and we end up with some dishes to wash.
- Instead of toasting the bread, slice it the night before and spread it over a large baking dish the night before setting it aside to dry out.
- Instead of cutting the bread into cubes, you can slice it into 1/2-inch slices and line it slightly overlapping each other over the pan.
- The best time to mix the milk mixture with the melted chocolate and egg mixture is when they are all at the (aprox.) same temperature. Nice and warm to the touch.
Baking The Pudding
Keep in mind: bread pudding is a custard dish, just like a cheesecake is. That means that if we bake it not long enough, it will be too “soupy”, but if we bake it not long enough, it will dry out and might even end up chewy and dense. The bread is ready when the edges (about 1-inch from the corner), are set and the center is puffy and looks wet (undone). It will set and bake as it chills.
Make ahead and Store
You can refrigerate the unbaked bread pudding the night before and bake the next day.
The pudding should be refrigerated for up to five days. Reheat for 15 minutes in a 300°F preheated oven.
White Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 Loaf (650g) Brioche bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 4 Large Egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 1/2 Cups (600ml) Heavy cream
- 2 Cups Whole milk
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 Cup (100g) Light brown sugar
- 1 Cup (170g) Melted white chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F, and grease one 9×13-inch brownie pan with butter.
- Spread the brioche bread cubes (650g) over a large baking pan lines with parchment paper, and toast in the oven for 10 minutes mixing at the 5 minutes mark.
- Remove from the oven and set a side to cool.
- Beat the eggs (4) and egg yolks (4) in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Pour the heavy cream (600ml), milk (480ml), light brown sugar (100g), and two cinnamon sticks in a medium sauce pan and briong to a boil.
- Remove from the stove and pour into a large measuring cup. Set aside to cool until warm and nice to the touch (about 90-95°F).
- Pour the melted white chocolate into the milk mixture and mix until smooth.
- Add the eggs mixture and mix until smooth.
- Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl, then pour over the wet mixture.
- Use a knife or a spatula to gently dip the bread pieces that are out of the custard. Set it aside for 15 minutes to allow the bread to soak in the cistard.
- Preheat your oven to 320°F.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the bread from the bowl and tranfer it to the prepared pan.
- Pour over any custard leftover, and bake over the middle oven rack for 45-55 minutes. The pudding is ready when the sides (1-inch away from the sides of the pan) is set and the center is puffed but not set all the way (some liquids is ok).
- Remove from the oven and set it aside to chill and set for about 1-2 hours before serving.
- Refrigerate covered with a plastic wrap and aluminum foil or an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Use milk, or dark chocolate instead of white chocolate for chocolate bread pudding.
- Sprinkle the top with chopped nuts, chocolate chips or even raisins for more flavor and texture.
- Make it the night before and bake it the next day for a make ahead.
