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EASY Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding

Apr 11, 2023 | 1 comment

If you have leftover hot cross buns, this super easy, creamy, custardy hot cross bun bread and butter pudding is the BEST way to bring them back to life in a delicious new way.

Baked hot cross bun bread and butter pudding in a white baking dish.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably have a few sad, stale hot cross buns hanging around your kitchen after Easter. Bread and butter pudding has long been a fabulous way to use up stale bread, but using hot cross buns as the base is pretty special.

Many bread and butter pudding recipes require you to make a custard before baking, but my version uses an easy, speedy shortcut. All you have to do is butter and layer your hot cross buns in an ovenproof dish, mix your custard ingredients in a bowl and pour that all over the buns. Then just pop into the oven and wait for the magic to happen.

If you’d like an even more luxurious bake – and have Easter chocolate leftover too – I love to add a few handfuls of crushed chocolate eggs in between the buns. That way, you’ll get a lovely gooey chocolate surprise with every bite. Or, use my mini egg chocolate hot cross buns.

What is bread and butter pudding?

If you’re unfamiliar with the British classic, I promise it’s much more delicious than its name makes it seem! Traditionally, layers of stale bread are buttered, scattered with dried fruit, submerged in a gorgeously creamy custard and then baked until soft and creamy in the middle and crispy on top. It’s pure comfort and a great way to use any leftover bread. While that’s the traditional recipe, there are SO many creative twists you can make the recipe to make it even better – use leftover croissants, pain au chocolate or panettone…the list is endless.

Ingredients

Aside from the hot cross buns, the other ingredients for this recipe are regular cupboard staples.

Ingredients for bread and butter pudding laid out on a white marble background and labelled.
  • Hot cross buns. Regular or chocolate hot cross buns are great – use what you have. You can make this with fresh hot cross buns too if you like. The recipe specifies 8 buns, but if you have less, it will be totally fine. It will just be more custardy and delicious.
  • Milk. I’m using regular whole milk, but skimmed or semi-skimmed will work too, as will your favourite plant-based milk.
  • Cream. I’m using heavy/double cream, but if you don’t have cream, just use more milk.

OPTIONAL: To up the Easter leftover factor even more, crumble up any leftover chocolate Easter eggs and sandwich them in between and on top of the hot cross buns before you pour over the custard. You’ll see I’ve done this in the photos below.

How to make it

Butter an ovenproof dish, then slice your hot cross buns in half and butter both sides. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then pour in the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla extract and whisk again to combine well. Layer the bottom sides of the buns in your dish. It’s ok to tear the buns apart to make them fit (you can see that I have below).

Pour half the custard mix over the buns, then place the top halves of the buns on top. Pour the rest of the custard mixture all over, then leave them to soak for at least 15 minutes. As the buns soak and sink into the custard mixture, you can press them down further. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the buns are looking golden and crispy on top and the custard is set.

PRO TIP: Check your pudding after 30 minutes – if the buns look very golden on top, place a layer of aluminium foil over them so that they don’t burn.

Got a question?

Can I use fresh hot cross buns?

Yes! This is a great recipe for using up stale buns, but fresh will work really well too.

Can I make the pudding in advance?

Yes, you can. You can either assemble the pudding, then cover it with aluminium foil and leave it in the fridge for a day, until you’re ready to bake it OR bake the pudding, then reheat it at 350F/180C fan with aluminium foil on top, to prevent the tops of the buns from burning. Reheat it for 20 minutes in the oven.

How long will the pudding keep?

It will keep for 3 days, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Like this recipe? Here are more baking ideas you might enjoy

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a comment below.

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Baked hot cross bun bread and butter pudding in a white baking dish.

EASY Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding


  • Author: Kate Alexandra
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

If you have leftover hot cross buns, this SUPER easy, creamy, custardy hot cross bun bread and butter pudding is the BEST way to bring them back to life in a delicious new way. Just layer hot cross buns in a baking dish, pour over a speedy one bowl custard and bake until golden and gooey.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy (double) cream
  • 1/3 cup caster sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 hot cross buns
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • Chocolate mini Easter eggs (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the custard mix. Grease a large ovenproof dish with butter and heat your oven to 340F/170C fan. Add the 3 eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk them together. Add 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1 cup of cream, 1/3 cup caster sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Whisk to combine well with the eggs and set aside.
  2. Arrange the hot cross buns. Slice the hot cross buns in half, then butter both cut sides of the buns. Layer the bottom halves of the buns on the base of your greased ovenproof dish, overlapping them or tearing them into smaller pieces if need be, to fit your dish.
  3. Soak the buns. Pour half of the custard all over the buns, (if you’re using chocolate eggs, scatter half of them over the buns at this point) then place the top halves of the buns on top. If you’re using chocolate eggs, scatter the rest of the eggs on top. Pour the rest of the custard mix all over the tops of the buns, and let them soak for at least 15 minutes. PRO TIP: As the buns soak, you can press them further into the custard mix so they have a really good bath.
  4. Bake the pudding. Transfer the dish to the oven, and bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until the tops of the buns look golden brown and the custard is set (you should be able to see this at the bottom of the dish). If the custard is still runny, cover the dish with aluminium foil and pop it back into the oven for another 10 minutes. Serve while warm and gooey.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: I’m using regular whole milk here, but you could use skimmed or semi-skimmed. You could also use your favourite plant-based milk. If you don’t have cream, just use more milk. You can replace caster sugar with regular granulated sugar. Use regular hot cross buns, or chocolate buns (using mini egg chocolate hot cross buns is an excellent idea). And if you have less than 8 buns, that’s totally fine. This will work well even if you only have 4 or 5 buns – just use a smaller dish.

OPTIONAL ADDITION: If you have any leftover Easter chocolate (measure with your heart here!), chop it up and sandwich it in between the sliced buns in the dish for a very delicious, chocolately centre to the pudding.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The pudding will keep well for 3 days, stored in a covered container in the fridge. You can arrange the pudding a day in advance, keeping it covered with aluminium foil in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. Once baked, you can reheat it in the oven (covered with aluminium foil) for 20 minutes at 340F/180C fan. 

  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Category: desserts
  • Method: oven
  • Cuisine: british

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bun
  • Calories: 543
  • Sugar: 18.2g
  • Sodium: 886.4mg
  • Fat: 22.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 11.4g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 71.1g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 15g
  • Cholesterol: 110.5mg

Keywords: hot cross bun leftovers, bread and butter pudding

Welcome!

I’m Kate, the creator behind Dished. I love creating flavour packed, simple (ish) recipes for you, designed for every day and special occasions.

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1 Comment

  1. Eve

    SUCH a clever idea!! This was so easy, we’ll be making it again for sure

    Reply

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