The best gluten-free bread pudding tastes exactly like the old-fashioned custard dessert you grew up on! This easy, homemade recipe is baked with gluten-free bread, ripe bananas, and gooey chocolate chips for a decadently delicious banana bread flavor. Included are easy tips for an extremely moist interior, while keeping the crust perfectly golden and crisp.
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Best Recipe For Gluten-Free Bread Pudding
Enjoy homemade, classic breading pudding with this easy, gluten-free recipe! A rich, banana custard coats moist, buttery bread dotted with melted chocolate. Top with a scoop of cool, creamy ice cream and dive into the gluten-free dessert of your dreams!
Using ripe, mashed bananas in the custard helps keep the bread cubes moist during the long baking time. The top bakes into a brown sugar, cinnamon crust while the inside is left spongy and sweet, just like french toast casserole!
What’s the secret to the best bread pudding? Letting the bread soak for 15 minutes before baking allows extra time for the GF bread cubes to soak up the custard. When testing the recipe, I found baking without aluminum foil still yields a moist interior, golden, crisp crust, and helps liquid evaporate, fusing the bread together.
This easy gluten-free bread pudding recipe is adaptable to many different flavors and variations. Use your preferred GF bread loaf (although I’m partial to my favorite gluten-free challah recipe), store-bought bread, or this easy, homemade gluten-free sandwich bread.
Other modifications and tips are included, such as swapping out the bananas and chocolate chips for different flavors, making a dairy-free recipe, how to freeze, reheat and more!
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Ingredients Tid Bits
This gluten-free bread pudding recipe uses homemade or store-bought gluten-free bread, as long as it measures 8 cups. The bread will have to be slightly dried out before mixing together.
- Gluten-free bread – I used gluten-free challah, but you can also use any homemade gluten-free bread recipes, store bought, or see the additional GF bread suggestions. Cube the bread and let it sit out for several hours, up to 24. You can also dry the bread quickly by following the instructions in the recipe belwo.
- Butter – For dairy-free bread pudding substitute a plant-based butter
- Ripe bananas
- Chocolate chips – Replace with dairy free chocolate chips or omit, if desired.
- Whole milk – A higher fat milk makes a richer custard. For a dairy-free alternative, use full-fat coconut milk for a richer taste.
Let’s Make This Together!
Nothing can be easier than whipping up some homemade bread pudding! It doesn’t require any special equipment, it comes together in one bowl, and with a decadent banana chocolate chip flavor, is really the best gluten-free bread pudding recipe out there!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 2 quart baking dish (or 8X8 inch pan).
- Add the slightly dried-out bread cubes to a large mixing bowl. Gently toss bread with melted butter to thoroughly combine, then add chocolate chips to combine. Pour the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- In the same bowl the bread was in, mash the bananas. Add the eggs, milk, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the liquid egg custard mixture over the bread. Stir, making sure all the custard covers the bread. Let the bread sit for 15 minutes before baking for the bread to absorb the custard.
- Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour. The bread pudding is done when a knife inserted in the middle doesn’t come out wet, but the bread is still moist.
- Cool slightly, about 10-15 minutes, before serving with ice cream or whipped cream.
Best Type of GF Bread To Use
Use any preferred gluten-free bread, store bought or homemade. For best results, cube the bread and let it dry out slightly. Either let the cubes sit out for several hours or quickly toast in a 350ºF oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Store-bought bread – white, wheat, or cinnamon raisin
- Gluten-free challah or brioche
- Gluten-free French or homemade gluten-free Italian bread
- For a frugal twist, freeze leftover bread heels in ziplock bag. Once you have 10-12 slices, make this recipe!
- Gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread
Serving and Sauces
Bread pudding is best served warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. Serving with some fresh berries also helps balance out the richness.
If you would like to drizzle a sauce over the top, try homemade hot fudge, caramel sauce, bourbon or rum sauce, fruit sauce (such as quick blueberry syrup or strawberry), a creamy maple sauce, or a simple drizzle of pure maple syrup.
Make-Ahead Instructions
This recipe may be prepared up to 24 hours ahead of time. Mix everything together, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Let the pudding sit out for 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. It may need a few minutes longer to bake because the custard will be thoroughly soaked into the bread.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Moist Gluten-Free Bread Pudding with Bananas
Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed gluten-free bread, slightly dried-out, (I used gluten-free challah bread)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top
- 2 large ripe bananas
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk, or dairy-free alternative
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- (optional) ice cream or whipped cream, for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally grease a 2 quart baking dish (8X8 inch pan) and set aside.
- Add the slightly dried-out bread to a large mixing bowl. Gently toss bread with melted butter to thoroughly combine. Add the chocolate chips and mix combine. Pour the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish, making sure the chocolate chips are dispersed throughout.8 cups cubed gluten-free bread, slightly dried-out, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- In the same bowl the bread was in, mash the bananas. Add the eggs and whisk well to combine. Add the milk, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk again to combine.2 large ripe bananas, 4 large eggs, 3 cups whole milk, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- Pour the egg custard mixture over the bread, making sure all the bread is covered. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top, if desired. Let the bread sit for 15 minutes before baking for the bread to absorb the custard.
- Bake on the middle rack for 50 minutes – 1 hour. If the top is becoming too brown before the pudding is cooked through, loosely tent foil over the top for the last 10-15 minutes. The bread pudding is done when a knife inserted in the middle doesn't come out wet, but the bread is still moist.
- Cool slightly, about 10-15 minutes, before serving. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
Quickly Drying Out Bread
This is where using gluten-free bread has it advantages because it dries out so quickly! Cut the bread in cubes and let it sit out for several hours, up to 24 hours, or for faster results, toast cubes in a 350ºF oven for 5-10 minutes.Dairy-Free Modification
- Swap out the milk for a non-dairy alternative, such as almond or coconut milk. For a richer taste use coconut milk, but it will add some of the flavor.
- Replace the melted butter with plant-based butter, such as Smart Balance.
- If adding chocolate chips, make sure those are dairy-free as well, such as Enjoy Life brand.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
Since bread pudding is soaked in an egg custard, leftovers need to be covered and refrigerated after it has come to room temperature. It can be refrigerated up to 3 days. Individual slices can also be wrapped securely and frozen up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, or at room temperature, and reheat. The easiest way is to reheat slices in the microwave for 30 seconds – 1 minute. To reheat a larger amount, cover the dish securely with foil and heat in a 350ºF for 15-20 minutes, or until hot throughout.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
This was very well received at a potluck I went to. It was delicious. I live in high altitude, do I had to cook it 10-15 minutes longer. A go to recipe for me! Thanks!!
Thank you, Cathy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for adding the high altitude tips!
Best,
Melissa