Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding Recipe

Have you ever found yourself wishing you could have cinnamon rolls and bread pudding all in the same dish? Well, even if you haven't, you'll still be tempted by this cinnamon roll bread pudding recipe, courtesy of recipe developer Jessica Morone. This recipe combines the sweetness of refrigerated cinnamon rolls along with the creamy, eggy decadence of bread pudding. And, thanks to the addition of pecans, there's also a wonderful crunchy element.

"My favorite thing about this dish is how easy it is to make," Morone explains. "There are just a few ingredients, and you can even bake the cinnamon rolls ahead of time and assemble it quickly to bake it in the morning if you want an easy breakfast." We love any easy, ready-to-bake dish for busy mornings! As if the ease of this recipe wasn't enough to love, the texture and flavor are both sublime. "The texture of this bread pudding is like a smooth, fluffy custard, and the pecans give it a nice bit of crunch for added texture and flavor," Morone says. Cinnamon rolls are a classic breakfast dish, and this recipe takes things to a whole new level.

While you're likely eager to hop right into this recipe, let's make sure you have all of the right ingredients. Luckily, this is an easy recipe to make, and the ingredients are pretty minimal. You'll need a can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls, chopped pecans, milk (Morone says any kind will work), heavy cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Be sure to check your fridge and pantry before heading to the store to buy these ingredients — many of them are likely already in your kitchen.

To get started on this recipe, you'll first want to preheat the oven to 350 F and focus on the cinnamon rolls. Pop open the can and lay the cinnamon rolls out onto a greased pan, then bake them per the package instructions. Once they're done baking, allow them to cool completely before handling them. Then, cut the cinnamon rolls into 1-inch pieces, place them in a large bowl with the chopped pecans, and mix them together. The sweet cinnamon rolls paired with the crunchy, nutty pecans creates a truly irresistible flavor combination!

Now that the cinnamon rolls are ready to go, you can grab a bowl and add in the milk, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Give all of these ingredients a good stir, then pour it over the cinnamon roll chunks. Allow the liquid to absorb into the cinnamon rolls for 20 minutes. Then, pour the entire mixture into a greased 8x8-inch baking dish.

Pop the cinnamon roll mixture into the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is set. While that's baking, add the powdered sugar to a small bowl and whisk it together with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk. Start by adding just 1 tablespoon of the milk, then add the other as the mixture starts to form an icing consistency. Once the cinnamon roll bread pudding is done baking, pull the dish out of the oven, drizzle the icing on top, and enjoy! 

"I think having it with coffee or tea in the morning makes the perfect breakfast," Morone says. Of course, you could also enjoy this sweet treat as a dessert. As for leftovers, Morone says that you can store them in the fridge for five days or freeze them for up to three months. "I suggest saving a little bit of the frosting on the side so you can add it to the bread pudding before reheating it," she advises. We hope you enjoy this sweet, easy-to-make breakfast treat.