This spectacular Lemon Cheesecake Bread Pudding is based on the Lemon Cheesecake I make at the restaurant. It is extremely popular and very unusual. This version of a bread pudding is very quick and easy to make. The ingredients take a few turns in the processor, are poured over the bread cubes, and into the pans it goes. Not much work at all for this uncommon bread pudding.
While I've chosen to show it with the Blueberry Sauce from the Lemonade Cake, a couple of others would be perfect to serve with the warm Lemon Cheesecake Bread Pudding. The Lemon Soaking Syrup from the Lemon Strawberry Cake or the Lemon Rum soaking syrup from the Lemon Rum Bundt Cake would make an ideal accompaniment to this remarkable dessert.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
- It's really easy and quick to make. This bread pudding can be in the oven baking in about 30 minutes.
- The ingredients are all readily available with the exception of the citric acid which is optional.
- There is no water bath needed for this dessert.
- This is packed with lemon flavor with lemon zest, lemon juice and citric acid which adds a bit of the tartness that make lemons so appealing.
- These can be made ahead and frozen, thawed and reheated for a quick dessert.
Recipe ingredients
FRONT ROW: Lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla
MIDDLE ROW: Granulated sugar, sour cream, cream cheese
BACK ROW: Bread, eggs, half and half
Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.
Key Ingredients
Either Brioche or Challah that has been purchased work well in this recipe.
Citric Acid powder is used to add the tartness of lemons to the bread pudding. It can be omitted if desired but it does up the flavor. While not commonly found on store shelves it can be found on line including Amazon or just google "food grade citric acid powder" for more choices. Make sure you get food grade.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Slice the bread about ¾" thick if the loaf is whole. Dry the slices until it feels stale but not dry. This can take 4 to 6 hours depending upon the bread. I place mine on cooling racks so both sides can dry at once. Once dried, stack several slices up and cut them vertically. Step 2. Cross cut them into about ¾" cubes. There should be about 8 cups. Set aside. Step 3. Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a processor. Step 4. Process until completely mixed. Scrape down and into the corners of the processor bowl to make sure it is all combined.
Step 5. Add the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, sour cream and citric acid to the processor bowl. Step 6. Process until smooth, scraping as necessary. Step 7. Add the half and half and lemon juice. Process again to complete the mixture.
Step 9. Pour the liquid over the bread cubes making sure to stir it well so the liquid is contacting all the cubes. Step 10. Let it sit 15 to 30 minutes until the bread is soaked through and no liquid is sitting on the bottom of the bowl. Stir several times to make sure it is evenly soaking. The bread should not be mushy. Step 11. Spray a 9" pan with a non-stick baking spray and pour the mixture into the pan. Step 12 . Or, for individual servings, spray six 6-ounce ramekins or a Jumbo Muffin tin with a non-stick baking spray and divide the mixture between the cups filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. They will most likely rise during baking but will deflate as they cool.
Recipe FAQS
A custardy base is combined with stale, cut up bread to which many different ingredients can be added depending upon what is wanted. The bread should be soft having absorbed the custard.
There are a couple of ways. One, insert a cake tester in the middle of the pudding. If it comes out clean it is done. The second method is to press the center of the bread pudding and if liquid comes up it needs to bake longer.
English cooks in the 11th century repurposed stale bread. In later centuries it became known as "poor man's pudding" because food was scarce at times and the pudding was made only with boiling water sugar and spices. Today's version is much richer with eggs, milk or cream, spices and any number of additions.
Expert Tips
- The bread used should be stale but not hard or completely dried out. While any bread can be used, Brioche and Challah are often used for their taste.
- The liquid base can be made in a mixer by following the same steps as for the food processor. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so it mixes without lumps.
- If another type of bread is used, it may require more or less liquid so add ¾ of the half and half first. If the bread is not completely coated, stir in the rest of the half and half.
- While citric acid powder is listed as an ingredient, it can be omitted.
Other scrumptious desserts
If you love this Lemon Cheesecake Bread Pudding, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.
Lemon Cheesecake Bread Pudding
Equipment
- 9x9 square pan or
- 6 cup Jumbo Muffin Pan or
- 6 6 ounce ramekins
Ingredients
- ¾ pound Brioche or Challah (340 grams)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (114 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon citric acid powder, optional
- ⅓ cup sour cream (75 grams)
- 1 cup half and half
- ⅓ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- If the bread is whole, slice abut ¾" thick. Dry the slices on cooling racks for 4 to 6 hours until stale but not dried out. This can take 4 to 6 hours. Once dried, stack several slices up and cut them vertically. Cross cut them into ¾" cubes. There should be about 8 cups. Place them in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping as necessary. Be sure to get to the bottom of the bowl and into the edges so there will be no lumps.
- Add the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, citric acid, and sour cream processing until smooth.
- Add the half and half and lemon juice. Process until smooth and all is combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the bread cubes, stirring well to make sure all the bread is coated with the liquid.
- Let the bread mixture sit for 15 to 30 minutes until the bread is soaked through and no liquid is sitting on the bottom of the bowl. The bread should not be mushy but wet all the way through. Stir several times to make sure the liquid is evenly soaking the bread.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- For a single bread pudding, pour the mixture into a 9” square pan that has been very well sprayed with a non-stick baking release.
- For individual bread puddings: Use six 6-ounce ramekins or Texas muffin cups. Spray very well with a non-stick baking release and divide between the ramekins, filling them all the way to the top.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes until set and a tester comes out clean.
- If using the individual ramekins or muffin pans, cool for about 10 minutes and turn out.
- Serve warm with the one of the following sauces: The Blueberry Sauce from the Lemonade Cake, the Lemon Soaking Syrup from the Lemon Strawberry Cake or the Lemon Rum soaking syrup from the Lemon Rum Bundt Cake
- Serves 6 individual bread puddings or 6 to 8 from the 9" pan.
Notes
Nutrition
Bren says
What a great Holiday gift. I plan to prepare the Lemon Cheesecake bread pudding for Thanksgiving. The recipes of Pastries Like a Pro are professionally presented in a manner which anticipates questions about the recipe and provides thorough answers.This helps a baker improve their skills.I highly recommend this as one of the best Food/Recipe websites. It is truly inspiring and motivates you to bake with confidence. That’s the gift. Thank you.
Helen S Fletcher says
Thank you so much for your input. I apopreciate it so much. Food blogging is known to the the most difficult to write and comments like yours certainly keep me going.