As I promised yesterday, today’s post will answer the question: “What do I do if I have leftover apple and/or apple cider donuts that are a few days old?” My family and I faced this exact same dilemma recently after one of our trips to Apple Hill resulted in buying a few too many donuts. While very tasty, we ended up with a box of apple and apple cider donuts that were sitting in an air-tight container for a few days. They were not as enjoyable as when we first bought them, but we obviously did not want to throw them out either. That is when the idea struck me: make the apple donuts into a bread pudding.

Unlike the traditional fried and fluffy donuts we typically think of, apple and apple cider donuts are cake donuts that have a denser consistency. That makes these a great substitute for the bread in bread pudding! This bread pudding is delightful treat that still tastes exactly like an apple donut, but in a new, delicious, and unique dessert!

Chop and Bake the Apple and/or Apple Cider Donuts:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the donuts into pieces that are approximately 1” pieces. Line a baking sheet with either foil or parchment paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Spread the donut pieces onto the baking sheet and place it into the oven. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the donut pieces seem mostly dried out and very crispy. Set this tray aside to cool while the custard base is prepared.

Note: Do not skip this step because the more dried out the donut pieces are, the more custard they will be able to absorb.

Make the Custard Base and Soak the Donut Pieces:

Add the heavy whipping cream and whole milk to a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat on the stove. While this heats up, prepare the other part of the custard base. Add the granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, and egg yolks to a large glass mixing bowl. Whisk these ingredients together until it slightly lightens in color, 2-3 minutes.

Once the cream mixture is brought to a simmer, remove from the heat. Slowly pour ¼ of the cream mixture into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, making sure that you whisk constantly as the warm dairy is added. Pour another ¼ of the cream into the mixing bowl, while continuing to constantly whisk. Finally, add the remaining cream mixture to the mixing bowl and whisk everything together. Add all of the apple donut pieces to the mixing bowl and let them absorb the custard mixture for 2-3 minutes. Next, stir in the walnuts (if you are using them).

Add to the Baking Dish, Cover in Cinnamon, and Bake:

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Spray a glass 9”x13” baking dish with cooking spray, and carefully transfer the apple donut pieces and custard mixture into the dish. Sift a generous amount of cinnamon, approximately 1 – 1½ teaspoons, over the top of the apple donut and custard mixture.

Place in the 350°F oven for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until all the custard is set. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Note: The amount of cinnamon may seem like a lot, but adding this much helps temper the sweetness of the donuts.

Let Cool, Cut, and Serve:

Allow the apple donut bread pudding to cool for at least 10 minutes before you cut into it. Cut them into squares and serve either warm or cold, whichever you would prefer.

You can also find all of these steps and notes listed in my printable recipe card:

Thank you so much for checking out this post! I hope that you give it a try because it is incredibly yummy! Please comment below if you tried this recipe and how you enjoyed it!