Bananas Foster Bread Pudding takes the warmth and consistency of a regular bread pudding and adds much more flavor and elegance. If you've been following my recipes for a while, you know Bananas Foster is my favorite dessert. This is one of my favorite variations, and I'm sure it will be one of yours too!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Bread pudding is simple yet amazingly warm and cozy old-fashioned comfort food for which every home cook should have a recipe, and the possibilities are endless. Plain, Bananas Foster, Peach, Apple Spice, and Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Pudding are some of my favorites. This banana foster bread pudding takes the New Orleans French Quarter flavors and bakes it right into a succulent custardy dessert.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are very straightforward, and you likely already have them on hand. I will break this down between the bread pudding and the Bananas Foster Topping.
For the Pudding
- Stale Brioche Bread
- Eggs
- Salted Butter
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla Extract
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Bananas
For the Bananas Foster Topping
- Bananas
- Salted Butter
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Banana Liquor
- Kosher Salt
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Break the bread up into large chunks, about ½-inch pieces. Lay them out on a large cookie sheet and allow them to dry out overnight. For best results, dry the bread out for a total of 24 hours before you start making the bread pudding.
Melt the butter in a 12" Cast Iron Skillet set over medium heat and then stir in the dark brown sugar.
Next, add the sliced bananas and sauté them for about 2-3 minutes, ensuring they are entirely covered in the butter and sugar mixture.
Now pour in the banana liquor, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
Now, whisk eggs, heavy cream, melted salted butter, pure vanilla extract, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
Preheat your oven to 375°f and butter the entire inside of a 9"x13" baking dish.
Next, evenly spread the stale brioche bread pieces and three sliced bananas inside the casserole dish. Be sure that the sliced bananas are also evenly spaced throughout so nobody ends up with one big serving of bananas.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread, followed by the Bananas Foster topping. Ensure everything is evenly spaced and spread for consistency throughout the dessert.
Lastly, bake the bananas foster bread pudding for about 45 minutes. Check the dessert by sticking a toothpick or skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, then the cooking process is complete. If not, allow it to bake for another 5 minutes and recheck.
Expert Tips
- I suggest just starting with this recipe, and then you can simplify it to the regular version if you're looking for a quick dessert.
- Drying the bread out is essential. This can also be achieved by placing the bread cubes in the oven at a very low temperature. However, that can take up to an hour. So it's easier to plan and leave them out overnight.
Recipe FAQs
Bread pudding is a mixture of stale bread, milk, eggs, and sugar baked to a custard-like consistency.
Whisk together milk or cream, melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture over day-old stale challah or brioche bread and bake it in the oven for about 45 minutes.
Brioche, Challah, and French bread are the most commonly used to produce the best results. The pieces of bread will soak up the sauce and become that custardy consistency you're looking for. I prefer to use Brioache above all.
Once known as "Poor Man's Pudding," this ultimate comfort food originated in England sometime between the 11th and 12th centuries. It was the perfect way to use leftover stale bread. Instead of wasting anything, they would break up the bread, cover it in a sweet mixture, and bake the dessert.
As I'm sure you know, it has since lost the stigma of being a frugal dessert and can be found on some of the most refined menus worldwide.
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📖 Recipe
How to Make a Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Bananas Foster Topping
- 6 Tbsp. Salted Butter
- 4 Bananas - sliced
- ¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- ½ Cup Banana Liquor
- 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
Bread Pudding
- 16.9 OZ Brioche Bread - pieced and stale
- 3 Bananas - sliced
- 5 Large Eggs - beaten
- 5 Tbsp. Salted Butter - melted
- 2 ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp. Cinnamon
Instructions
Bananas Foster Topping
- In a 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet set over medium heat, begin by melting the butter and then stir in the dark brown sugar.
- Add the sliced bananas and sauté them for about 2-3 minutes, ensuring they are entirely covered in the butter and sugar mixture.
- Pour in the banana liquor, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
Bread Pudding
- Preheat your oven to 375°f and butter the entire inside of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Evenly spread the stale brioche bread pieces inside the casserole dish and three sliced bananas.
- Whisk eggs, heavy cream, melted salted butter, pure vanilla extract, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour this mixture over the bread, followed by the Bananas Foster topping.
- Bake the bananas foster bread pudding for about 45 minutes.
Video
Notes
- I suggest just starting with this recipe, and then you can simplify it to the regular version if you're looking for a quick dessert.
- Drying the bread out is essential. This can also be achieved by placing the bread cubes in the oven at a very low temperature. However, that can take up to an hour. So it's actually easier to plan and leave them out overnight.
Megan says
One of my favorite desserts!
Jeremy Klae says
I am so glad you like it! It's a lot of fun to serve. Sort of an elegant meets southern BBQ type of dessert! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!