Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bread Pudding (View Print Version)

Golden brioche cubes soak in a rich caramel cream cheese custard with tender spiced apples, baked until warm and velvety.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 6 cups brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1/2 cup caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzling
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - 4 large eggs

→ Fruit

07 - 2 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and diced

→ Sweeteners

08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar

→ Spices & Flavorings

10 - 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
12 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese with caramel sauce until smooth. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt; mix until well combined.
03 - Whisk in eggs, then gradually add milk and heavy cream, whisking until custard is smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Add bread cubes and diced apples to custard mixture. Gently fold until all pieces are evenly coated. Allow to soak for 10 minutes.
05 - Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Drizzle additional caramel sauce over top if desired.
06 - Bake for 45-50 minutes until custard is set and top is golden brown. A knife inserted in the center should come out mostly clean.
07 - Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-fancy but comes together in less than two hours, which honestly feels like magic when you're cooking at home.
  • That moment when you pull it from the oven and the whole thing jiggles slightly in the center—it's set but still custardy, and that's exactly what makes it sing.
  • You can prep everything the night before and just bake it when you need comfort food, making it perfect for when unexpected guests drop by.
02 -
  • If your custard looks separated or curdled when you're mixing, your cream cheese wasn't soft enough or your eggs weren't tempered slowly—start over rather than hope it fixes itself in the oven.
  • Don't skip the 10-minute soak for the bread; those moments let the custard actually soak in instead of the bread staying dry in the middle while the edges turn to mush.
03 -
  • Tear or cut your bread into uneven sizes rather than perfect cubes—smaller pieces soak up more custard while larger pieces stay slightly chewy, creating better texture variation throughout.
  • Brown your apples in a hot pan for 2 minutes before adding them if you want deeper flavor and to cook off some of their water, preventing a soggy bottom layer.
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