Easy Gluten-Free Bread Pudding with Bananas & Chocolate
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.
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.
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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.