Coffee Donut Bread Pudding: Your New Favorite Easy Brunch Indulgence
This Coffee Donut Bread Pudding is a culinary revelation, transforming simple breakfast favorites into one extraordinary, easy-to-make dish! Imagine soft, tender cake donuts infused with a rich, aromatic coffee custard, baked to golden perfection. It’s the ultimate addition to any brunch spread, guaranteed to impress and satisfy!
Mother’s Day, much like other cherished Hallmark Holidays, serves as a beautiful reminder of the truly important things in life: love, family, and the profound impact certain individuals have on our journey. For me, that undeniable influence has always been my mother.
Throughout this blog, I’ve often shared stories and insights gleaned from my mom. Her presence has been the most dominating and formative force in my life, shaping the person I am today in countless ways, from the most significant life lessons to the smallest daily habits.
Her influence is woven into the fabric of my character, making me who I am:
- She instilled in me a lifelong love for reading. From infancy through middle school (yes, even J.R.R. Tolkien!), she read to me every single night. Despite her demanding full-time career as a consultant and a multitude of other responsibilities, she always found time for “just one more” chapter.
- My fascination with words stems directly from her. On drives to daycare, she’d turn vocabulary into a game, teaching me words simply for the joy of it. How many two-year-olds can confidently use “copacetic” in a sentence?
- She ignited my passionate love affair with chocolate, a delicious legacy I happily carry forward.
- She taught me that true success is a product of dedication, long hours, and meaningful sacrifice.
- Her unwavering support has taught me to strive for excellence, yet she celebrates my less-than-perfect self with equal enthusiasm. This dichotomy has pushed me to grow while always feeling cherished.
- She showed me that physical strength and fitness are integral to being a strong, successful woman. No matter how late it was after reading to me, or how early she had to rise, her workout routine was sacred.
- And finally, she is the reason I have an aversion to paying full price and a deep conviction that waste is a sin. This lesson, as you’ll soon see, directly inspired this very recipe!
While I could continue to share endless anecdotes about her incredible impact, this post, at its heart, is a deeply personal thank you. And, of course, it’s about a truly remarkable Coffee Donut Bread Pudding – but a little patience, and we’ll get to that deliciousness! 🙂
Thank you, Mom, for your unwavering presence, always ready to help me pick up the pieces, or simply hold together the fragments when everything felt like it was falling apart. Words scarcely begin to express my immense gratitude for your support during what has been the most stressful and complicated period of my life. Over the past year, you’ve been my constant through the painful dissolution of a marriage, a daunting move to New York City, a divorce, a frightening career change, the end of my life in Atlanta, a physically and emotionally draining job, and the challenging yet exciting start of a new life in a new city.
Thank you for giving me the space I desperately needed to process and cope when I felt overwhelmed, and for offering invaluable advice and steadfast emotional support when I was crumbling. Every effort you made to ease my burdens, no matter how small, has meant the world.
I genuinely believe I would not have emerged from such a tumultuous time relatively unscathed, and certainly not with such genuine happiness and optimism for the future, without your omnipresent and unconditional support. My ability to look forward with positivity, hope, and excitement is a direct reflection of your enduring presence in my life.
Happy Mother’s Day to the strongest, most beautiful mother in the world. Truly, in the entire world. You are an inspiration.
Introducing the Coffee Donut Bread Pudding: A Sweet Solution to Zero Waste!
Now, let’s talk about this extraordinary bread pudding. It truly is AMAZING, and its genesis traces back directly to my mother’s wisdom (see point #7 above!). My refusal to waste any trimmings from my homemade Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Cake Donuts and Chocolate Cake Donuts led to this delightful creation. It felt like such a shame to discard those delicious scraps, so I simply fried them up, submerged them in an easy-to-make coffee custard, and baked them to indulgent perfection! This bread pudding is not just a treat; it’s a testament to turning perceived waste into a culinary masterpiece.
While using homemade donut scraps is incredibly satisfying, this recipe is incredibly versatile. You can absolutely use store-bought donuts to whip up this decadent dish, making it an effortlessly sinful (and easy!) addition to any Mother’s Day brunch or special breakfast gathering. A little tip for the best texture: day-old donuts are actually preferable, as their slightly drier nature allows them to absorb the rich coffee custard more effectively, ensuring a perfectly moist yet structured pudding.
At its core, this Coffee Donut Bread Pudding is a harmonious marriage of two beloved breakfast staples: the comforting richness of coffee and the sweet, airy delight of donuts. What’s not to love about such a perfect pairing?
Flavor Combinations and the Secret to a Perfect Crunch
For my version, I combined both chocolate cake donuts and traditional sour cream cake donuts, creating a delightful contrast in flavors and textures. However, feel free to experiment with any donut flavor you adore! Glazed, plain, cinnamon sugar, or even apple fritters could work wonders in this recipe. The key is to have fun with it and use what you have on hand or what your taste buds crave.
Just like my other bread pudding recipes, the secret to an truly exceptional Coffee Donut Bread Pudding lies in the crunchy topping! Do not, I repeat, do not skip the generous sprinkling of turbinado sugar over the top before it goes into the oven. This creates a beautiful, caramelized crust that adds an irresistible texture to every spoonful.
And to elevate this brunch masterpiece even further, be sure to generously drizzle it with the simple, sweet donut glaze. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of tender donut, rich coffee, and that delightful crunch, creating a truly happy moment. This dish isn’t just a recipe; it’s an experience!
Happy Mother’s Day again to my incredible mom and to all the other amazing mothers out there! You truly rock and deserve all the delicious treats like this coffee donut bread pudding!
Coffee Donut Bread Pudding
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Ingredients
For the Bread Pudding:
- 5 cups cake donuts torn or cut into 1 inch pieces (~13 donuts)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons espresso powder
- 3 eggs
- Turbinado Sugar optional
For the Glaze:
- 100 g whole milk 100ML
- 4 g kosher salt
- 400 g powdered sugar 3 ¼ cups
Instructions
To make the bread pudding:
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Arrange your torn or cut donut pieces evenly in an 8-inch square baking dish (or a similar sized oven-safe dish).
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In a separate bowl, combine the heavy cream, sugar, whole milk, espresso powder, and eggs. Use an immersion blender for a smooth, well-combined custard, or whisk vigorously by hand until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
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Pour the prepared coffee custard mixture evenly over the donut pieces in the baking dish. If using fresh donuts, bake immediately. If your donuts are a day old or stale, cover the dish and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to allow them to soak up the custard more thoroughly.
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For that irresistible crunchy topping, sprinkle turbinado (raw) sugar generously over the surface of the bread pudding, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Baking time can vary significantly based on the depth and material of your baking dish, so keep an eye on it. The bread pudding is done when the center offers slight resistance when lightly pressed, and it no longer feels liquid underneath.
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Allow the bread pudding to cool for at least 45 minutes before serving. This crucial step ensures the custard has enough time to fully set, resulting in a perfect texture.
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Once cooled slightly, generously drizzle with the homemade donut glaze and serve warm. Enjoy!
For the glaze:
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole milk, powdered sugar, and kosher salt until completely smooth. To prevent a skin from forming, cover the glaze with plastic wrap directly on the surface until ready to use.
Nutrition
More Irresistible Breakfast & Brunch Recipes!
If this Coffee Donut Bread Pudding has sparked your appetite for delightful breakfast and brunch creations, you’re in luck! Here are some other fantastic recipes to get your day started right:
Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Cake Donuts
Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake Donuts
Overnight Oats – Bircher Muesli
Peanut Butter Banana Streusel Muffins
Strawberry Lemon Scones
Maple Steel Cut Oats Pumpkin Parfait