America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Orange Marmalade Bread Pudding

By Nik Sharma

Published on December 15, 2025

Time

1½ hours, plus 6½ hours chilling and cooling

Yield

Serves 8 to 10

Orange Marmalade Bread Pudding

Ingredients

12 ounces brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided1 vanilla bean 1 ½ cups heavy cream 1 ½ cups whole milk ¾ cup sugar 3 large eggs plus 1 large yolk1 cup orange marmalade, divided2 teaspoons orange zest ½ teaspoon allspice ⅛ teaspoon table salt ¼ cup chopped candied orange peel (optional)1 tablespoon water

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe with Seville orange marmalade for its pleasingly bitter taste, but any orange marmalade you enjoy eating will work nicely. Presliced brioche, often found near the sliced sandwich breads in the grocery store, makes for easy cubing. Substitute 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract for the vanilla bean if you prefer.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spread 12 ounces brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes, evenly on rimmed baking sheet, arranging in mostly single layer. Bake until cubes are just dry, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
  2. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Transfer dried bread cubes to prepared pan (they needn’t be cool).
  3.  Cut 1 vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using tip of paring knife, scrape out seeds. Combine vanilla bean seeds; 1½ cups heavy cream; 1½ cups whole milk; ¾ cup sugar; 3 large eggs and 1 large yolk; ½ cup orange marmalade; 2 teaspoons orange zest; ½ teaspoon allspice; and ⅛ teaspoon table salt in blender. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour over bread cubes. Stir in ¼ cup chopped candied orange peel, if using. Wrap pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
  4. Twenty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Cut remaining 2 tablespoons butter into ¼-inch pieces. Remove plastic and sprinkle butter over top of bread pudding. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake until custard is just set and registers 170 degrees in center, about 40 minutes.
  5. Combine 1 tablespoon water and remaining ½ cup orange marmalade in small bowl. Microwave until fluid, about 30 seconds.
  6. Brush hot pudding with marmalade mixture. Let cool until just warm, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve.
Orange Marmalade Bread Pudding
Photography by Kritsada Panichgul. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Orange Marmalade Bread Pudding

Headshot of Nik Sharma
By Nik Sharma

Published on December 15, 2025

Save

Time

1½ hours, plus 6½ hours chilling and cooling

Yield

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

12 ounces brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 vanilla bean
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
1 cup orange marmalade, divided
2 teaspoons orange zest
½ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup chopped candied orange peel (optional)
1 tablespoon water

Ingredients

12 ounces brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 vanilla bean
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
1 cup orange marmalade, divided
2 teaspoons orange zest
½ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup chopped candied orange peel (optional)
1 tablespoon water

Ingredients

12 ounces brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 vanilla bean
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
1 cup orange marmalade, divided
2 teaspoons orange zest
½ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup chopped candied orange peel (optional)
1 tablespoon water

Why This Recipe Works

The bright, citrusy tang of orange marmalade and its hint of bitterness bring sophistication to the coziness of bread pudding. Orange zest and candied orange peel stirred into the custard further enhance its citrusy flavor. For a rich buttery taste, we use brioche for the bread and dry it out in a 325 degree oven so that it absorbs more custard. Then we let the cubes sit with the custard mixture until saturated before sliding our pudding into a low-temperature oven to prevent curdling. Vanilla bean and the warmth of allspice build on the dish’s classic winter flavors.

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe with Seville orange marmalade for its pleasingly bitter taste, but any orange marmalade you enjoy eating will work nicely. Presliced brioche, often found near the sliced sandwich breads in the grocery store, makes for easy cubing. Substitute 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract for the vanilla bean if you prefer.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spread 12 ounces brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes, evenly on rimmed baking sheet, arranging in mostly single layer. Bake until cubes are just dry, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
  2. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Transfer dried bread cubes to prepared pan (they needn’t be cool).
  3.  Cut 1 vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using tip of paring knife, scrape out seeds. Combine vanilla bean seeds; 1½ cups heavy cream; 1½ cups whole milk; ¾ cup sugar; 3 large eggs and 1 large yolk; ½ cup orange marmalade; 2 teaspoons orange zest; ½ teaspoon allspice; and ⅛ teaspoon table salt in blender. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour over bread cubes. Stir in ¼ cup chopped candied orange peel, if using. Wrap pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
  4. Twenty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Cut remaining 2 tablespoons butter into ¼-inch pieces. Remove plastic and sprinkle butter over top of bread pudding. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake until custard is just set and registers 170 degrees in center, about 40 minutes.
  5. Combine 1 tablespoon water and remaining ½ cup orange marmalade in small bowl. Microwave until fluid, about 30 seconds.
  6. Brush hot pudding with marmalade mixture. Let cool until just warm, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.