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Pouring syrup over a warm slice of chocolate chip bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream.

Decadent Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

This rich and creamy chocolate chip bread pudding features day-old challah soaked in a luscious vanilla-cinnamon custard, studded with generous amounts of semi-sweet chocolate. Baked to golden perfection, it's the ultimate comforting dessert.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Bread Pudding
  • 12 oz Day-old Challah or Brioche cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8-9 cups lightly packed)
  • 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter softened, for greasing dish
  • 2 cups Whole Milk
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 2 Large Egg Yolks
  • 1.5 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1.5 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips divided
For Serving (Optional)
  • 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar for dusting
  • Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking dish
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Medium Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Large roasting pan (for water bath)

Method
 

Prepare for Baking
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9x13 inch baking dish with the softened unsalted butter.
  2. Place the cubed challah or brioche into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the bread cubes.
Make the Custard
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined and smooth.
Assemble and Soak
  1. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and chocolate chips in the baking dish. Gently press down on the bread with a spatula to ensure all pieces are submerged and absorb the custard. Let the pudding soak at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours, covering the dish if refrigerating.
  2. After soaking, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the pudding.
Bake the Pudding
  1. Place the baking dish inside a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the sides of the bread pudding dish. This creates a water bath (bain-marie), which helps the pudding cook evenly and stay moist and creamy.
  2. Transfer the roasting pan with the bread pudding to the preheated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden brown. A knife inserted into the center should come out mostly clean.
  3. Carefully remove the bread pudding dish from the water bath and place it on a wire rack to cool slightly for at least 15-20 minutes before serving. The pudding will continue to set as it cools.
Serve
  1. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Notes

For best results, always use day-old bread; fresh bread will turn mushy. Challah or brioche work wonderfully due to their rich texture. You can prepare this pudding ahead of time and refrigerate it after soaking (step 5) for up to 24 hours before baking. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the microwave or oven.