Super easy to make white chocolate strawberry bread pudding is made with leftover hamburger buns. Proof that you can make delicious bread pudding with any bread!
I hate to waste food. I will find a way to repurpose ingredients or give new life to leftovers. Clear the fridge bread pudding is a perfect example. Whenever I’m going away on vacation, I collect everything perishable out of the fridge and bake up a savory bread pudding.
Bread, milk, and eggs are staples in most kitchens and those three ingredients also happen to be the foundations of bread pudding.
Bread pudding is the American version of English bread and butter pudding. Custard is poured over bread cubes and baked until golden brown. There are many variations on flavorings (vanilla extract, almond extract, etc), and mix-ins such as dried fruits and nuts.
The best thing about bread pudding: you can customize is based on your taste preferences and whatever you happen to have in the kitchen.
Ingredients
Traditionally, bread pudding is made with day old loaf bread. However, you can use any bread! The possibilities are endless. Use croissants, pandesal, milk bread, brioche, and even hamburger and hot dog buns!
As summer and grilling season approaches, you’re bound to have leftover hamburger buns (or hot dog buns) after parties, gatherings, and barbecues. Rather than continue eating burgers for days, use that bread to make something sweet!
For this recipe, you will need bread, milk, cream, eggs, and sugar. Fresh strawberries and white chocolate chips are tossed into the mix.
Recipe Variations
Swap out your choice of seasonal fruit. This recipe works well with a variety of berries including blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Soft fruits like peaches, plums, and apricots are also great options. Bananas are available all year long and make for a fabulous banana rum bread pudding.
White chocolate chips may be swapped out chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or chopped nuts of your choice.
Assembly Instructions
Strawberry bread pudding consists of three components: bread cubes, custard mixture, and mix-ins. Thoroughly whisking together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, and pure vanilla extract to make the custard mixture. Use a whisk, blender, or immersion blender.
Essentially, the eggs should be well incorporated and the sugar should be dissolved.
There are two ways to toss the ingredients together:
- Mix the bread, custard, and mix-ins in a large bowl and then transfer to shallow baking dish, or
- Gradually layer the bread, custard, and mix-ins in a shallow baking dish (I prefer the latter because I can evenly distribute the mix-ins.)
Baking Tips
- It’s best to use older (almost stale) bread instead of fresh baked bread. Dried out bread is better suited for absorbing the liquids in bread pudding.
- Slice bread into equal sized portions to allow for even baking.
- The assembled bread pudding needs at least an hour (up to overnight) to rest.
This white chocolate strawberry bread pudding can be eaten as is, dusted with sifted powdered sugar, or with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream!
More Bread Pudding Recipes
- Walnut Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
- Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding
- Calvados Apple Bread Pudding
White Chocolate Strawberry Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds hamburger buns*, , (24 oz), or any bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups strawberries, (about 9 oz) hulled and sliced
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. In another large bowl, toss together bread cubes, strawberries, and white chocolate chips. Pour in liquid mixture and fold to combine.
- Transfer pudding batter into shallow 3-quart baking dish (15 x 8 ½-inch rectangle baking dish). Cover with plastic wrap and allow mixture to rest for one hour at room temperature. For longer storage, keep chilled in the fridge overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 43-45 minutes until the top layer of bread is toasty and pudding is set in the center. Serve warm as is, or dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- It is best to use older (almost stale) bread instead of fresh baked bread. Dried out bread is better suited for absorbing the custard.
- Slice bread into equal sized portions to allow for even baking.
- Any kind of bread will do: hot dog buns, challah, sandwich bread, sourdough, banana bread, English muffins, pound cake. Or mix and match breads!
- Alternatively, you can assemble bread pudding by alternate layering bread cubes, strawberries, and white chocolate chips in baking dish and slowly pour custard mixture over.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I love this idea and hate wasting food, too. This look so delicious and the perfect summer treat!