Apple Pie x Donuts x Bread Pudding
There are some desserts that feel like they were made for a cozy night in, and this Apple Pie Donut Bread Pudding is absolutely one of them.
Imagine soft, glazed donuts soaked in a rich vanilla custard, layered with tender cinnamon apples, then topped with a buttery brown sugar streusel and baked until golden and bubbling. The donuts become soft and custardy in the center while the edges develop those delicious caramelized, crispy bits.
And then there is the finishing touch. A warm slice topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and a little glaze is the kind of dessert that makes you want to slow down and savor every bite.
Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe
• It combines two classic desserts: Apple pie and bread pudding come together in one ridiculously delicious dessert.
• Glazed donuts make it extra special: The donuts bring sweetness, buttery flavor, and a soft texture that works beautifully with the custard.
• The apple filling tastes homemade: Tender apples cooked with cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla create a cozy apple pie filling right in your kitchen.
• That streusel topping is everything: It bakes into a golden, buttery crumble that gives every bite a little texture.
• It’s made for ice cream: Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for the ultimate dessert.
Ingredients
Apple Pie Filling
• Apples
• Sugar
• Dark brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• Salt
• Cornstarch
• Water
Bread Pudding Custard
• Milk
• Large eggs
• Heavy cream
• Dark brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Vanilla extract
• Salt
Brown Sugar Streusel
• Flour
• Dark brown sugar
• Unsalted butter
• Ground cinnamon
• Salt
Glaze
• Powdered sugar
• Milk
• Vanilla extract
For the Bread Pudding
• Glazed donuts
For Serving
• Vanilla ice cream
• Caramel sauce
How to Make Apple Pie Donut Bread Pudding
1. Make the Brown Sugar Streusel
Start by making the streusel topping. Add the flour, dark brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl.
Using a fork, mix everything together until the ingredients come together and form a crumbly mixture. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the dessert.
2. Make the Glaze
Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to a bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
You want the glaze to be thick enough to drizzle but loose enough to easily pour over the finished bread pudding. Set aside.
3. Make the Apple Pie Filling
Peel, core, and chop your apples.
Add the apples, sugar, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt to a pot over medium low heat. Stir everything together and allow the apples to cook slowly.
As the apples soften, they will release their natural juices, creating a sweet, cinnamon spiced sauce around them.
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water to create a slurry.
Once the apples are tender, stir the slurry into the apple mixture. Continue cooking until the juices thicken and become more sauce-like.
Remove from the heat and allow the apple pie filling to cool slightly.
4. Make the Custard
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, heavy cream, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.
Whisk until everything is fully combined and the custard is smooth.
5. Assemble the Bread Pudding
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Chop the glazed donuts into bite-sized pieces.
Add a generous layer of donut pieces to your baking dish. Spoon pockets of the apple pie filling throughout the donuts, then add another layer of donut pieces.
Pour the creamy custard evenly over everything, making sure the donut pieces have plenty of opportunity to soak it up.
Finish with a generous layer of the brown sugar streusel.
6. Bake
Place the baking dish on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the bread pudding is baked through and the top is beautifully golden brown.
The center should be set while still remaining soft and custardy.
Remove from the oven and allow the bread pudding to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
7. Finish and Serve
Drizzle the glaze over the warm bread pudding.
For the full dessert experience, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream right on top and finish with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce.
The warm apple pie filling, soft donut bread pudding, crunchy brown sugar streusel, cold vanilla ice cream, and caramel come together in every bite.
Tips for the Best Donut Bread Pudding
Don’t skip the cooling time. Letting the bread pudding rest after baking allows the custard to finish setting while keeping the center soft and creamy.
Use day-old donuts when possible. Slightly stale donuts can absorb more of the custard without becoming overly soft.
Don’t rush the apples. Cooking them over medium low heat gives them time to soften and develop that rich cinnamon apple flavor.
Adjust your glaze. Add a little more milk if your glaze is too thick or a little more powdered sugar if it becomes too loose.
Serve it warm. This dessert is at its best while still warm from the oven, especially when paired with cold vanilla ice cream.
Storage
Allow the bread pudding to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Keep the glaze and caramel sauce separate until you’re ready to serve.
How to Reheat
For individual portions, microwave for about 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the size of the serving.
For a larger portion, cover the baking dish with foil and warm it in a 300°F oven until heated through.
Add the glaze, caramel, and vanilla ice cream after reheating.
Can You Freeze Apple Pie Donut Bread Pudding?
Yes. Allow the bread pudding to cool completely, then wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer safe container.
Freeze for up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Final Thoughts
Apple pie and bread pudding were already a pretty perfect match, but adding glazed donuts to the equation takes this dessert somewhere completely different.
You get sweet cinnamon apples, rich vanilla custard, soft glazed donuts, buttery brown sugar streusel, and all the caramelized goodness that happens in the oven.
Then you add vanilla ice cream and caramel while it’s still warm.
That’s the part where you stop calling it bread pudding and start calling it dessert therapy.
Savor every bite.
Apple Pie Donut Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 dozen glazed donuts chopped
- Vanilla ice cream optional
Apple Pie Filling
- 4-5 apples peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch for the cornstarch slurry
- 1 tbsp water for the cornstarch slurry
Bread Pudding Custard
- 1 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon ground
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Brown Sugar Streusel Topping
- 2 cups flour
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish
- Caramel sauce
Instructions
Brown Sugar Streusel Topping
- To a bowl, add all ingredients listed under “Brown Sugar Streusel Topping.” Using a fork, mix until everything comes together and turns into a crumble. Once achieved, set aside.
Glaze
- To a bowl, add all ingredients listed under “Glaze” and mix to combine. Once combined, set aside.
Apple Pie Filling
- To a pot over medium-low heat, add the chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix to combine and allow to cook low and slow. As the apples cook, they will release their own juices to turn the sugars and butter into a nice caramel-like sauce. Combine water and cornstarch to form a slurry.
- Once the apples are tender, stir in the slurry to thicken. If to your liking, set aside to cool.
Bread Pudding Custard
- To a bowl, add all ingredients listed under “Bread Pudding Custard”, and whisk to combine. Once incorporated, set aside.
Assemble
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To a baking dish, add a nice layer of the chopped glazed donuts. Followed by pockets of the apple pie filling, more donut pieces, and the creamy custard. Top with the brown sugar streusel topping and place on the middle rack of the oven.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes or until baked through and the top is golden brown.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. When ready to serve, this pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel. Enjoy!
