Apple pecan bread pudding is a delicious dessert, made easily, using a slow cooker! One of my friends requested another cooking “lesson” at my house. And I use the term “lesson” loosely.

Out for lunch, we brainstormed till we decided on a crockpot recipe theme. Instead of me doing all the cooking, I handed out recipes and assigned myself the Slow Cooker Apple Pecan Bread Pudding recipe for dessert.

Slow Cooker Apple Pecan Bread Pudding side view on a white plate over a checked napkin

Apple Pecan Bread Pudding 

We all had slow cookers, but most of them were just taking up prime real estate in our kitchens. I dusted mine off, cubed some cinnamon bread, apples, and whipped up a custard.

My crockpot was turned on at 7 AM and by 10 AM the house was filled with the aroma of cinnamon and spice. I gave a very brief presentation focusing on some pointers for the best results when using a crockpot or slow cooker:

  • Choose a cut of meat that stands up to slow and moist cooking like a chuck roast, chicken thighs instead of breasts, or pork shoulder.
  • Brown your meat first for an extra boost of flavor.
  • Finish off your dish with fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, some Parmesan or a drizzle of good olive oil to brighten the flavor.
  • Keep the lid on your crockpot so no heat escapes. These dishes were designed to cook without stirring. The clear lid allows you to see how the dish is progressing.
  • Cooking on low will take approximately twice the time to finish as cooking on low.
  • Put hard veggies like carrots, potatoes in first, so they will cook through.
  • Remove the skin from your chicken and trim any obvious excess fat from your meats so you don’t have an oil slick atop your finished dish.

Here are the dishes we sampled along with the tweaks to the recipes in parentheses:

  • Susan’s Sweet and Sour Turkey Meatballs (use turkey breast, seasoned bread crumbs, may substitute rehydrated and ground raisins for the brown sugar for a healthier option)
  • Sally’s BBQ Beef (may thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry)
  • Jeanne’s Italian Beef (use only 1 package Italian dressing mix and add a sliced onion)
  • Shelli’s Chicken Enchilada Soup (may use bone-in/skin-on chicken breasts, canned tomatoes, frozen corn, omit heavy cream and cayenne)
  • Liz’s Bread Pudding Recipe (add a pinch of salt, vanilla, and freshly grated nutmeg)

Slow Cooker Apple Pecan Bread Pudding on a round white plate on a red/white checked napkin
Budget-Friendly Meals

A dessert like an apple pecan bread pudding, that’s made of pantry items like bread, apples, and nuts doesn’t break the bank. And during the holidays, a dessert you can park in a slow cooker and ignore for 4 hours is perfect.

If you’re looking for a more traditional bread pudding recipe, this Cinnamon Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce is spectacular! Or if you’re gluten free, this Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding might hit the spot!

Slow Cooker Apple Pecan Bread Pudding overhead view on a white plate with ice cream and cinnamon sticks

 

Slow Cooker Apple Pecan Bread Pudding | Nearly hands off way to make a delightful bread pudding dessert from thatskinnychickcanbake.com

Slow Cooker Apple Pecan Bread Pudding

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Yield 8 servings

A hands off way to make a delicious bread pudding!

Ingredients

  • 8 slices cinnamon bread, cubed ( I used Pepperidge Farm)
  • 2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Place bread cubes, apples and pecans in a greased slow cooker.
  2. In a bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the eggs, half-and-half, cider, vanilla, salt, and butter; mix well.
  3. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
  4. Serve with a scoop of ice cream if desired.

Notes

 Adapted from Taste of Home.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 524Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 329mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 4gSugar: 47gProtein: 8g

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