As soon as fall is in the air and apple cider donuts start popping up in farm markets, I’ve gotta start making this recipe. At brunch club we serve it warm, topped with homemade maple ice cream, toasted walnuts, bourbon whipped cream, and a touch of cinnamon. It’s also delicious on its own the next day with a hot cup of coffee! I recommend buying donuts a few days in advance - stale donuts work better than fresh in this case. (I also recommend buying more than 18 donuts. I can never resist the urge to snack while I’m making this!)

APPLE CIDER DONUT BREAD PUDDING

Prep time: 1 hour

Serves: 12-16

INGREDIENTS

18 apple cider donuts

1 stick butter, cubed

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs

2 cups heavy cream

1.5 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until it forms a ball. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs with heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Add this mixture to the butter and sugar and beat until its combined and becomes slightly foamy. Butter an 8x11 baking dish and crumble the donuts into small pieces. Pour the custard mixture over the donuts and mix until evenly combined. Using your hands is recommended! Let the donuts soak for 10 minutes, then bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until the top is slightly browned. Let cool slightly and serve warm with your favorite toppings. Bread pudding can be made in advance, refrigerated, and reheated. Also freezes and reheats well.