Cozy Apple Bread Pudding in a Mug
When you’re craving something warm, sweet, and cozy but don’t have the time (or patience) for a full dessert, this Apple Bread Pudding in a Mug is the perfect solution! It’s quick, easy, and feels like a personal-sized hug in a mug. The best part? It’s ready in just minutes thanks to the microwave, and the tender apples give it that autumn vibe that we all adore. This recipe just takes a little prep time, but so much faster than traditional bread pudding.
Ingredients:
- bread (I used sourdough)
- eggs
- half and half
- apple
- sugar
- cinnamon
Instructions:
Prep your mug: Start by grabbing your favorite microwave-safe mug. Give it a quick spray with cooking spray or a swipe of butter to prevent sticking.
Cut your bread: I used sourdough bread for my bread pudding. Using older bread that is starting to dry out is perfect for bread pudding. You can also just cut up your bread slices into 1″ chunks and leave them out at room temperature for a couple hours and they will dry. Another option is to toss them in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes to get them quickly dried. You can also put your bread cubes in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 2-3 minutes to dry them out.
Mix your custard: In a bowl combine your half and half with the eggs. Whisk them until they are well combined. They add your sugar and spices. I just used cinnamon, but you could add nutmeg and cloves if you wanted to up the spice level. If you love vanilla, then you could add a teaspoon vanilla extract at this stage. Stir everything together. Then pour you bread chunks into the custard mixture to sit as you cut up your apple.
Cut your apple: I only used half of a medium sized apple for 2 mug bread pudding servings. If you love more apple you could use a full apple for 2 mugs. You want to cut your apple in to small bite-sized pieces. My apple chunks were about 1/2″ pieces.
Assemble the pudding: I did layers – add some bread custard mixture then some apple pieces, repeat until the mug is full.
Microwave time: Pop your mug into the microwave and cook on high for about 2-3 minutes. Microwave times can vary, so check it at 2 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the bread pudding is puffed up and the custard is set (not runny). My microwave took 2 minutes and 20 seconds. I tipped the mug to make sure to egg mixture would run out to insure that the custard was cooked through.
Garnish and enjoy: Sprinkle a little extra brown sugar or cinnamon sugar on top if you’re feeling fancy, and if you really want to take it up a notch, add a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of caramel.
This sweet treat tastes delicious and it’s perfect if you just want to make dessert for two or just for yourself. You can store in the refrigerator for up to a day before microwaving.
mug apple bread pudding in microwave
Equipment
- microwave
Ingredients
- 1 cup bread cubes dried and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup half and half
- ½ apple skinned and cut into small bite sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Cut a couple slices of bread into 1" pieces. Spread them out to dry. If your bread is fresh, you can dry out as instructed above in the oven or air fryer.
- Prep your two mugs with nonstick spray or rubbing butter on the interior of the mugs.
- In a large bowl whisk together the half and half and eggs until smooth. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Whisk to combine.
- Add the dried bread chunks to the egg custard mixture, pressing the bread cubes down so they are submerged in the custard.
- Peel and cut up your apple into small bite sized pieces.
- Begin layering your bread pudding in the mugs. I put a scoop of the bread custard mixture in the bottom of each mug, then sprinkled some apple pieces on top. They I kept repeating until the mugs were full.
- Bake the bread pudding in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. You want to make sure the egg custard mixture has cooked. I tipped the mug a little to see if any egg mixture would run out (over the sink). My microwave took 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
- Serve warm! You can finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, whipped cream, ice cream, or caramel sauce.
Notes
Tips & Variations:
- No apples? You can swap in pears, or berries if that’s more your style.
- Raisins would be a great addition, you can toss some in with the apples.
- Day-old bread works best because it soaks up the custard like a dream. But if you’re using fresh bread, you can quickly toast it to dry it out.
- Go wild with toppings! A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top would be heavenly, especially while it’s still warm.
- Wide Mug: eating and prepping with a wide mug is easiest, but I used a standard size without issues.
I hope you try this two minute bread pudding great recipe soon! It’s great if you are having a fall sweet craving. It makes a great easy comfort food treat.
