Sweet potato bread pudding is reminiscent of the classic Thanksgiving side dish – sweet potato casserole. You’ll love the marshmallow topping!
I love bread pudding. Seriously love it. It’s a fantastic dessert — unassuming but SO delicious.
And it also works as breakfast. At least in my book. Eggs, milk, bread. It’s totally breakfast food.
My favorite bread pudding up until now has always been Blueberry Bread Pudding. But move over, blueberry bread pudding, there’s a new kid on the block!
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to create a twist on the classic side dish that everyone associates with Turkey Day — Sweet Potato Casserole.
Of course there are already a lot of different takes on the familiar marshmallow-topped classic dish (check out Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole — gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free). Kids especially love hand held sweet potato casserole, complete with marshmallows, of course.
Sweet potato bread pudding just might be something new to you, though. I just know you’re going to love it.
Bread pudding might not be the most photogenic lady but it’s what is inside that counts.
Creamy custard made with flavorful (and healthy!) sweet potatoes. No plain white bread in this lady — she’s loaded with cinnamon swirl bread. Tons of warm fall spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dash of cardamom to dress her up.
Add marshmallow topping — sweet, perfectly browned and just a little bit of crispy perfection that will make you feel like you’re sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows.
This will quickly become a favorite Thanksgiving dessert…or breakfast.
(P.S. It’s a great way to use leftover mashed sweet potatoes, too!)
Recipe Tip
Make ahead tip: Prepare the casserole but don’t bake it. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or even overnight. Remove from fridge while oven is preheating, uncover, and bake as directed. You may need to add a little extra baking time.
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Marshmallow Topping
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ground nutmeg)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 cups cubed cinnamon bread (see note)
- 3 to 4 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Scrub sweet potatoes and prick holes all over with a fork. Wrap in paper towel and cook in microwave on high for 5 to 10 minutes or until soft. Cool slightly. Scoop out flesh and mash or puree. You should have 1 ½ cups mashed sweet potato. Let cool almost completely. You can do this ahead.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs until blended. Add mashed sweet potatoes, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and salt; whisk until well-blended.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Put cubed bread in prepared pan and pour sweet potato mixture over bread. Press down slightly so that the bread is immersed in the sweet potato mixture.
- Allow bread mixture to stand for 10 minutes to soak up the sweet potato mixture. You can also cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the bread pudding is set (stick a knife in the center and look for liquid — if there is still liquid, continue baking. Internal temperature should reach 165°F).
- Take the dish out of the oven and sprinkle mini marshmallows over the top in an even layer. Place pan under the broiler for about 1 minute (WATCH CAREFULLY!), until the marshmallows puff up and brown.
- Allow to cool about 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
- If cinnamon swirl bread isn’t available, substitute white bread and increase cinnamon to 1½ teaspoons.
- Add nuts, if desired. Fold in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or toasted walnuts.
- Make ahead tip: Prepare bread pudding but don’t bake. Refrigerate, covered, up to 24 hours. Bake as directed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I made this for Thanksgiving and my children have been asking for it again. They mention it at least once a week.. This recipe is Amazing .. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ For sure.. Thank you .. As a mother of 4 is incredibly hard to find something they all like…
I’m so happy to hear that, Mindy! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment, it means a lot to me! So glad I could make life as a busy mom just a touch easier :)
You combined two dishes I love! The toasted marshmallow topping makes this irresistible! Pinned!