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This Fruit Jam Bread Pudding is what happens when pantry staples meet pure dessert magic.
It is creamy, custardy, buttery, and packed with jammy flavor. Exactly the kind of treat you whip up when you want comfort and flavor in every bite.
What Makes This Recipe So Special
I’ve made a lot of bread puddings over the years, and this version with fruit jam ranks up there as one of the easiest and most delicious.
It’s incredibly adaptable, works with almost any jam you have stashed away, and delivers that perfect blend of soft custard-soaked bread with golden crispy edges.
I originally created this recipe as a way to use up some homemade peach vanilla bean jam that never quite set. The flavor was there, but the texture was runny, which made it less than ideal for spreading on toast, but absolutely perfect for soaking into bread pudding.
Simple Ingredients, Big Payoff
At its core, this recipe is a layered mashup of bread, butter, and jam, but soaked in an eggy custard that bakes into rich perfection. You’ll get a caramelized top, a creamy center, and sweet fruit flavor in every bite.
Any kind of jam will work. I’ve also made this bread pudding with my strawberry rhubarb jam and the result was wonderful!
Use whatever white bread you love or have on hand. I used par-baked panini rolls from Trader Joe’s, but brioche, challah, or even plain sandwich bread all work great. This is a flexible recipe that welcomes substitutions.
How to Make Fruit Jam Bread Pudding
You’re just a few steps away from this comforting dessert. The full recipe with all of the ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card below, but here is a high level summary.
1. Build the sandwiches
Generously butter slices of bread and spread them with your favorite fruit jam. I used peach vanilla jam, but anything from raspberry preserves to blackberry or apricot jam would be delicious.
2. Cut and layer
Stack the sandwiches, cut them into quarters, and layer them loosely in a buttered baking dish.
3. Make the custard
Whisk together whole milk, eggs, sugar, Grand Marnier (just a splash for depth), vanilla, and a touch of nutmeg.
4. Pour, soak, and bake
Pour the custard evenly over the sandwiches, press gently to help the bread absorb the liquid, and sprinkle the top with sugar for extra sparkle and crunch. Bake until golden and set.
Learn From Me
After years of testing bread puddings in all forms, here’s what I’ve learned:
- Use a rich bread like brioche or challah for the best flavor or par baked rolls like I did in this recipe for a nice chewy texture.
- Don’t skip the soak – give the bread time to absorb the custard before baking.
- Sprinkling sugar on top helps create a lightly crisped, caramelized top.
- Jam that’s too runny for toast? That’s perfect here. It blends right into the custard and adds flavor throughout.
Serving Suggestions
This fruit jam bread pudding is incredible warm out of the oven, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
The soft center paired with that cold creamy topping? Pure joy.
Leftovers are fair game for breakfast – no shame. I mean, how different is it than something like Crème Brûlée French Toast or Baked Challah French Toast?
Storage and Reheating
To store:
Let the bread pudding cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To reheat:
Warm individual servings in the microwave for 30–45 seconds or reheat larger portions in a 325°F oven until warmed through. A splash of cream or milk over the top before reheating helps bring back that fresh-baked texture.
To freeze:
Wrap portions tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Can’t Get Enough Bread Pudding?
You might also want to check out my recipes for Berry Bread Pudding, Savory Bread Pudding, Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Bread Pudding, Banana Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce, and Bread Pudding with Vanilla Caramel Sauce.
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces bread I used Trader Joe's par baked panini rolls
- 1/2 cup butter plus more to grease dish
- 16 ounces fruit jam I used homemade peach vanilla jam
- 4 cups whole milk
- 6 eggs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Additional sugar for sprinkling over top before baking
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" x 12" baking pan generously with butter.
- Make layered sandwiches of 12 ounces bread, 1/2 cup butter , and 16 ounces fruit jam.
- Cut sandwiches into quarters and arrange loosely in a greased baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 cups whole milk, 6 eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Pour over sandwich quarters.
- Generously sprinkle top with Additional sugar for sprinkling over top before baking and bake 40-45 minutes in preheated oven until the custard is set and the top crust looks golden brown.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love the idea of putting jam in the bread pudding! Am going to try it very soon.
Bread pudding is my ultimate favorite dessert! This was a great way to use all of the jam I had in hand. Thank you for the great recipe!
How can you go wrong when you have grand marnier in a dessert! What a luscious sweet treat!
we make an Indian dessert similar to this but without eggs..love this recipe though..will try it
This bread pudding looks so delicious! I would definitely have this for breakfast!
This bread pudding recipe looks very delicious. I would try it out this week. Thanks for sharing