Most of you are probably thinking, “What a wild recipe title,” but the best recipes often utilize ingredients that might otherwise go bad in your pantry.
This peach bread pudding tastes summery and sweet. It is delicious, warm, resourceful, and pleasing to the belly. Pair it with vanilla ice cream, and you will have the perfect treat.
In the summer, southerners hand out peaches more than handshakes and hugs. I typically end up cooking a few, eating them fresh, macerating them, giving them away, and then just letting a few rot. Basically, I cannot distribute or eat them fast enough, but I absolutely love them.
This is one of those recipes I have thrown together to help “get rid of” (in a delicious way) at least one peach. The recipe could be doubled or tripled to use more peaches if you wish.
The recipe also addresses the commonly occurring hotdog to bun ratio problem. Have you ever noticed that hotdogs are regularly sold in packs of four, while their buns are sold in packs of 6?
Using leftover buns to make bread pudding makes me feel like less of a fool in the hotdog marketing scheme. Hopefully, you will feel the same way.
So, what is in this bread pudding other than peaches and hotdog buns?
For the peaches:
- Bourbon
- Peaches
- A Pinch of Salt
For the hot dog buns:
- Milk (any sort will do)
- Hot Dog Buns (preferably slightly stale)
Spices and Binders:
- Yogurt
- Honey
- Almond Extract
- All Spice
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Melted Butter
Bourbon
Bourbon has a malty, caramel-like taste that brings out the sweetness of other ingredients in cooking. It pairs beautifully with peaches, showing off their natural sweet essence and adding a hint of caramel goodness.
Any bourbon will do.
I used Evan Williams Bottled In Bond because the bourbon is priced below $25. It was recently named one of the top bourbons under $25. After cooking, you should reward yourself with a few sips. You will not be disappointed.
Peaches
Peaches, nature’s gift to summer, taste great in so many desserts, and they are especially good in this bread pudding.
The peaches add more liquid to this dessert. In order to absorb all of the liquid, your peach bread pudding will need to cook longer than the typical bread pudding.
If you are crunched for time, try adding dried fruit like raisins, dried cranberries, or dried apricots. If you don’t like peaches, pretty much any fruit can replace them. Try strawberries, raspberries, bananas, or whatever you have available in your kitchen.
Milk
Milk gives your bread pudding its tender, delicate texture. I used almond milk because I love the added nutty taste, but whole milk, half and half, or any milk alternative will work as well.
Hot Dog Buns
Alright, obviously, the hot dog buns can be replaced with any kind of bread. I find using leftover hot dog buns to be the most resourceful option, but bread that is at least one day old may play a substitute for the hotdog buns. If the bread is a bit dry, it will most likely cook faster, so keep an eye on your peach bread pudding as you bake it especially if you are making adaptations to the recipe.
Yogurt
Bread pudding requires a binder, something to hold all of the ingredients together. Instead of eggs, I opted to use yogurt. One egg can be used in place of the yogurt.
Honey
Working as an additional binder, honey adds extra sweetness to this delicious peach bread pudding. I typically prefer using honey over sugar because honey, especially local (to you) honey, helps your body fight off allergies.
An equal amount of sugar or a sugar substitute like Splenda can be used in place of the honey if you prefer sugar or do not have any honey. This substitution may affect the cooking time. Liquid sugars like agave or liquid Splenda can also be used in place of honey.
Almond Extract
One of my favorite ingredients in desserts is almond extract. The nutty flavor compliments peaches so well, and it goes incredibly well with ice cream.
If you do not have almond extract, try adding vanilla beans, vanilla extract, cinnamon extract, or the flavored extract of your choice.
Allspice, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg
You can choose your favorite spice mixture to add extra touches of flavor to your peach bread pudding. Some options include pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, apple pie spice, cloves, etc… I chose allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg because I knew these flavors would taste great with the peaches.
Melted Butter
Melted Butter adds a coating to your bread pudding, helping the spices to adhere to the bread and peaches. It also gives the dessert a beautiful gloss, and helps your dessert cook and brown evenly.
A Pinch Of Salt
Salt enhances the flavor of each ingredient it touches. Both savory and sweet items benefit from the power of salt to enliven food. While you do not want to overdo it, a pinch of salt can really make your peach bread pudding sensational.
Extra Ingredients
Sometimes my favorite part of dessert is the extra toppings. Ice cream obviously tastes delicious on this warm peach bread pudding. I love to toast almonds and spread them on top of the ice cream or bread pudding. (This brings out the almond taste in the almond milk and almond extract.) A nice bourbon caramel sauce can also embolden your dish with decadent sweetness.
Pairings
When I think of peach bread pudding, I imagine it pairing nicely with a nice southern meal. Maybe try these delicious stuffed pork chops paired with corn on the cob, butter beans, and a fruit salad (with peaches to reiterate the future flavors of your dessert.)
Peach bread pudding is traditionally a homey dessert meant to salvage old bread and pantry items commonly found in any home. The resourcefulness of bread pudding makes me think of classic comfort foods. Anything from lasagna, to burgers, to soup, to chicken would be great with it, and it is the perfect dessert no matter what the season.
As far as cocktails and other beverages go, peach bread pudding tends toward decadent sweetness, so a simple bourbon or hot toddy would pair nicely with this dessert. For non-alcoholic options, hot teas with cinnamon, coffee, sparkling water, or ginger ale could make a nice combination of flavors.
Storage and Reheating
Since this recipe often utilizes older ingredients, saving them from being wasted, bread pudding is best eaten hot out of the oven. It is so delicious, and this recipe makes such a small amount that I doubt you will need to store any leftovers. If you do have leftovers, store this bread pudding for two to three days in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap.
When reheating, use the oven or an air fryer to give the bread pudding a crunchier texture. The microwave tends to change the texture of the dessert, making it tough to chew.
Avoid freezing your bread pudding if at all possible. The liquid in this bread pudding easily becomes freezer burnt and usually will not reheat properly after being frozen.
Timing
Bread pudding cooks differently at different elevations, and timing can really be a factor in whether you are willing to make a dessert or not. If you need to raise the temperature in your oven to bake your bread pudding faster, go for it. The standard temperature for the finished center of your bread pudding should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit. When the pudding reaches this temperature or higher, you are ready to serve your dessert.
I was able to cook my bread pudding at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. I even baked it uncovered, and it did not burn.
At a higher temperature, you may need to use tinfoil to keep the bread from burning. Aluminum foil also keeps food moist in the oven and makes clean up easier.
Final notes
Bread pudding is the every-man dessert. You do not have to be rich to make it, and it satisfies that part in us that needs a little sweetness after a meal. Even in its homeliness, bread pudding is commonly served as a dessert in fancy restaurants. It is the perfect dessert to keep your bread from going stale and to bless your palette with sugary deliciousness whether you are into fine dining or baking on a budget.
Excited for more peach content? Check out my peaches page for growing tips, info guides, recipes, and more!
Still hungry for more? Then discover our other fruit recipes to stock up your kitchen with nature’s healthy and tasty goodies!
Peach Bread Pudding
This peach bread pudding tastes summery and sweet. It is delicious, warm, resourceful, and pleasing to the belly. Pair it with vanilla ice cream, and you will have the perfect treat.
Ingredients
- 1 peach (diced)
- 1 1/2 TBSP bourbon
- 2 leftover hot dog buns
- 1 cup of milk (any kind will do)
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of allspice
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Dice peaches into small quarter size (or smaller) pieces.
- Soak peaches in bourbon at room temperature while prepping other ingredients.
- Cut bread into one-inch pieces.
- Soak bread in milk at room temperature.
- Mix together leftover ingredients to create a seasoned paste.
- Remove bread pudding and peaches with a slotted spoon, leaving behind any unabsorbed liquid.
- Add the paste to the peaches and bread mixture, making sure all ingredients combine.
- Place the combined ingredients in an oven-safe container prepared with baking spray or butter. Allow to cook for one hour, checking for doneness. Once the bread pudding reaches 160 degrees in the center, it is ready to be eaten.