This chocolate chip bread pudding is a maple whisky custard flavored with warm baking spices and tossed with chocolate chips, dried cherries, and toasted pecans. Top it with a silky maple whisky sauce for an elegant adults-only dessert!
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Why this recipe works
- Bread pudding is easy to make, just mix up a custard base and toss it with cubed bread
- The mix-ins are customizable to your preferences
- Whisky sauce adds a level of elegance to what is otherwise a homey dish
I enjoy making custards. They're easy and elegant, and there are so many variation on how they can be made. There are baked custards (like Crème Brûlée), cooked custards (the pastry cream in Boston Cream Pie), and frozen custards (like French Vanilla Ice Cream). And let's not forget that drinkable custard, eggnog.
Bread pudding is another form of custard, making a variation of créme anglaise (aka vanilla sauce, an unthickened version of pastry cream). The concept is simple - stale bread (leftover challah is perfect!) is soaked in an egg-and-cream custard, then baked until the custard sets. It's similar to a baked french toast casserole.
Here we're flavoring the bread pudding base with maple syrup, whisky, and some warm baking spices. Then there are the mix-ins. Bread pudding with chocolate chips is very popular, and you can include other mix-ins as well - in this case, we're tossing in dried cherries and pecans.
And a silky maple whisky sauce and you've really got something elegant (for adults only, mind you. This recipe makes a lot, so you'll have leftovers to drizzle on ice cream, cookies, cakes... (we get the picture).
I love contrasting flavors and textures, and adding chocolate chips to bread pudding is just the start. Technically, this dish should be called Cherry Pecan Whisky Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Maple Butterscotch Whisky Sauce, but that’s a bit of a mouthful, don’t you think?
What is a mouthful is how well these ingredients go together. Chocolate and cherries bring sweetness, toasted pecans add a crunch, and whisky kicks it up a notch.
Chocolate chip bread pudding is easy and homey, yet it can be dressed up and become an elegant dessert to serve to your guests. Give it a try!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this chocolate chip bread pudding recipe:
And here are the ingredients you'll need for the maple whisky sauce recipe:
Ingredient Notes
Milk and heavy cream: You can use any combination of milk and heavy cream you'd like. The more heavy cream you use, the richer the custard will be. You can also substitute your favorite dairy-free milk alternatives you prefer.
Custard flavorings: While vanilla extract is common, this custard is also flavored with maple syrup and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves (see the tip below for some flavoring alternatives).
Bread: Use a soft bread, like brioche or leftover challah bread, cut into cubes.
Mix-ins: Here we use chocolate chips, dried cherries, and pecans. You can alter the mix-ins to your liking - see the tip below for some suggestions.
Sauce: Serving bread pudding with a maple whisky sauce is optional, but including it gives the dish a bit of elegance. It's a variation on Butterscotch Sauce.
Whisky: Flavoring the custard and sauce with whisky is optional, and makes this an adults-only treat. The alcohol is mostly cooked out, but it's not pregnancy- or kid-friendly. If you do choose to include the whisky, make sure whatever you use is good quality and something you like to drink.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Vary the flavorings and mix-ins
The beauty of bread pudding is it's so customizable. You can use whatever flavorings for the custard and mix-ins you prefer. Here are some suggestions:
- Replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with 1½ teaspoons of a different spice mix like chai spice, pumpkin spice or apple spice, or omit them if you wish.
- Replace the dried cherries with raisins, fresh or dried apples, apricots or any other fruit you’d like.
- Replace the pecans with almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, or your preference, or leave them out entirely.
- Replace the chocolate chips with toffee or butterscotch chips, or leave those out, too.
How to make chocolate chip bread pudding
Step 1: Prepare the filling
In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, dried cherries, chocolate chips, and ½ cup of the pecans. Add the melted butter and toss to coat evenly (photo 1).
Step 2: Mix the custard
In another large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add in the brown sugar, maple syrup, whisky (if using), vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and stir until combined. Whisk in the milk and heavy cream.
Pour the custard over the bread mixture and mix well. Let the filling sit at least 30 minutes to allow the custard to soak into the bread cubes (photo 2).
Step 3: Bake the bread pudding
Butter a 3-quart glass oblong baking dish (a 9- x 13-inch dish, 2 inches deep). Transfer the bread mixture into the baking dish and top with the remaining pecans. Bake at 350˚F for 40 to 60 minutes, or until it's golden brown and the custard is almost set (it will finish setting as it cools). Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool at least 30 minutes (photo 3).
Step 4: Make the maple whisky sauce
In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and stir until smooth.
Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the whisky (if using, the mixture will sizzle) and cook about 30 seconds, then stir in the warmed cream and salt. Bring back to a boil and cook for 1 minute more, stirring, then remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool (photo 4).
Storage and make-ahead instructions
Storage instructions: Baked and cooled bread pudding can be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. Reheat at 325 °F until warm.
For longer storage, it can be frozen after baking (make sure the baking dish is freezer safe). Cool the dish completely, then wrap it well with a double layer of plastic wrap and a double layer of foil before freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost the dish in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat before serving.
Make-ahead instructions: The maple whisky sauce can be made ahead and stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If the sauce separates after it’s been cooled, warm it gently in the microwave (20 second increments at 40% powder) and stir until it’s smooth again.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Bread pudding can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. When served with a warmed sauce, warming the bread pudding is advisable.
Generally speaking, bread pudding is made with stale (or toasted) bread, which tends to hold its shape when soaked in the custard. Firm breads, like brioche or challah, also do well in this dish. If your bread pudding is mushy, then the bread you used was too soft to hold together.
I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More custard recipes to try
Recipe
Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
Equipment
- 3-qt glass oblong baking dish a 9- x 13-inch dish, 2 inches deep
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 18-ounce loaf french brioche bread, or leftover challah bread, cubed, about 8 to 10 cups
- 12 ounces chocolate chips, (2 cups)
- 1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the custard
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup whisky, optional, see Recipe Notes
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups milk, or a dairy-free alternative
- 1 cup heavy cream, or a dairy-free alternative
For the sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup whisky, optional, see Recipe Notes
- 1 cup heavy cream, warmed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Move rack to middle of oven. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Butter a 3-quart glass oblong baking dish (2-inch deep 9- x 13-inch, 2 inches deep).
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, chocolate chips, dried cherries, and ½ cup of the pecans. Add the melted butter and toss to coat evenly.
- Make the custard: In another large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add in the brown sugar, maple syrup, whisky (if using), vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and stir until combined. Whisk in the milk and heavy cream.
- Pour the custard over the filling and mix well. Let the bread mixture sit at least 30 minutes to allow the custard to soak into the bread cubes.
- Transfer the bread mixture into the buttered baking dish and top with the remaining pecans. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until it's golden brown and the custard is almost set (it will finish setting as it cools). Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool at least 30 minutes.
- Make the maple whisky sauce: While the bread pudding is baking, in a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and stir until smooth.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the whisky (if using, the mixture will sizzle) and cook about 30 seconds, then stir in the warmed cream and salt. Bring back to a boil and cook for 1 minute more, stirring, then remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool.
- To serve, drizzle the warmed sauce onto the warm bread pudding, then plate and serve with additional sauce on the side. Enjoy!
- Storage instructions: Baked and cooled bread pudding can be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. Reheat at 325 °F until warm.For longer storage, it can be frozen after baking (make sure the baking dish is freezer safe). Cool the dish completely, then wrap it well with a double layer of plastic wrap and a double layer of foil before freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost the dish in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat before serving.
- Make-ahead instructions: The maple whisky sauce can be made ahead and stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If the sauce separates after it’s been cooled, warm it gently in the microwave (20 second increments at 40% powder) and stir until it’s smooth again.
Ella says
Sounds yummy, although I might substitute the cherries for dried cranberries, or maybe leave them out all together since I'm' not a big fan of dried cherries. I'm glad it's so customizable!