OK, so bread pudding is generally a “winter” treat. But it’s one of my favorite comfort foods, that I enjoy year-round. This is one that I adapted from a bakery that I worked at from September ’06 to January ’07. I specify Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls from a tube for convenience (and built-in serve-with sauce!), but if you choose to make your own from scratch, only to tear them up, well, be my guest. I have included two simple cinnamon bun icing recipes if you go this route. 

Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding
Adapted from recipe by Ann B.

Ingredients

• 2 tubes of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls (any flavor/variety)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups half and half
• ¾ c. sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• ½ cup white chocolate chips (optional)
• ½ cup dried cranberries (optional)

Directions

1. Bake cinnamon rolls as directed. Allow to cool.
2. While rolls are baking, scald milk and half and half.
3. Whisk together sugar and eggs, and temper with hot milk mixture.
4. Pour mixture back into saucepan, and add vanilla.
5. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with Pam.
6. Break cinnamon rolls into 1-inch chunks and spread in baking pan. Sprinkle white chocolate chips an cranberries among bread pieces, if using, and pour custard mixture over rolls.
7. Cover pan in tinfoil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
8. Serve warm with icing that comes in the Pillsbury tube, or use one of the recipes below.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Bun Icing
Source: The Restaurant School

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients with hand- or stand-mixer.

Simple Cinnamon Bun Icing
Source: AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Combine ingredients with a whisk. Add more milk if too thick, or add more sugar if too thin.