This donut bread pudding recipe is so easy and delicious, using only 6 simple ingredients; using regular glazed or Krispy Kreme donuts but feel free to experiment with your favorite kind!
Post Originally Created February 28, 2019, updated March 3rd, 2021
It’s hard to top our favorite bread pudding recipe but when I first heard of donut bread pudding, I must admit… I was REALLY intrigued.
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Why Make a Donut Bread Pudding?
Well, why not?
But in all seriousness… we’ve all been there. Our eyes were bigger than our belly and we ordered way too many donuts. So when they start to get a little stale, it’s hard to throw away those golden little circles.
So using up donuts in a bread pudding is the next best thing. Top it with the amazing vanilla sauce recipe below and it may just be your new favorite. You may even want to make a batch of these Bronuts, just to use them in a bread pudding!
What Kind of Donuts to Use
We recommend using your favorite glazed donuts, like Krispy Kreme’s, but feel free to use other flavors like:
- apple cider donuts
- chocolate iced
- cake donuts
- donut holes
- gluten free donuts
- … really any kind of stale or “day old” donuts that you have on hand should work. (However, watch the “filled” and “jelly donuts” as those may add a texture that you’re not looking for.)
How to make donut bread pudding
You can find the full recipe card with ingredients and instructions toward the bottom of this post!
I am THRILLED to have Charlotte from Pretty Mindful Mama Life with us today, sharing this amazing recipe with us!
Ingredients for donut bread pudding
Start by gathering your ingredients. You will need glazed donuts, eggs, milk, half & half, vanilla, and cinnamon! That’s it! Easy, right? You probably already have all of that on hand already!
Start by whisking 2 eggs with 1 tablespoon of vanilla.
Then add the milk and cream, whisk again.
Finally, add the cinnamon.
Cut your donuts up in to small cubes and place in a greased 9×12 baking dish.
Next, pour the custard mixture over the cut cubed donuts and let soak for 10 minutes before baking!
Preheat oven to 350°.
Bake at 350 for about 40-45 minutes!
What to serve with donut bread pudding
My favorite way to serve this donut bread pudding is warm, with a dollop of crème
“Crème Anglaise” is just a fancy way of saying vanilla sauce. It totally elevates this dessert.
You can buy this premade in most grocery stores but you can make your own if you like, or use the sauce recipe for this bread pudding recipe.
I hope you love this bread pudding as much as we do!
You will definitely be the star at your next event when you make this!
Enjoy this treat combining two beloved comfort foods and let us know how you like it!
Do you have to refrigerate bread pudding?
Yes. Even though it is baked, it’s best to refrigerate any leftovers. Wait until it has fully cooled before covering and storing in the refrigerator.
Tips to make it the best
- If you have donuts but they’re not stale, you can leave them sit out, uncovered, overnight.
- Want to add more or different toppings? Feel free to add fruit glazes (think jelly-filled donut flavor), fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, and more!
- Rum sauce is a very popular drizzle for bread pudding. If you have a favorite rum sauce, it would be delicious on this version of bread pudding as well!
More Dessert Recipes Like This
If you love desserts like this one, then you’ll also love this easy chocolate bread pudding, sweet potato pudding, this croissant bread pudding recipe and this banana bread pudding recipe!
📖 Recipe
Easy Donut Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup half & half
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 12 stale glazed donuts
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 eggs with 1 tablespoon of vanilla .
- Cut up stale donuts in to small cubes and place in a greased, 9×12 baking dish
- Whisk in milk and cream.
- Whisk in the cinnamon.
- Pour mixture over the cubed donuts. Let soak for 10 minutes.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve warm topped with your favorite topping!
Notes
- If you have donuts but they’re not stale, you can leave them sit out, uncovered, overnight.
- Want to add more or different toppings? Feel free to add fruit glazes (think jelly-filled donut flavor), fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, and more!
- Rum sauce is a very popular drizzle for bread pudding. If you have a favorite rum sauce, it would be delicious on this version of bread pudding as well!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Jim Conway says
We are going to our cabin that’s kinda off the grid. We do not have an oven. But always have old donuts. Could this be made in an instant pot? I found recipes for instant pot regular bread pudding, but I worry about the ingredients being the same, not to be too sweet. Thanx.
Jessica says
Hi Jim! I haven’t made this in an Instant Pot yet, I’m sorry! So I hate to tell you it will work without testing it myself. But I’d love to hear if you try it!
Diane Cerabone says
This looks like a great recipe. I’m wondering about the calories in the nutritional information. Just between the donuts, half and half, and eggs you’re looking at at least 3200 calories. How is 1/6th of this recipe (you claim 6 servings) going to be 122 calories? It won’t keep me from making it, of course. If it was me and I made a math or typing mistake I would want someone to tell me.
Jessica says
Hi Diane. Thank you so much for pointing that out. Changes have been made to reflect a better estimate. 🙂
Mlargaret loper says
Do you cover while baking?
Jessica says
Hi there! No, no need to cover while baking unless you find that your rack is really close to the top burner and it’s cooking on the top too fast. But if your rack is in the middle of your oven, you should be ok without covering it. I hope that helps!
Jan says
The easiest recipe ever & delicious. Had 11 glazed donuts leftover, all the other ingredients in the house. Didn’t have the cream, but used liquid Vanilla Carmel coffee creamer.
It was amazing. Got to give this a try.
Jessica says
What a great way to use up those donuts!! Donut bread pudding is something that is a favorite around here too. 🙂
Sandy says
Are you suppose to add sugar?
Jessica says
Hi Sandy! The donuts should have enough sugar for the recipe! But if you find that it’s not sweet enough, you could sprinkle some cinnamon-sugar on afterward! Or include it the next time you make it! 🙂
Betty Presnell says
Very simple recipe. I had to half it for my husband & me. Thank you.
Jessica says
So glad that you liked this donut bread pudding too. Thank you!
Michael Cohen says
Can you use cake donuts instead of glazed? We may have gone a little crazy buying apple cider donuts after apple picking.
Jessica says
Haha! I’ve never used cake donuts but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!! It actually sounds delicious!
Bonnie says
I used the apple filled cinnamon cake donuts for a brunch last week. Needless to say there was not a crumb left! So yes, you can use cake donuts.
Jessica says
Oh yum!!!! This sounds amazing and so good to know. Thank you so much for letting us know and for the 5-star rating!
Sabine says
Turned out beautifully.
I did a small batch in 20 mins 🙂 chocolate milk (1%) & french vanilla creamer in place of milk/vanilla. Chocolate chips too 🙂
Jessica says
Mmmm! That sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!
rana durham says
I think this is a great idea of getting of day old donuts that need a little life in them. It is so clever and I think it would be amazing in the morning. I also like that it has added flavors of spices and icing. I think my family will love this.
Jessica says
Ooooh, having this for breakfast is a GREAT way to start the day!!