Turn leftover cinnamon rolls into a scrumptious cinnamon roll bread pudding in a snap! We love this leftover cinnamon roll bread pudding – start the night before and bake in the morning!
Okay, so I know not everyone will have leftover cinnamon rolls, but sometimes you do, ya know? And this is the perfect way to repurpose those cinnamon rolls into another comforting treat.
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Reasons to love Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding
- Two-In-One – You get my popular Vanilla Butter Sauce that’s perfect for ice cream this delicious Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding and so many other desserts.
- Versatile – Cinnamon roll bread pudding is just as tasty as a dessert as a sweet breakfast.
- Leftovers – This recipe makes old cinnamon rolls into a new and scrumptious treat!
Key Ingredients for Leftover Cinnamon Rolls Bread pudding
- Cinnamon rolls – Use leftover baked cinnamon rolls cut into small pieces. Use your favorite grocery store brand or homemade cinnamon rolls.
- Eggs – I use large, room-temperature eggs. I set them out to come to room temperature before starting the recipe.
- Sugar – Just ½ cup sugar here; light or dark brown sugar works.
- Vanilla – Vanilla extract or bean paste adds creamy notes to the cinnamon roll mixture.
- Dairy – Add whole milk and half and half to make the egg mixture the creamiest.
- Vanilla Butter Sauce – You’ll need butter, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and a touch of cinnamon if desired.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to make bread pudding with cinnamon rolls
Step 1 | Prep pan and make egg custard
Butter or use spray oil to prep a 9×9 (or similar) square, rectangle, oval baking dish, or a 2 qt casserole dish.
In a separate bowl, add eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the milk and half and half and continue whisking until all ingredients are evenly incorporated, and the mixture thickens.
Fresh Tips
- Most of the ingredients for this recipe should be set out to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Step 2 | Pour custard and chill
Toss the cinnamon roll cubes into the baking dish and pour the bread pudding mixture on top. Press the cubes down to into the liquid, then cover the dish with aluminum or plastic wrap.
Let the cinnamon roll pieces and custard chill in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or overnight to continue the recipe the next day.
Step 3 | Bake and set
When ready to bake bring cinnamon roll bread pudding to room temp while you preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C). Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until golden brown, and the custard is slightly jiggly in the center but set. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 4 | Add sauce and enjoy!
Make the vanilla butter sauce as the bread pudding cools – we call it liquid gold! Add the butter, heavy cream, and sugar to a saucepan on low heat. Once the ingredients start to simmer, constantly stir until the sugar is dissolved into the melted butter and cream, and you achieve a syrup-like consistency, easily coating the back of a wooden spoon.
Then, remove the glaze and stir in the vanilla and cinnamon. Spoon the cinnamon vanilla butter sauce over the warm bread pudding and dig in! This is optional of course, but it will wow you! You can also make this creme anglaise which is a classic on bread pudding.
Fresh Tips
- If the custard is too liquidy at the bottom of the dish after baking, bake it for a little longer. It should be soft but not runny.
- If you’re worried about the pudding spilling over the dish as it bakes, place it on top of a baking sheet to catch the mess and make cleaning easier.
Make ahead cinnamon roll bread pudding
Cinnamon roll bread pudding is an excellent recipe to make ahead for a party, holiday meals, or brunch with friends and family.
Prepare, cover it in plastic wrap, then refrigerate it overnight or for up to 24 hours. Before baking the following day, let the bread pudding sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then follow the instructions to complete the recipe.
What should I do if my bread pudding is too dry?
When your bread pudding is a little too dry, add more of the sweet sauce or serve it with a cold scoop of ice cream. The ingredients will easily absorb the ice cream or sauce and moisten. Or add a touch of heavy cream, just a few tablespoons drizzled over the top, like that TikTok recipe! Cover with foil and reheat.
Check out more easy recipes, like a twist on classic bread pudding, Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding, delicious No-Bake Banana Pudding, or rich and chocolatey Oreo Pudding Dessert with homemade cool whip.
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Variations & Substitutions
Gluten-Free Bread Pudding
Easily make a gluten-free bread pudding by making your favorite gluten-free cinnamon rolls and ensuring the vanilla extract is certified gluten-free. All the other ingredients are good to go!
Dairy-Free Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding
Use a non-dairy milk alternative, like almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk, and a butter alternative, like coconut oil or plant-based butter spread.
Tasty Bread Pudding Add-ins
Customize your bread pudding with extra ingredients to add texture and flavor. Try raisins, chopped nuts, or diced fruit, like crisp apples. Mix them in or sprinkle them on top of the bread pudding.
Substitutions
- Try drizzling the bread pudding with my creme anglaise or this flavorful Salted Caramel Bourbon Vanilla Sauce.
- Or, make it extra easy with a simple milk and powdered sugar icing: ½ cups powdered sugar with a few teaspoons of milk or water, whisking to combine.
- Replace the vanilla extract with my Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract for a slightly different flavor profile.
- I like to use cane sugar, but coconut sugar, white sugar, and other sugar alternatives also work.
- If you need an egg-free custard, try some common egg replacements, like mashed banana, apple sauce, or yogurt.
- For something different, top the recipe with cream cheese frosting instead of glaze, complimenting the cinnamon rolls.
- No leftover cinnamon rolls, this works great with stale leftover cubed cinnamon swirl bread too!
My Favorite Baking Dishes
- Easy to clean, Staub Oval Baking Dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade or store-bought cinnamon rolls work for this recipe. Use a quality brand or make your favorite recipe for the best results. Try my Gooey Cinnamon Roll Recipe!
Believe it or not, slightly stale leftover cinnamon rolls are great for bread pudding because they absorb more of the custard mixture. If the rolls are fresh, leave them out overnight to dry and use the next morning at the earliest.
If the center is still mushy, you may need to bake the recipe a little longer. It’s also possible that the cinnamon rolls were too fresh and didn’t absorb enough custard.
If a toothpick inserted into the center of the dish comes out with just a few moist crumbs, it should be ready. You can also gently press on the center to see if the liquid custard comes to the top. If it does, you should bake the bread pudding for a little longer.
Storage Tips
How long does bread pudding last in the fridge?
If you have leftover cinnamon roll bread pudding, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Can you freeze bread pudding?
Sure! Let it cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to store for about a month in the freezer. Instead of freezing the entire dish, try portioning it into individual servings for easier thawing and reheating.
How to reheat bread pudding?
Warm up the leftovers by heating portions in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Alternatively, return it to the oven, cover with foil, and bake for just 20 to 30 minutes. If frozen, first let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
What to serve with bread pudding
Breakfasts to serve with cinnamon roll bread pudding
Pair this sweet breakfast treat with savory dishes like my Tater Tot Egg Casserole No Meat, Crispy Diced Hash Browns Recipe, or this recipe for Gluten Free Chile Relleno Casserole.
Easy Vegetarian Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
This vegetarian tater tot breakfast casserole takes just 20 minutes to assemble but also feeds a crowd and makes meal prep a breeze. Loaded with veggies, eggs and cheese over a tater tot base.
Crispy Diced Potatoes Hash Browns Recipe with Bacon
Today I’m sharing my top tips for the most flavorful, crispy diced hash browns recipe. My testers raved about the amazing flavors and simplicity of this sweet potato breakfast hash!
Easy Hatch Green Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
Best Chile Relleno Casserole is an easy, delicious vegetarian dish made with Monterey Jack cheese stuffed whole roasted chiles, topped with an egg, milk batter, topped with more cheese, then baked to fluffy perfection. Easily adapted to be gluten free.
Because stale bread absorbs the custard better, be sure to make the cinnamon rolls a day or two in advance or use leftovers for the best results, cut into cubes and allow to sit on counter while preparing.
More scrumptious cinnamon sweets
- Butterscotch Cinnamon Pie Recipe
- Cinnamon Crunch Scones
- Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
- Overnight Cinnamon Crunch French Toast
- Cinnamon Roll Casserole
I hope you loved this Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Buns — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!
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Easy Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding Recipe
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Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 2 cups cinnamon rolls 2-3 days old, cubed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark brown, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup half and half
Vanilla Butter Sauce
- ¼ cup butter use real butter, if using unsalted, add ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar I used all-natural cane sugar but you can use white granulated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×9 baking dish, or rectangle or oval baking dish of similar size with butter or spray oil.
- In a large bowl add eggs (3), brown sugar (½ cup), and vanilla (2 TBL) and whisk together. Add milk (1 cup) and half and half (1 cup) and continue to whisk all ingredients together until well incorporated.
- Add the cinnamon roll cubes to the baking dish and pour the egg custard over the top of the cubes. Press the cubes down a little with whisk or spoon to encourage them to start absorbing the liquid.
- Cover the dish with tinfoil or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove the bread pudding from the refrigerator and heat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Bake bread pudding for 45 – 60 minutes until custard is set but still a little jiggly in the center. Remove from the oven and let set for about 15-20 minutes to let the custard set.
- While the bread pudding is cooling make the butter sauce. Add the butter (¼ cup), heavy cream (½ cup) and sugar (½ cup) to a saucepan and start to heat on low until it comes to a slow simmer. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and has a syrup consistency. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Remove the glaze from heat add vanilla (1 ½-2 tsp) and cinnamon (½ tsp) and stir together.
- Pour glaze over warm bread pudding and serve. Enjoy! Also try creme anglaise.
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Notes
- Leftover cinnamon roll bread pudding can be stored in an airtight container or covered well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat Cinnamon bun bread pudding by placing individual portions in the microwave for 30-second bursts until warmed through.
- Or my favorite, return the dish to oven, cover it with aluminum foil and warm for 20-30 minutes until warmed through.
Yes, you can freeze cinnamon roll bread pudding. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it in the oven until warmed through. Make Ahead Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding
Prepare the bread pudding ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight and up to 24 hours before baking. Simply cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking. Tips:
- Gather all your ingredients at once and prepare equipment ahead of time. Unless otherwise stated, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Cut up the cinnamon rolls ahead of time to encourage a little more drying out so it will absorb custard better.
- When served, the custard should be soft but not overly liquidy. If there is still liquid custard at the bottom of the baking dish, bake for longer.
Nutrition
Heather
This Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding recipe is fantastic! It’s simple to make and combines the best of both desserts into one delicious treat. Perfect for any sweet tooth. Thank you!
Paula
Loved the cinnamony flavor of this tasty bread pudding recipe!
Kechi
I didn’t go to work this morning, so I decided to treat my kids with this cinnamon bread pudding and it was soooo good! WOW! I can’t wait to make again.
Liza
This is the ULTIMATE bread pudding! The flavors are amazing, and this is now my go-to bread pudding recipe forever!
Yay!! Thanks so much!
Mandy
We are OBSESSED with this recipe!! Made it the other day and it was DEVOURED. So so good.
YAY! Love that you loved it so much!
Debi
What a great way to use up leftover cinnamon rolls. It keeps them moist and fresh – where when I normally serve them the next day they are dried out. Thanks for the fantastic idea!
You are so welcome!
Laura Ashley Johnson
Nothing says good morning like this bread pudding! Wow…it was absolutely delicious! My kids have already asked that we have it again next weekend.
So glad you loved it! Thank you!