Indulge in the perfect comfort food with our delightful chocolate chip bread pudding recipe. We’ve decided to put a twist on a classic favorite, combining the rich flavors of chocolate chips and cocoa powder with the warmth of baked bread. It’s an ideal treat for satisfying your sweet tooth or serving as a sweet surprise for breakfast the next morning.

A slice of chocolate chip bread pudding on a small white plate with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Bread pudding is one of my family’s favorite desserts so I always enjoy creating different renditions of this classic recipe.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

This bread pudding recipe is drenched in a delicious, cocoa-infused custard. The cocoa powder elevates its richness and texture that complements the moist bread and chocolate chips. It is also topped with a glossy layer of melted chocolate and comes together with ease!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Stale white bread
Milk
Large eggs
Vanilla extract
Granulated sugar
Cocoa powder
Cinnamon
Chocolate chips

Optional Chocolate Sauce

Chocolate chips
Heavy cream

See recipe card for quantities.

Step By Step Instructions

Cut loaf of bread into 2 inch cubes. Set aside. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add bread cubes into the dish and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, vanilla extract, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and cocoa powder until well combined. Evenly pour mixture over the bread pieces and gently push down with a spatula until bread is covered. You should see the bread soaking up the liquid.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over bread pudding before placing in the oven. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. The bread pudding should have a golden brown color when done. Place on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Chocolate Topping Instructions

If you’re a big chocolate fan like we are, you’re going to want to make this chocolate ganache that only takes a few simple steps to make:

In a microwave safe bowl, add in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream.
Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time. Spoon over bread pudding once it’s removed from the oven.

Adding chocolate ganache ingredients to a bowl.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Stale Bread – you’ll want to avoid using fresh bread for this chocolate bread pudding recipe. If you find that you’re not able to purchase your bread until the day you plan on making this decadent dessert, you can cut your loaf into 2″ bread cubes, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 325°F for a few minutes. We suggest starting at 5 minutes, check on it and then add a few minutes at a time. Loaf cubes will be ready just before they start turning golden. Once you remove them from the oven, let them cool while you prepare your egg mixture. Resume making the recipe as usual.

Serving Tips

We highly recommend serving individual portions warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! If you’re feeling adventurous, consider adding a chocolate chip cookie to your ice cream scoop.
Serve on Mother’s Day morning with a side of protein and fresh fruits.

Recipe Variations

Toppings – sprinkle candied pecans or crushed almonds over your sweet bread pudding to add a fun crunch factor.
Mix-ins – elevate this recipe with other mix-ins such as chocolate chunks or dark chocolate chips.
Zebra Effect – melt 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips with 1/4 cup of heavy cream. You can do this in the microwave or in a small heavy saucepan on the stove. For the stovetop method, adjust setting to low heat and stir as the chocolate is melting with the cream. Drizzle over freshly baked chocolate chip bread pudding.
Caffeine Kick – add in 1-2 teaspoons of instant coffee to your milk mixture. The coffee will only enhance the chocolate flavor.
Brown Sugar – you can use a combination of brown and white sugar for this recipe.

Recipe Substitutions

Milk – instead of using whole milk, you may consider using alternatives such as almond milk or coconut milk.
Chocolate Sauce – you can use a vanilla sauce or rum sauce if preferred.
Chocolate Chips – for a touch more of sweetness, consider using milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet chocolate chips.

Other Tasty Bread Options

Below you will find a few other bread options that are a little different but will hopefully inspire you to get creative with this recipe:

Buttery brioche bread
Challah bread
Buttery croissants
Hawaiian bread

Storage Tips

To store leftover bread pudding properly, follow these simple steps:

Cool Completely: Allow your chocolate chip bread pudding to cool completely at room temperature before storing it. This helps maintain its texture and prevents condensation, which can make it soggy.
Refrigerate: Once cooled, cover the bread pudding tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. If stacking slices on top of each other, be sure to place a piece of wax or parchment paper in between them so that they don’t stick together. Ensure that it is well-sealed to prevent it from drying out or absorbing unwanted flavors from other foods in the refrigerator.
Label and Date: If you’re using a container, it’s a good idea to label and date it. This way, you can easily identify how long the bread pudding has been stored, ensuring freshness and quality.
Consume Within Timeframe: Generally, you can store leftover bread pudding in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. After this period, the quality may begin to deteriorate.
Reheat Before Serving: When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, you can reheat individual servings in the microwave or oven until warmed through. This helps restore its gooey texture.

Common Questions About Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

Does the Type of Bread I Use, Matter?

No! French bread is our preferred kind of bread to use whenever we’re making this particular kind of dessert but you can use whatever leftover bread you have on hand. What matters is that you use day old bread. We like to buy ours a day or two before we plan on using it. One year, when we were in a pinch, we used sandwich bread that was about to expire. The result was just as delicious as any other time that we’ve made this recipe.

Can I Make Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding Ahead of Time?

Yes. You can do this by preparing your bread cubes and custard base the night before. After cutting up your favorite bread, add the cubes to a lightly sprayed casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and leave out at room temperature. Combine all your custard mixture ingredients in a large bowl and cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Refrigerate overnight. When you’re read to bake, preheat your oven, give your custard mixture a quick whisk and pour over the bread cubes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over bread pudding before placing in the oven and bake according to the recipe card.

Equipment

9×13 baking dish

Prep Time:12

Cook Time:45

Total Time:57

Servings: large slices

Author: Melissa Bravo-Almazan

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread loaf use day old bread
2 cups whole milk can use plant-based milk
4 eggs
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips

Optional Chocolate Glaze

2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Cut loaf of bread into 2 inch cubes. Set aside. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add bread cubes into the dish and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, vanilla extract, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and cocoa powder until well combined. Evenly pour mixture over the bread pieces and gently push down with a spatula until bread is covered. You should see the bread soaking up the liquid.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over bread pudding before placing in the oven. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. The bread pudding should have a golden brown color when done. Place on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Chocolate Sauce

In a microwave safe bowl, add in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream.
Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time. Spoon over bread pudding once it's removed from the oven.