Mexican Bread Pudding (Capirotada)
Mexican bread pudding aka Capirotada is a delectable dessert that is truly worth the time you spend making it. This classic dish is made by layering slices of bread, nuts, and raisins and drizzling them with a rich, cinnamon-spiced syrup that soaks into every crevice.
The result is a rich, creamy and buttery bite that will take your taste buds on a ride. This has to be my favorite spiced dessert of all time- right alongside my crispy apple pie taquitos.
There's nothing quite like a delicious, hearty bread pudding to get you through the colder months, and this Mexican-inspired version is sure to please, with its rich, sweet flavors and satisfying texture.
Best of all, it's easy to make and can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert- just like my coffee cake with streusel crumb topping.
Quick Look: Mexican Bread Pudding
- ⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- 🧉 Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 551 calories per serving
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Rich, creamy, buttery and soft.
- 👌 Difficulty: Medium. Perfect to make for a party you're hosting, after a nice taco charcuterie board.
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Why You'll Love This Mexican Bread Pudding
- It is bursting with flavor and texture and needs just a few simple ingredients and a teeny bit of effort.
- It is incredibly versatile. You can serve it as a dessert after your meal or enjoy it as a side dish to complement a main like Mexican Tinga de Pollo.
- Whether you're an experienced baker or a novice in the kitchen, you'll be able to whip up this delicious bread pudding in no time and impress your friends and family with your culinary skills.
Recipe Ingredients
Bolillo rolls: The base for the bread pudding. Bolillo rolls are the classic bread rolls that are used for this recipe. You should be able to find these at any Latin supermarket.
Raisins + bananas: To bulk up the pudding. They soften beautifully while baking and add a bit of texture too.
Cheese: I used shredded white cheese here for that nice salty flavor contrast. You can Longhorn cheddar, Colby, Queso Fresco or even Monterey Jack if you want to.
Spices: Cinnamon sticks and cloves, to add that warmth to the cinnamon sauce. You can also add a dash of vanilla if you want to- like I did when I made my banana chocolate chunk muffins.
Eggs: For that custardy texture.
Sugar: Dark brown sugar works best for that deep, caramel-like sweetness. If you're able to find Piloncillo (minimally processed cane sugar), even better.
Coffee creamer: I like to use cinnamon churro coffee creamer for extra flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Recipe Variations, Additions, and Substitutions
- Lend a fresh and fruity twist to your bread pudding by adding sliced apples, berries, or peaches to the mixture.
- Chopped nuts like pecans, almonds, or walnuts can add a satisfying crunch and depth of flavor to your Mexican bread pudding. I used pecans while making my ginger pear bread and it turned out so good!
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are popular spices that are often used in Mexican bread pudding. If you have any of these, feel free to experiment and use them too!
- If you're looking to make a dairy-free version of Mexican bread pudding, you can substitute regular milk with almond milk, coconut milk, or any other plant-based milk.
How To Make A Mexican Bread Pudding
Start by preheating your oven to 200 degrees and chopping the Bolillo rolls into ½ inch chunks. Bake these chunks for 30 minutes until they're toasty.
- Combine brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 25 minutes. Strain to remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves and let the sauce come to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, combine bread chunks, raisins, and cheese and toss to combine. Pour the cinnamon sauce into the bread raisin mixture and toss. Let this sit for 10 minutes, and then add the sliced bananas and mix again.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. Whisk eggs and creamer in another bowl and pour this evenly over the bread mixture.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- You can use almost any bread for Mexican bread pudding- Brioche, Challah, or any other bread that you may have.
- Baking the bread first dries up its moisture and keeps it from getting too soggy. If you have stale bread, you can cut down the bread baking time.
- For extra flavor, butter the bread first before baking it.
- Avoid overbaking the pudding, or it'll turn up dry.
- You can experiment with toppings too! Whipped cream is an obvious choice, but you can also try a simple caramel sauce from my skillet caramel apple pull apart bread recipe.
- Let the pudding cool down for a few minutes before you serve.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
This dessert pairs well with a hot cup of coffee or tea, making it a perfect treat to enjoy after a meal or during an afternoon break. You can also serve it a dessert along with some churro cupcakes after a Mexican meal of beef taco salad, cilantro lime rice and some pineapple Pico de Gallo.
Recipe FAQs
Let the leftover pudding cool completely, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly.
No, traditional Mexican bread pudding is not gluten-free because it is made with bread. However, you can make gluten-free bread pudding by using gluten-free bread and ensuring that all other ingredients are gluten-free as well.
You can freeze Mexican bread pudding for up to 3 months. Allow the pudding to cool completely, cut it into portions if desired, and wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap. Then transfer them to a freezer bag or container and freeze.
To reheat individual servings, microwave them for 30-60 seconds or until warm. To reheat larger portions or the entire pudding, place it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
More Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Mexican bread pudding or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments. I love hearing from you!
Mexican Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 6 Bolillo rolls sliced into ½ inch chunks
- 1 ½ cup raisins
- 2 bananas sliced
- 3 cups white cheese shredded
- 6-8 cloves
- 4-6 cinnamon sticks
- 1 ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cup coffee creamer
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees
- Cut your Bolillo rolls into ½ inch chunks.
- Place the cut Bolillo chunks on a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
- In a medium sized saucepan add water, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Whisk to combine.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat and cook for 25 minutes.
- In a large bowl add your bread chunks, raisins, and cheese, toss to combine. Strain the cinnamon sauce to remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
- Allow the cinnamon sauce to reach room temperature. Pour the cinnamon mixture into the bread raisin mixture. Using your hands, toss to combine.
- Sit to the side for 10 minutes.
- Add the sliced bananas to the bread mixture and toss to combine.
- Pour the bread mixture into a baking dish that is coated in non-stick baking spray.
- Spread bread mixture evenly in the baking dish.
- In a medium sized bowl add the eggs and creamer, whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture.
- Preheat the the oven to 350 degrees Cover the dish with a non-stick baking foil. Bake the bread pudding for 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Garnish and serve.
Notes
- You can use almost any bread you have at hand.
- Baking the bread first dries up its moisture and keeps it from getting too soggy. If you have stale bread, you can cut down the bread baking time.
- For extra flavor, butter the bread first before baking it.
- You can experiment with toppings too! Whipped cream is an obvious choice, but you can also try a simple caramel sauce
Nutrition
