Pineapple Bread Pudding

Imagine a comforting, delicious bread pudding that captures one of summer’s fruity flavors.  You’ve just visualized this pineapple bread pudding recipe.  This must-eat-more dessert incorporates toasted white bread and canned pineapple, which means minimal effort on your part. The hardest part of the process is trying not to eat more!

Ingredients for Pineapple Bread Pudding

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• White bread: White bread crisps up nicely in the oven, making it better able to hold the liquid portion of the pudding without falling completely apart.
• Butter: Melted butter adds hints of buttery goodness to every bite!
• Eggs: The eggs serve as a binding agent to help all the pudding ingredients stick together.
• Canned crushed pineapple: Since the pineapple is already cored and cut into small pieces, it’s a major time-saver in this recipe!
• Dried currants or raisins: Currants or raisins add extra flavor and a new texture to the bread pudding. If you don’t like currants or raisins, feel free to omit them.
• Sugar: Sugar makes the pudding taste sweeter. The bread absorbs a little of the sugar for sweetness in every bite.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds just a hint of warm flavor to the bread pudding.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon brings warm, spicy notes to the bread pudding for a flavor that complements the pineapple.
• Whipped cream (optional): A dollop of whipped cream is delightful atop nearly any dessert, including this one!

Directions

Step 1: Bake and cube the bread

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Place the bread slices on a baking sheet. Bake the bread at 375°F for four minutes, then flip the bread over and bake it for four more minutes. Cut the toasted bread into 1-inch cubes, set them in a bowl and toss them with the melted butter.

Step 2: Prepare the bread pudding mixture

Leticia Almeida for Taste of Home

In a bowl, beat the eggs until they’re thick and lemon-colored. Then add the pineapple, currants or raisins, sugar and vanilla.  Mix them well and fold in the bread cubes.

Step 3: Bake the bread pudding

Leticia Almeida for Taste of Home

Pour the bread-pudding mixture into a greased 2-1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle it with cinnamon and bake the bread pudding at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until it’s bubbly and golden brown. Serve the bread pudding warm and topped with whipped cream, if desired.

Pineapple Bread Pudding Variations

• Serve with ice cream: Serve the pineapple bread pudding with vanilla ice cream in place of (or in addition to) the whipped cream. Ice cream melting on the warm bread pudding makes this dessert extra decadent and delish!
• Soak the raisins in bourbon: Soak the currants or raisins in bourbon or dark rum for about five minutes for a slightly boozy touch to this pineapple bread pudding. Yum!
• Use brown sugar: Brown sugar has hints of molasses flavor which tastes delicious paired with the pineapple.
• Include pineapple juice: Add just a little of the pineapple juice from the can as you mix up the bread pudding ingredients for even more pineapple flavor. You may need to bake it a few minutes longer, as more liquid means a moister bread pudding.

How to Store Pineapple Bread Pudding

Store pineapple bread pudding in an airtight container or keep it in the baking pan with a layer of plastic wrap securely over the top. Store it in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to three days.

Can you freeze pineapple bread pudding?

Yes, pineapple bread pudding freezes well for up to three months but the texture may change slightly. When the bread pudding is cool or cold, slice it into individual portions and wrap those in plastic wrap before putting them in zippered freezer bags. Thaw the pineapple bread pudding in the refrigerator before enjoying it again.

Pineapple Bread Pudding Tips

Leticia Almeida for Taste of Home

Can I use different bread?

Absolutely! Other breads that taste delicious in this bread pudding include challah or brioche, raisin bread and cinnamon swirl bread. Even leftover dinner rolls (especially the sweet variety) could be cut into cubes and toasted for this pineapple bread pudding recipe. Note: raisin bread will likely toast faster than white bread due to the sugar content in the raisins, so check on it after three minutes instead of four.

How is this different from pineapple upside-down cake?

Though pineapple bread pudding and pineapple upside-down cake tastes a little alike, the way they’re made is a bit different. The bread pudding starts with day-old bread, whereas the upside-down cake starts with a cake mix (either packaged or homemade cake-batter ingredients). The cake tends to be fluffy, while the bread pudding is moist. Pineapple upside-down cake often includes maraschino cherries; feel free to incorporate some into the bread pudding for an interesting variation!

What sauce can I make for this?

We’re glad you asked! The bourbon sauce from this bread pudding and bourbon sauce recipe would be delicious served warm atop this pineapple bread pudding dish. Yum, yum, yum.