Budin (Puerto Rican Bread Pudding)

Budin, or Puerto Rican Bread Pudding is a bread dessert that’s very popular in Puerto Rico, especially during the holidays. Unlike American bread pudding, Puerto Rican budin is served at room temperature or preferably cold. It is delicious, inexpensive, and easy to make!

Budin is a dish that definitely reminds me of home. It’s my father’s specialty, he always saves the odds and ends of bread loaves in a storage bag in the freezer, until he has enough to make this decadent Puerto Rican dessert. Puerto Rican budin, or bread pudding, is unique in that it’s usually served cold, much like a flan. This makes it a great make-ahead dessert.

What Ingredients Are In Budin?

Budin is super easy to make, because most of the ingredients are pantry staples that you probably already have or can easily pick up at your local Publix. The custard base is made with eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and warm holiday spices, like vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Raisins are also a MUST, don’t skip them! An important part of making budin is making sure it doesn’t stick to your pan is greasing the pan, which I do with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!®. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® is known for its buttery taste and has good fats from plant-based oils. It helps me make the perfect budin!

How To Make Budin?

In order to make this recipe, you first tear the bread into chunks. Precise sizes don’t matter, because as you mix the custard and bread, you’ll continue to slightly break up the bread. To make the custard, you mix the eggs, milks, sugar, salt spices and raisins. Then you pour the mixture into the greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar and bake in a water bath. Some recipes start with a caramel base, like a flan. I like mine without the caramel, because I think budin is plenty sweet as it is! The addition of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® gives this recipe that perfectly buttery taste, but with the benefits of omega-3 ALA.

How To Serve Budin?

Puerto Rican-style bread pudding is best served at room temperature or cold, which is the traditional way of serving this classic recipe. This allows the budin to maintain its beautiful swirled appearance and makes it easy to slice into portions. Once the budin is cooked, remove it from the water bath and let it cool for an hour at room temp. Then cover with foil or plastic wrap and finish cooling the budin in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve the budin, slice it into portions. You can also doll this up with whipped cream, chopped nuts, or fresh berries.

Make this dreamy Puerto Rican bread pudding for the holiday season, I’m certain it will become a new family favorite!

Want more Puerto Rican dessert recipes? Check out these popular posts from Delish D’Lites!

• Arroz Con Dulce (Puerto Rican Coconut Rice Pudding)
• Tembleque (Puerto Rican Coconut Pudding)
• Coconut Cream Cheese Flan (Flan De Coco)
• Coquito (Puerto Rican Coconut Rum Drink, Egg-Free & Vegan Versions)
• Chewy Coquito Cookies (Puerto Rican Coconut Cookies)
• Flan De Cafe (Coffee Caramel Custard)
• Natilla (Puerto Rican Custard Dessert)

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Budin (Puerto Rican Bread Pudding)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Cooling Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes

Servings 8 people

Author Delish D’Lites

Ingredients

• 1 loaf stale bread, torn into pieces 1 lb
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine melted
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups evaporated milk two 12 oz cans
• 1 can condensed milk 14 oz
• 1/2 cup sugar use your preferred type
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 2 tbsp sugar for topping
• 1 tbsp butter or margarine to grease the pan

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F

2. Tear the bread into 2 inch pieces and add to a large bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milks, vanilla extract, salt, granulated sugar, spices, and melted butter or margarine. Whisk until the mixture is fully combined.

4. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the bread. Add the raisins, and stir until most of the custard is absorbed. The bread will break up a bit, that's fine.

5. Grease an 8×8 baking pan or loaf pan with 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the greased pan. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar on top.

6. Bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the budin from the oven and cool in the pan at room temperate for about an hour, then wrap in plastic wrap and efrigerate until cold, 2 hours more.

   Slice and serve cold.

Recipe Video