Blueberry Lemon Bread Pudding

Warm and delicious Blueberry Lemon Bread Pudding lightened up with healthier ingredients and zero butter or refined sugar!  The perfect cozy dish for breakfast, brunch or dessert!

Growing up my Grandma was known for her out-of-this-world bread pudding and it is still one of my favorites.  This blueberry lemon bread pudding recipe is lower in calories and made much healthier than what I grew up eating, but still has those same warm, cozy flavors we love so much!  Crusty whole wheat bread and gooey blueberries all soaked in a delicious mixture of milk, eggs, maple syrup, lemon, vanilla and cinnamon.  Perfect dish for breakfast, hosting a brunch or even dessert!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Warm, cozy and delicious!
• Lightened up with healthier ingredients and zero butter or refined sugar.
• Can easily be prepped the night before for an easy morning breakfast or brunch!
• Easy to customize to your liking with fun toppings.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• bread – for breakfast casseroles like this, I always prefer using a crusty sourdough day old bread because it soaks up the egg mixture perfectly without getting too soggy or mushy when baking.  You could also use a brioche bread, challah or even french bread.
• blueberries – you can use fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries, just make sure if using frozen you don’t let them thaw first as they won’t hold their shape when baked.
• lemon zest – brightens up this whole casserole and tastes amazing with the blueberries!  Feel free to add in a tablespoon of lemon juice for even more lemon flavor.
• applesauce – I used unsweetened applesauce and this helps keep the bread pudding moist.  You could also use plain Greek yogurt in place of the applesauce.
• milk – I used almond milk, but any type of milk or even heavy cream will work in this recipe.
• eggs – you’ll need 2 large eggs in this recipe to help bind the bread pudding together.
• maple syrup – this adds sweetness to the bread pudding without using any refined granulated sugar (you could also use honey) and tastes AMAZING in this casserole!  Feel free to drizzle a little more over top after it has baked.
• vanilla extract – adds a warm boost of flavor.
• cinnamon + salt

How to Make Blueberry Lemon Bread Pudding

1. Slice the bread.  Start by cutting your loaf of crusty bread into 1-inch cubes until you have about 5 cups of cubed bread.  Set aside until ready to use.
2. Make the custard mixture.  In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, applesauce, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon zest and salt.  Fold in the cubed bread and the blueberries, mixing well until the bread is completely coated.
3. Let bread pudding sit.  Allow the bread pudding mixture to sit for about 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature allowing the bread to soak up all that delicious flavor.  Transfer the bread pudding to an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish coated in cooking spray and either cover and place in the fridge if planning to bake the next morning, or prepare to bake uncovered.
4. Bake!  Place the bread pudding uncovered in the oven at 350 degrees and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the dish is set and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Serve.  Enjoy the bread pudding warm as is or you could drizzle this with some cream cheese, extra maple syrup, sprinkle on some powdered sugar or enjoy as dessert with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream!

Prepping and Storage

This lemon blueberry bread pudding can easily be made ahead of time and I always prefer just making it the night before I’m planning on baking it.  Simply follow the instructions right up until baking it, cover and place in the fridge until ready to pop in the oven.

To Store: You can store this blueberry bread pudding in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.  When ready to re-heat, either cover the entire dish with foil and heat in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or re-heat individual portions in the microwave or toaster oven until heated through.

To Freeze: This blueberry bread pudding can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed, airtight container.  Alternatively, you can also slice the bread pudding into individual portions, wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in sealed freezer bags.

Optional Toppings

• Drizzle on some cream cheese (highly recommend!), maple syrup, a lemon glaze or whipped cream
• Sprinkle with some powdered sugar
• Top with extra blueberries, chopped nuts or other fresh fruit
• Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy as a dessert!

Hope you all enjoy this Blueberry Lemon Bread Pudding and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!