This Brownie Bread Pudding is a chocoholic’s dream come true. It is decadently rich and tantalizing. Dress it with fresh whipped cream and berries for a smooth bite of ecstasy.
There are two kinds of people in the world: the kind of people who aren’t sure if they have extra cookies or brownies just lying around their house, all shrugged shoulders and devil-may-care about it, and the kind of people who know with pinpoint accuracy the location of every item of sugary value within a 50-foot radius.
Any guesses as to which one I am?
I am (obviously) the second type of person, but I have known the first sort, and I’ll be frank—they baffle me. How can you forget that you have ice cream in your freezer? How can you not be sure about the status of your candy drawer? Look at your life, look at your choices. Don’t you think a little more care should be taken when dealing with such important matters?
I’ve been thinking about this because this brownie bread pudding recipe is probably best suited for those perplexing folks in the first camp—the kind of people who can just let a batch of brownies sit, forgotten and undisturbed, in their kitchen until they’re a little past their prime. Bread pudding is the savior of the stale baked good, making old things new again and turning mediocre bread into a truly fabulous dessert.
This brownie bread pudding is based on the same concept—old, leftover brownie chunks are combined with an almond-scented custard, tossed with chocolate chunks, and then baked into a fabulously rich, intensely chocolatey dish. The perfect repurposing of stale brownies, right?
But let’s be real. Never has a brownie been allowed to stale in my kitchen. NOT ON MY WATCH. So I made a whole batch of brownies just to turn them into brownie bread pudding. And I regret nothing.
Now, if you are one of those dessert-neglecting weirdos, you can definitely make this with whatever leftover brownies are inexplicably not being eaten at your house. However, I must suggest that you avoid any brownies that are super dense or fudgy. This bread pudding is really rich as it is, and using an ultra-truffley brownie will only compound that fact, and might also lead to a really heavy texture. I used a brownie that straddles the line between cakey and fudgy (the always-reliable King Arthur Flour recipe) and it was perfect. Light enough to not produce a gut bomb, but tender and full of enough chocolate flavor to give the dish a really wonderful taste and texture.
Oh, and did I mention that brownie bread pudding looks like a horrific accident when you bake it? Because it does. Mark my words, you don’t want to skip out on garnishing this thing. Cover that sucker up with whipped cream or ice cream, stat!
Aaaah, much better.
Also, this brownie bread pudding is rich. It is Kimye’s wedding-style rich. You’ll want to serve it in small portions, maybe with some fresh berries to cut through all the chocolate goodness. You can either bake it in a large 9×13-inch pan, and scoop individual portions into bowls, or bake them in miniature ramekins so everyone gets their own single-size serving. I split the difference and baked it in a variety of smaller containers. I love the look of a larger serving dish, but I think for any sort of dinner party situation, I’d go with individual ramekins—it’s just a little neater and cuter.
This is definitely a dessert for serious chocoholics only, but if you fall into that category? Oh, mama. You will love it. You’re welcome, and I’m sorry.
So tell me—do you share my impeccable sugar radar, or are you mysteriously immune to the lure of sugar in the house? And if you are, what is your secret?
🍮More Dessert Recipes
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Ultimate Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
Brownie Bread Pudding
Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- 4 large eggs
- 3.75 oz unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/4 cups, sifted after measuring
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder, optional, deepens the chocolate flavor
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz unsalted butter, 1 cup
- 8.75 oz granulated sugar, 1 1/4 cup
- 7.5 oz brown sugar, 1 cup lightly packed
- 6.25 oz all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups
- 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cups
For the Bread Pudding:
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
For the Garnish:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Fresh berries, optional
- Chocolate shavings, or other garnishes, optional
Instructions
To Make the Brownies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil so that it extends up the sides, and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the eggs, cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso, and vanilla in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat everything together on medium-low speed until combined, then raise the speed to medium and beat until smooth.
- Combine the butter and both sugars in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir while the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Continue to heat and stir until it is shiny, and bubbles start to appear along the sides of the pan, but don’t bring it to a boil.
- Pour the hot butter/sugar mixture into the mixing bowl with the eggs and cocoa, and mix until well-combined. Finally, add the flour and mix it in on medium speed until just a few streaks remain. Add the chocolate chips and finish stirring them in by hand, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is well-incorporated.
- Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake at 350 F for 27-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the brownies cool completely before proceeding with the bread pudding recipe. Brownies can be made in advance and kept at room temperature, well-wrapped, for several days, or frozen for several weeks.
To Make the Bread Pudding:
- Cut the brownies into small cubes (less than 1″ is ideal) and place them in a large bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray a 9x-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. (You can also use a combination of smaller pans, just be prepared to watch them carefully while baking.)
- Crack the eggs into the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and whisk on low speed until the eggs are broken up. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, the cinnamon, salt, sugar, milk, and cream, and mix on low until everything is well-mixed.
- Pour the custard over the brownie pieces in the bowl, tossing gently to coat. Add the chopped chocolate to the bowl and toss everything together a few times so it’s well-mixed. Scoop the brownie bread pudding into the prepared pan and arrange it into an even layer.
- Bake the bread pudding at 350 F for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the pan(s) you use. The bread pudding is done when it’s golden around the edges, crunchy on top, and the pudding barely jiggles in the center of the pan—it should feel almost set.
- Let the bread pudding cool at room temperature until it is warm but no longer hot. If made in advance, try to reheat it before serving, because this is one dessert that really shines when eaten warm.
To Finish:
- Whip together the cream and powdered sugar until they form medium peaks. Top the still-warm brownie bread pudding with a big spoonful of whipped cream and any other garnishes of your choice, like chocolate curls or fresh berries. This bread pudding is also excellent with ice cream or crème anglaise!
Recipe Notes
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
Thank you for this great recipe! It will be a lifesaver for me, as I made mini brownies for a gathering and made WAY too many. Like any self-respecting chocolate (and brownie) lover, I cannot bear to see them go to the compost. Another website suggested Trifle, but I prefer the pudding. On the other hand, I may have enough that I can try both!
Wahoo, a pudding and trifle taste-off! That seems like an excellent way to enjoy brownies. 🙂 Thanks Sharon, and let me know what you think if you give it a try!
Yes, I tried it and everyone who tasted it LOVED it! Next time I will use Black Walnut flavoring instead of the almond extract and toasted walnuts on top to help cut the sweetness of the chocolate. The brownies I’d made were from a Ghirardelli mix and already had chocolate chips inside. Sometime I will try the brownie recipe you shared, as it looks yummy. Another friend is also going to make it for her family! Thanks again for sharing.
I…me….yes me( know-it-all multi tasking mom who has been making brownies for 25 years)…overcooked some brownies a few days ago. they have been looking at me silently judging my culinery skills. thank you for letting me put them in their place! IN MA BELLY!
I actually cook for a retreat lodge, (25-75 guests per meal) and we trim off the edges of our full-sheet pans of scratch-made brownies so that they all look uniform when they are served. It’s NOT so that the kitchen staff can eat brownie edges fresh out of the oven while the guests can smell them cooling. Of COURSE, we would NEVER eat 84 linear inches of brownie edge while washing the dishes and vacuuming the dining room. Anyway, I was looking for another recipe to use the edges, (we eventually do get enough) and I can’t wait to try this one. Adding it to the menu this weekend. We already do a bread pudding with leftover french toast and cinnamon rolls, and a fresh whole-grain roll using leftover hot cereal. Nothing goes to waste here.
Haha! I definitely know the “nibble-the-edges-of-the-brownie-tray” dance from my years working in restaurants and bakeries! 🙂 Please let me know how this works out for you! I think bread pudding made with cinnamon rolls sounds AMAZING, by the way. Putting that on the list to try at some point!
PS We also used to make a chocolate brownie cheesecake, with small brownie chunks on top, if you’re looking for another way to use brownie edges. 🙂
MM MMM MMMMMM, sounds delicious
I have yet to make this recipe in its entirety, but I have to tell you how much we LOVE the brownies! My genius 8yo daughter suggested putting white, milk AND dark chocolate chips in, and we’re never going back!! Thanks so much!
I haven’t tried this yet, but your post cracked me up!
I am definently in complete, detailed control of all my goodies, and goody ingredients… and then my husband gets home… He stays up late, I go to bed early, and thus we have many, many conversations that start with “Did you eat all the ________?!?”
Hey Melissa, Right!? I am very aware, I understand too well! I am glad you like it I appreciate that! Thanks for following along!!
Just made this and it was amazing… though made a few tweaks. Only had leftover chocolate cake so used that, used Ameretto instead of almond extract (I always use this instead and quite often actually use instead of vanilla) and more than doubled the cinnamon (the other half can not have too much cinnamon). Yes not beautiful but who cares when it tastes this good. Loved that it was not too sweet. Thank you this will definitely be made again and again.
Hey Sarah, that sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience and ideas. I am so glad to hear it!