This skillet blueberry bread pudding recipe is absolutely loaded with blueberries and has lots of flavour from cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. Delicious with vanilla ice cream!

As we are soon headed into one of the yummiest seasons of the year for produce, today I’m sharing one of my fave recipes using Newfoundland’s best: blueberries!
You may have seen my cast-iron skillet fruit cake bread pudding around here so I thought I’d share a more seasonal version that I know you guys are gonna love! By the way, if you’re a fan of easy bread pudding recipes (like me), there’s more to come!
This bread pudding recipe isn’t loaded with a lot of refined sugar. Aside from the ยผ cup of sugar and a little jam, this one gets most of its sweetness naturally from those little blue gems.
I always, always, have blueberries on hand throughout the year thanks to relatives who generously share with me (thanks mom, mom-in-law and pop). Wild blueberries are smaller than mass produced varieties but have way more flavour. They’re sweeter and seriously addictive.
What Is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is a bread-based dessert (kinda like custard), which usually includes:
- Bread (usually on the stale/dry side, basically “day old” bread)
- Milk and/or cream
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Spices
- Some sort of fruit like raisins or, in this case, blueberries.
It’s a fabulous way to use up bread that you have lying around without having to waste it!

How To Make Bread Pudding
Full details on how to make this blueberry bread pudding are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- Place cubes of bread in a greased skillet.
- Sprinkle blueberries over top of bread, getting into those little nooks and crannies.
- In a bowl, mix together, milk, cream, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar and lemon zest. The cinnamon will not completely dissolve. This is totally normal for cinnamon; it’s a rebel, LOL.
- Pour milk mixture over cubes of bread. Gently press down to help the bread absorb the milk mixture. Don’t press too hard or squish the berries too much. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes.
- Dollop with blueberry jam and bake.
- Garnish with extra lemon zest if you like. Cool slightly and enjoy!

Best Type of Bread To Use
I picked up a “country white loaf” from my local grocery, but other varieties work good too (like Brioche and French bread). Just pick a yummy bread that works best for bread pudding.
I wouldn’t recommend a mass produced sandwich style basic bread, though.
And don’t go using the freshest bread possible. I know, most times that would totally make sense. However, for a bread pudding recipe, day old bread is best. You want the bread a little dry because it will more easily soak up the milk mixture.
If your bread is too fresh and moist, you can still make this bread pudding. Cut bread into cubes (or tear into bite-sized pieces), place on a baking sheet in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Then proceed with the recipe.
Do I Need to Refrigerate Bread Pudding?
Yes! This is quite moist, has eggs and milk and all that good stuff, so I would totally recommend storing in the fridge.
Of course, bread pudding is best enjoyed warm out of the oven with a big scoop of ice cream, but it will last 3 to 4 days properly stored in the fridge (remove from the skillet and store in an airtight container). Reheat leftovers when ready to enjoy.

More Yummy Berry Recipes
- Lemon Cream Tarts With Berries
- Baked Blueberry Donuts
- Roasted Blueberry Goat Cheese Crostini (so perfect for summer entertaining)
You can certainly enjoy this blueberry bread pudding as is, but I highly recommended serving some with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or, if you really wanna go all out, garnish with a generous spoonful of my homemade lemon curd. Treat yourself! Hope you love it!
If you make this easy bread pudding recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

Easy Blueberry Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- Baking spray, to grease skillet
- 5 cups day-old bread (Brioche or French bread works great), cubed (about 8 ounces or ยฝ pound)
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1.5 cup milk
- ยฝ cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยผ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch salt
- ยผ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, from about 1 lemon
- โ cup blueberry jam, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. .
- Spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or use a similarly sized baking dish) with baking spray. Note: If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, use a similarly sized casserole or baking dish.
- To skillet, add bread. Sprinkle berries over top of bread and allow some to naturally fall in between cubes of bread.
- In a bowl, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar and lemon zest.
- Pour milk mixture over bread and just GENTLY press bread down to soak up some of the milk mixture. Dollop blueberry jam (if using) over top of bread pudding. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Bake for 65 to 70 minutes until cooked through and set (if it browns too quickly, top with aluminum foil). Check to see if it's done with a wooden skewer (when inserted in the centre of the bread pudding, it should come out clean).Note: The bread pudding will rise as it bakes, but fall a little as it cools.ย ย
- Carefully remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.ย Enjoy!Note: Bread pudding is best enjoyed freshly made. However, any leftovers can be properly stored in an airtight container in the fridge and used within 3 to 4 days, reheating when ready to enjoy.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
ยฉ Girl Heart Food Inc. Photographs and content are copyright protected.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Suzanne
This was absolutely delicious! I had four croissant hamburger buns in the freezer so I used them in this recipe and added some extra blueberry preserves on top. The whole family loved it. Thank you for a recipe I’ll make again and again!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food
Thank you very much, Suzanne!! I’m so happy you and your family loved it!!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
We had wild blueberry bushes around our apple orchard in New Hampshire and always looked forward to when the berries ripened each summer. Your bread pudding looks great with all those blueberries.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
So awesome, right?! Nothing like wild blueberries! Thank you so much, Karen ๐
Kelly | Foodtasia
Dawn, this bread pudding looks so good! I love the crispy edges with the juicy interior and all those blueberries! Your so lucky to have a supply of wild berries. They’re so much tastier!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I know, right? Newfoundland blueberries are so so yummy! Thank you Kelly ๐
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I still have several bags of blueberries in my freezer that we picked last summer! I think it’s time to use them up and make a delicious bread pudding! This looks delicious!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thank you Kathy! Enjoy ๐
David @ Spiced
I love blueberry season! We’ve still got another month or so before the local berries come in, but you better believe I’ll be coming back to this bread pudding post then. I love a good bread pudding, and the addition of blueberries here sounds delicious! Also, the ice cream is totally not optional! ๐
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Woo hoo! Happy to hear it! Thanks so much, David ๐
Kevin
Bread pudding hits all those feel good nostalgic flavors and yours is sure one to bring home! Canยดt wait to give this a try!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
For sure! Thanks Kevin! Enjoy ๐
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Bread pudding is such great comfort food! One of my favourite desserts any time of year, but especially nice when made with seasonal fruit like fabulous blueberries ๐
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally!! Thanks Jennifer!
annie@ciaochowbambina
I am a huge fan of bread pudding, and anything with blueberries always gets my attention!! This will be on brunch rotation in my house! Have a great weekend, friend! XOXO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Same here! Thank you Annie!! Have a great weekend too ๐ XOXO
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Bread pudding is never something I think to make, but you have totally changed my mind! This looks AMAZING! I love blueberries so much!! This would be such a great brunch recipe! Have a great weekend my friend! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Katherine! I’m sure you’ll love it!! Have a lovely weekend too ๐ XOXO
Valentina
Dawn, this loos so over-the-top incredible! I mean . . . seriously! I always look forward to summer berries and this is one amazing way to use them. I’d have it with my coffee in the morning, and with the ice cream after dinner. Perfect!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
You’re so kind! Thank you so very much, Valentina! Have a wonderful weekend ๐
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
Well, you’ve definitely put me in the summer mood Dawn! I can’t wait for berry season, and local blueberries are definitely the best! My freezer stash ran out a while ago, so it looks like I’m going to have to befriend your relatives this year! ๐ Happy almost long weekend!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! Right?? Thanks Leanne! Have a wonderful weekend ๐
Marissa
I love bread pudding, sweet or savory and we eat our weight in blueberries during the summer, so you know this treat is calling my name. Complete with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, of course!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Me too! Definitely gotta have ice-cream! Thanks Marissa ๐
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl
Wow! Bread pudding is one of my all time favorite desserts and i absolutely love the added blueberries and lemon zest! I need a big bowl of this in front of me right now please!!! Mouth = watering! ๐
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Same! Thank you Haylie! Have a great weekend ๐
Milena
I never refuse a bread pudding and I love blueberries so I will be making this recipe soon and eating it right out of the skillet:) Pinned!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Hope you love it! Thank you Milena.
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
Yay for blueberries! They’re one of my favorite fruits so I need to try this bread pudding! I love that it’s mostly naturally sweetened too–my problem with so many fruity desserts is that all the sugar muddles the flavor of the fruit. Why mess with a good thing? Have a great weekend, Dawn!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Right?? Thanks Kelsie! Back at ya ๐
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
Bread pudding is one of my favorites Dawn. And I think you know how much I love my blueberries! So this will need to happen soon at our house. Perhaps for brunch for Memorial Day weekend. Love how you didn’t add much sugar to your recipe too. Pinned and can’t wait to try!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
So happy to hear that!! Thank you Mary Ann! Enjoy ๐