Apple Butter Bread Pudding

Apples & autumn, walnuts & molasses, warm cozy spices, smooth creamy drizzle, and a hot drink in tote... are all things I'll never say no to this time of year. Would you? Didn't think so. Why else would you be here looking at this pudding? ;-) Well, this apple butter bread pudding definitely delivers all that in a warm, gooey, light, and super easy to throw together package...

Ever since this pumpkin spice bread pudding happened, bread pudding has been in high demand here not only for special breakfasts, but for dessert too... But since my husband can only handle so much pumpkin and instead keeps asking me when I'm going to make some apple desserts (his favorite), and since I had some apple butter in the freezer to use up (the last remnants of the mega batch I made last year!), I decided to switch things up... And ended up with this delicious treat I'm super excited about. And you should be too -- this is the easiest thing to throw together, and also the bestest things you can enjoy with family or friends at a holiday breakfast or as a simple treat to spice things up a bit.

This was a really nice way to put a spin on a holiday classic and lighten it up a touch too -- so instead of the eggs, cream, butter, and refined sugar, you've got apple butter and maple syrup to keep you light and toasty and infuse the pudding with some of the best natural flavors that scream autumn.

To keep things simple, use a bread of your choice. Stale bread works best, but I didn't have any on hand so I simply toasted some in the oven and that did the trick. I used a gluten-free loaf I found in the back of my freezer -- and if that worked, any kind of bread (even grain-free) or plain cakey leftovers will do...

For those looking for a nut-free drizzle, the frosting from this recipe will work great, or simply thin out some non-dairy yogurt of your choice with a bit of non-dairy milk and some extra maple syrup you'll be good to go too. Been there, done that. Delicious.

Just don't forget the extra molasses drizzle too -- game changer ;)

Oh, and lastly, if you don't have a freezer full of homemade apple butter... you can just buy some ready-made of course (Filsinger's is a great local brand I absolutely love. Eden is another great brand I use on occasion). Or take advantage of all the delicious apples available this time of year and make some from scratch. It's fun and easy, and it feels good to do things the old-fashioned way once in a while... :)

Apple Butter Bread Pudding

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★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings
• Category: Pudding
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Dessert

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Description

Gluten-free apple bread pudding with warm, cozy spices and delicious vegan "cream cheese" drizzle.

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Ingredients

Base:

• 6 cups stale bread cubes (I used a toasted gluten-free loaf. Grain-Free bread will work too)
• 2 cups chopped apples
• 1 cup walnuts (or sunflower seeds or dried white mulberries for a nut-free version)
• 1 cup raisins (or cranberries)

Apple Butter Sauce:

• 1 ½ cups apple butter
• 1 ¼ cups plant milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• 1 cup maple syrup {or agave, coconut nectar, yacon, brown rice syrup, etc.}
• 4 tbsp tapioca starch
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• Spices: 2 tablespoon cinnamon,⅛ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves
• ¾ tsp salt
• + 1 cup chopped walnuts (or seeds / dried white mulberries) for topping

"Cream Cheese" Drizzle (see notes above for nut-free drizzle alternatives):

• ¾ cup raw cashews {cover with boiling water and soak for 15 mins, then strain}
• 1 cup plant milk {I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk}
• ¼ cup maple syrup {or agave, brown rice syrup, etc.}
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• + a bit of unsulphured blackstrap molasses for drizzling (I like this brand)

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Instructions

1. Oil a baking pan (I used an 8" x 12" rectangular pan, but anything of a similar size will work) and set aside.
2. Place all base ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
3. Blend all apple butter sauce ingredients, except for chopped walnuts, into a smooth consistency in a blender. Pour into the mixing bowl with the base ingredients and mix to combine. Transfer into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with chopped nuts over the top. Set aside for 20 minutes for the mixture to soak so the flavors fuse together.
4. In the meantime preheat oven to 350F. Bake pudding in the pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
5. While the pudding is baking, prepare the cashew drizzle by placing all ingredients (except molasses) in a blender and blend until smooth. A power blender works best for a smooth consistency (I used a Vitamix), but you can also add a bit more non-dairy milk to help with blending and make the mixture a little runnier.
6. Once the pudding is cool, drizzle some over the pudding (reserve extra for individual servings), drizzle with some molasses. Scoop up into bowls and serve with extra cashew drizzle and enjoy! Store any leftovers in the fridge.