This Dutch oven bread pudding, made with bread and raisins soaked in custard and smothered in caramel sauce is a cozy Dutch oven dessert recipe that's perfect for enjoying around the campfire.
Bread pudding definitely isn't fancy, but it is incredibly comforting, and makes excellent use of everyday ingredients, along with your leftover bread. This simple dessert is easy to make in your cast iron Dutch oven and is the perfect finish to a cool weather camping meal.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bread--For the best results, I recommend using day-old brioche or challah bread which have great flavor and also stand up to being soaked in custard. You do want to use bread that is slightly stale, so if your bread is fresh, cut it in cubes and let it sit out uncovered at room temperature for a couple of hours to let it dry out.
- Whole milk and cream--Whole milk will add richness to the custard while cream is used for making the caramel sauce to pour over the finished pudding. If you normally use reduced fat milk and don't want to bring whole milk along with you, add ¼ cup of the cream to 2 ¼ cups of reduced fat milk.
- Vanilla or rum--You can use vanilla extract or rum in your sauce. If using rum, I recommend a dark or spiced rum for best flavor.
How to Make Bread Pudding in a Dutch Oven
1. Whisk the brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Fold in the bread and mix gently.
3. Gently stir in the raisins.
4. Scoop the mixture into a parchment-lined Dutch oven and let soak while you prepare coals.
5. Cook the bread pudding in a Dutch oven using hot coals or embers.
6. Combine the sugar, butter, cream, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla or rum.
FAQs
Yes. Follow the directions using your regular Dutch oven and cook in a 350°F oven until puffed and cooked through, about 50 minutes.
I recommend making this in a 6-to-8-quart Dutch oven. Using a smaller or larger one will impact the cooking time.
The cooked bread pudding should be golden brown in color and slightly puffed in the center. When gently pressed in the center, it should feel soft but spring back. If you insert a knife into the center, it should come out clean and feel hot to the touch.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- To get ahead, prepare the caramel sauce before heading out. Store it in a sealed container and warm it in a small pot before serving.
- Be sure to line your Dutch oven with parchment paper for easy clean up.
- Since you're cooking in a Dutch oven outside, the cooking time can vary due to outside temperature and wind. If you're cooking on a very windy day, try to protect the Dutch oven with a barrier, such as a tarp.
- Leftover bread pudding and sauce can be stored separately in airtight containers in your fridge or cooler for up to 4 days.
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Recipe
Dutch Oven Bread Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
For the bread pudding
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 cups day-old challah or brioche bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- ⅔ cup raisins
For the caramel sauce
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup whipping cream
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon spiced rum (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)
Instructions
Make the bread pudding
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Gently fold the bread into the milk mixture. Add the raisins and stir gently to combine. Pour the bread pudding into a parchment-lined 6-to-8-quart Dutch oven and let the mixture soak while you prepare the coals.
- Prepare 24 coals or hot embers for Dutch oven cooking. Your coals are ready when they are covered in white ash. This typically takes about 15 minutes. Place 8 coals under the Dutch oven and 16 on the lid.
- Cook, replacing the coals as needed (approximately every 30 minutes) until the bread pudding is golden brown and slightly puffed and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. (Outdoor conditions will affect cook time, so begin checking after 45 minutes).
Make the sauce
- Combine the sugar, butter, cream, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and the sauce begins to simmer. Remove it from the heat and stir in the rum or vanilla.
- Serve the bread pudding warm with sauce poured over it.
Notes
- Get ahead--Prepare the caramel sauce before heading out. Store it in a sealed container and warm it in a small pot before serving.
- Make clean up easy--Line your Dutch oven with parchment for easy clean up.
- Protect your oven--Cooking time can vary due to outside temperature and wind. If you're cooking on a very windy day, try to protect the Dutch oven with a barrier, such as a tarp.
- Storage--Leftover bread pudding and sauce can be stored separately in airtight containers in your fridge or cooler for up to 4 days.
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