Fine Desserts

Donut Bread Pudding Recipe

4.67 from 3 votes
Try Donut Bread Pudding-sweet, fluffy glazed donuts in a creamy custard with gooey jam for a perfectly decadent dessert prepped in 20 minutes!
A big dish of golden Donut Bread Pudding with gooey jam.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: With our game-changing Donut Bread Pudding Recipe, you’re just an hour away from the most decadent brunch or dessert treat, which is the definition of a crowd-pleaser! What could be better than a hot, fresh-from-the-fryer doughnut? It’s this recipe: rich, creamy, custardy, melt-in-your-mouth doughnut bread pudding, warm from the oven!

  • For the most convenient option, use bakery or store-bought doughnuts. If you want to make a donut bread pudding that’s 100% homemade, make your own glazed donuts!
  • This easy recipe made with a handful of simple pantry ingredients is wonderfully customizable. Switch up the raspberry jam for strawberry jam or orange marmalade. Or zip up your bread pudding by mixing in a half-cup of Irish whiskey or bourbon into the custard before baking.

I had fun experimenting with this recipe and was excited by the result. I used Krispy Kreme donuts, but any vanilla-glazed yeasted donut works. If you love cinnamon, try cinnamon sugar donuts! Make sure your donuts are at least a day old for the best texture. I added raspberry jam for a burst of flavor and color, but the extra sugar is optional. Be sure to let the donuts soak at room temperature, pressing them into the custard to avoid hard spots. And don’t forget to butter your dish to prevent sticking—this tip makes cleanup a breeze!

Is there anyone who doesn’t love a donut? Your family and friends will adore this creative donut dessert, and for more donut goodness, try our No-Yeast Homemade Donuts or Homemade Glazed Pumpkin Donuts. For donut flavor in a different format, check out our Apple Cider Donut Cake, Homemade Maple Bar Donuts, or our Mugnut–a Homemade Jelly Donut in a Mug!

Table of Contents

What is Donut Bread Pudding?

  • Donut Bread Pudding is a variation of traditional bread pudding that contains donuts instead of bread. Cut-up donuts topped with raspberry jam are soaked in a vanilla-infused sweet custard. As it bakes, the donut pieces soak up the custard, and the mixture sets, resulting in a sweet, warm Krispy Kreme bread pudding with a golden-brown top
  • The best donuts for this recipe are day-old, yeasted glazed donuts, like Krispy Kreme. Using store-bought or your own homemade Krispy Kreme donuts ensures that this doughnut dessert is light and not dense. Slightly stale Krispy Kreme doughnuts are best here because they won’t get mushy.
  • Bread pudding is an age-old way to use up stale bread or cake and transform it into something delicious and comforting. I have lovely memories of the scent of my Mum’s Traditional Irish Bread and Butter Pudding filling the house, and other cultures have their own versions, both sweet and savory, like France’s pain perdu, Mexico’s capirotada, and Italy’s strata.

Tools You Need

Make it Bolder!

You can replace the jam with dollops of Nutella. The chocolate hazelnut spread is divine when it’s baked into the custard. If you want to go beyond store-bought, you’ll love our recipe for heavenly Homemade Nutella!

Key Ingredients and Why

Donut Bread Pudding Ingredients

Glazed yeasted donuts

  • The key to this recipe is using yeast-raised, glazed (also known as honey-dipped) donuts. These donuts are known for their fluffy texture, satisfying chew, and slight crispiness. Their puffiness sets them apart from heartier cake donuts.
  • Alternatively, you can use an equal amount of yeasted glazed donut holes in place of the cut-up donuts.
  • Glazed yeasted donuts also have a neutral flavor, which makes them the perfect base for soaking in the lovely vanilla custard in this dish.
  • Krispy Kreme, a Southern U.S. chain, became famous for serving hot, freshly-glazed donuts. With our Homemade Krispy Kreme Donuts Recipe, your kitchen will smell as amazing as a doughnut shop.

Raspberry jam

  • Bright, fruity, slightly tart raspberry jam does a great job of contrasting the richness of the custard and donuts. It adds its own fabulous fruity flavor and gives the bread pudding a pop of color.
  • Make your own Raspberry Jam for a wonderfully fresh taste

Eggs

  • Eggs hold the custard together cohesively and, just as importantly, give it richness and its golden color.
  • Unless the recipe says otherwise, always use room-temperature eggs when baking. Check out How to Get Room Temperature Eggs to learn how to warm eggs right out of the fridge.

Heavy whipping cream

  • Heavy whipping cream’s high fat content (at least 36%) gives the custard velvety mouthfeel.
  • Additionally, the dairy fat and natural dairy sugars in heavy cream give the custard a fresh taste, plus caramel notes.

Whole milk

  • Using whole milk along with heavy whipping cream adds more moisture without making the custard too heavy and overpowering.
  • Adding whole milk lightens the mixture, which makes it easier for the donuts to absorb.

Granulated sugar

  • Because this donut dessert is made with glazed donuts, the granulated sugar here is optional. Use it if you’re partial to extra-sweet desserts. It will also aid in the browning of the baked custard.

Vanilla extract

  • Warm and sweet vanilla extract is key to a comforting custard and enhances the donut flavor. It also gives this Krispy Kreme donut bread pudding an irresistible aroma while it’s in the oven.

Salt

  • Don’t skip the salt! Although there isn’t much salt in this recipe, it’s essential to bring out all of the flavors. Without salt, desserts can taste flat.

How Do I Make this Donut Bread Pudding Recipe?

Prepare to bake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter a 2-liter casserole dish, about 9 inches in diameter.
  2. Cut the donuts into sixths.

Assemble the bread pudding

  1. Scatter the donut pieces in the baking dish. Using half of the jam, dollop it on the donuts.
  2. Top with the rest of the donut pieces and dollop with the remaining jam.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk, optional sugar, vanilla, and salt. 

Step-by-step instructions on how to make Donut Bread Pudding: whisk the eggs, cream, milk, optional sugar, vanilla, and salt. 

  1. Pour over the donuts in the pan and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Step-by-step instructions on how to make Donut Bread Pudding: Pour over the donuts in the pan and let the mixture sit at room temperature.

Bake the donut bread pudding

  1. Bake the bread pudding for 40 to 45 minutes until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. Cool for five minutes and serve warm.

Bake the bread pudding for 40 to 45 minutes until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

  • Any yeasted, glazed doughnuts will work for this recipe. Don’t use cake doughnuts, as they will make this pudding a bit too heavy.
  • This recipe works best with doughnuts that are at least one day old. If your doughnuts are fresh, let them sit for 8 hours uncovered on the counter to dry.
  • The glazed doughnuts will already be sweet enough to flavor the custard, but you can add in the optional sugar if you’d prefer it to be sweeter.
  • We love the bright pockets of jam in this pudding, but you can also skip the jam and top the pudding with cinnamon sugar just before baking.
  • For a heartier homemade version, make this bread pudding with Homemade Maple Bars.

Make Ahead Instructions and Storage Tips

  • Make ahead:
    • If you’re using our homemade Krispy Kreme Donuts in this recipe, make them at least two days ahead and let them sit out until dry and slightly stale.
  • How to store leftovers:
    • Note that Doughnut Bread Pudding is best eaten on the day it’s made.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
    • Reheat in the microwave or in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes.

FAQs

What are some delicious ways to change up this recipe?

  • When it comes to donut desserts, this Donut Bread Pudding is endlessly adaptable. Here are some recipe variations.
  • You can replace the jam with chocolate chips or substitute a tablespoon of brown sugar for the granulated sugar and add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a half-cup of walnuts or pecans.
  • Serve this doughnut bread pudding drizzled with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or rum sauce.
  • Or top this bread pudding Krispy Kreme delight with whipped cream, ice cream, or Crème Anglaise.

A bowl of Donut Bread pudding, with  two dessert bowls of it on the side, served with vanilla ice cream.

How do you get bread pudding with the perfect texture–not too soggy and not dry?

  • The donuts need to be dried out for this recipe so It’s best to use day-old donuts.
  • Be sure to let the pudding rest for the full 30 minutes. This gives the donuts the chance to absorb the custard properly. If the custard isn’t absorbed, it can pool on the bottom, resulting in a soggy bottom layer and dry spots on the top.
  • Bake this doughnut bread pudding for the recommended 40 to 45 minutes. If the top is getting too brown, cover it loosely with aluminum foil for the rest of the cooking time.

Can I make this donut dessert gluten-free?

More Bread Pudding Recipes

Doughnut Bread Pudding Recipe

4.67 from 3 votes
Try Donut Bread Pudding-sweet, fluffy glazed donuts in a creamy custard with gooey jam for a perfectly decadent dessert prepped in 20 minutes!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 10 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Try Donut Bread Pudding-sweet, fluffy glazed donuts in a creamy custard with gooey jam for a perfectly decadent dessert prepped in 20 minutes!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 stale glazed yeasted doughnuts
  • cup (7 ½ oz/213 g) raspberry jam
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups (10 fl oz/300 ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup (8 fl oz/240 ml) whole milk
  • 1 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter a 2 liter casserole dish, about 9 inches in diameter. .
  • Cut the doughnuts into sixths and add ½ of them into the prepared dish.
  • Dollop the ½ the jam over the doughnuts. Scatter over the remaining doughnuts followed by more dollops of jam.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, sugar (if using), vanilla extract, and salt.
  • Pour the custard over the doughnuts and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature to allow the liquid to absorb.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the custard has set.
  • Let cool for 5 minutes before serving while still hot.
  • This is best eaten the day it’s made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Recipe Notes

  • Any yeasted, glazed doughnuts will work for this recipe. Don’t use cake doughnuts, as they will make this pudding a bit too heavy.
  • This recipe works best with doughnuts that are at least one day old. If your doughnuts are fresh, let them sit for 8 hours uncovered on the counter to dry.
  • The glazed doughnuts will already be sweet enough to flavor the custard, but you can add in the optional sugar if you’d prefer it to be sweeter.
  • We love the bright pockets of jam in this pudding, but you can also skip the jam and top the pudding with cinnamon sugar just before baking.
  • For a heartier homemade version, make this bread pudding with Homemade Maple Bars.

 

 

4.67 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)
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C J
C J
4 months ago

Been doing repurposing sweets into bread pudding for years. Always a hit. Cinnamon rolls, donuts, sweet bagels mix, add in diced fruit, berries or raisins. One time even added a half of an apple pie.

Mike
Mike
3 months ago

I think that 12 day old donuts is a mstake in the recipe

Marina Angeli
Marina Angeli
4 months ago

Super Amazing

About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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