One of the things that I love most about food is the way it seems to create great new memories or instantly bring me back to old ones.  Whether it’s my mom’s clam dip – a recipe that she got from her mom – or her yummy homemade creamy tomato soup (that I never can seem to duplicate), I always feel like I’m back home the moment I taste it. 

These little bread puddings always bring my awesome friend Lala to my mind (yes, she’ll kill me for posting her picture, but she’s so darn sweet she’ll probably forgive me).    I made these for her when she came to visit me from California shortly after we moved to the east coast.  She’s the kind of friend who makes you feel like a better person simply because you’re around her, and the fact that she loved these little bread puddings so much always brings a smile to my face.  I passed along the recipe, and now she whips these up for her family, too!

I love bread pudding, and this is the quickest and easiest recipe I’ve found for it – and it’s typically pretty easy anyway!  These are especially great though, because they’re baked in a muffin tin to create individual servings – just a little different twist to make it fun!  I like to double the recipe, wrap the leftovers individually in foil and keep them in the freezer – then unwrap and pop in the microwave when the mood strikes! 

cinnamon bread puddings

• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 lb. loaf cinnamon-swirl bread (Pepperidge Farm works great)
• 2/3 cup homemade or store-bought caramel sauce

Mix the milk, sugar and eggs with a whisk in LARGE bowl (trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way). 

Slice your bread into 1-inch cubes; add it to the bowl.   Mix it well, making sure that each bread piece is saturated with the egg mixture.

 Cover the bread mixture and leave it in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Scoop the mixture into muffin tins (an ice cream scooper works great).  I usually only have enough for 11 “muffins”; if this happens to you, make sure to fill the last tin with water (this will prevent your pan from warping while in the hot oven).

Bake for thirty minutes.  Serve with warm caramel syrup, and ice cream or fresh whipped cream!