That’s right.  You heard me right! Cinnamon Raisin BAGEL Bread Pudding.  I was contacted by reps of Bruegger’s Bagels looking for food bloggers to develop creative ideas using Bruegger products.  Obviously, the base needs to be a bagel.  I believe most of us have seen Chopped on the Food Network?  You know the face when they open the box and they either have no idea what the ingredient is or what they are going to do with the ingredients provided.  That was my first reaction to the request.  That momentary blank space in my thought process was not going to stop me.

After focusing on the fact that I was working with bread, I thought that bagels would be a great vehicle for bread pudding.  When one makes bread pudding, stale bread is good.  So the firmness of the bagel is a good thing.  I actually decided to make 2 different bread puddings.  I wanted to take advantage of the different bagel types.  So the cinnamon raisin naturally lent itself to more of a breakfast type adaptation.  The wheat and plain bagels enabled me to go down a more traditional path.

I do not know when the last time you went into a Bruegger’s Bagel shop.  For me, it has been a while because there is not a store to close to me.  I was surprised to find a menu that included a breakfast sandwich called a Mediterranean Sunrise – which includes and egg, Genoa salami, red peppers, cucumbers and feta cheese.  They also had a lunch sandwich called the Greek Goddess that had raosted turkey, feta, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers arugula on a butter-toasted potato bread and topped with a champagne vinaigrette.  They have all kinds of coffee including a Coconut Iced Coffee – giving you a little taste of the Caribbean.  Simply stated, Bruegger’s is not just a bagel store!    

The cast of characters.

The cinnamon raisin bagels broken up and added to the bowl.

Milk added to the bagels, and then, the cream cheese. 

The egg and sugar mixture added followed by the cinnamon and more cream cheese.

The mixture placed in the baking dish.

The Cinnamon Raisin Bagel Bread Pudding taking out of the oven.

The Cinnamon Raisin Bagel Bread Pudding Plated.

The Recipe

Cinnamon Raisin BAGEL Bread Pudding

Print Pin

The Southern classic with a cool spin using Cinnamon Raisin Bagels.

Prep10 minutes mins

Cook1 hour hr

Total1 hour hr

Servings8

Scale

1x2x3x

Ingredients 

• ▢ 4 Bruegger’s Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
• ▢ 2 tbsp butter, softenened
• ▢ 3 medium eggs, beaten
• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 1 qt whole milk
• ▢ 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups sugar

Maple Syrup Sauce

• ▢ 1/2 cup Good Maple Syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a baking dish and set aside.
• Break the bagels and drop into a bowl. Just pull it apart with your hands.
• Add the milk a little at a time over the bread.
• Mix it with you hands and make sure the bread absorbs the milk.
• In a small bowl, combine the eggs and the sugar using a whisk.
• Add in the cream cheese.
• Pour in the vanilla extract. Then pour over the bread.
• Pour the bread pudding into the buttered dish, spreading it evenly in the dish.
• Place the dish in a shallow roasting pan filling the pan with boiling water 1″ up the side of the casserole dish.
• Place in the oven and bake 50 – 60 minutes. You will know it is done when a knife goes in and comes out clean.

Maple Syrup Sauce

• Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.
• Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
• Serve and enjoy!