Bread and Butter Pudding Cookies

Bread and butter pudding is a classic, so it had to become a cookie. I wanted to incorporate bread without frying it or using breadcrumbs, so I came up with an oven-baked French toast. The bread is soaked in instant custard and seasoned with nutmeg for that faux-baked feel and a bit of crunch.

Bread and Butter Pudding Cookies
Bread and Butter Pudding Cookies

Makes 16

Soaking Time 1 hour

Hands-on Time 30 minutes plus chilling (overnight)

Baking Time 51 minutes

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Ingredients

  • 3 teabags

  • 500ml boiling water

  • 200g sultanas

  • 100g + 2 tbsp custard powder

  • 175g + 2 tbsp caster sugar

  • 250ml full-fat milk

  • 4 tsp vanilla extract

  • 4 thick slices of bread

  • 4 tsp demerara sugar

  • ¼ tsp + pinch of ground nutmeg

  • 250g unsalted butter (softened)

  • 200g light brown sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 300g plain flour

  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • 1 tsp fine salt

Equipment

  • Bowl

  • Baking sheet (ideally aluminium)

  • Baking parchment

  • Wide-shallow bowl

  • Whisk

  • Knife

  • Freestanding mixer with paddle attachment

  • Spatula

Method

1. Soak the sultanas

  • Brew the teabags in boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove the teabags and add the sultanas. Soak for at least 1 hour.

2. Prepare the custard toast

  • Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (fan)/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

  • Mix 2 tbsp custard powder, 2 tbsp caster sugar, milk, and 2 tsp vanilla extract in a wide-shallow bowl.

  • Dip each bread slice into the mixture, coating both sides. Place on the baking sheet.

  • Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg and 2 tsp demerara sugar. Bake for 25 minutes, flip, sprinkle with the remaining sugar, and bake for 10 more minutes. Cool, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

3. Make the cookie dough

  • In a freestanding mixer, beat the butter, light brown sugar, and 175g caster sugar for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

  • Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and the eggs, mixing briefly to combine.

  • Add the flour, 100g custard powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides with a spatula.

  • Squeeze the sultanas and fold them into the dough along with the chopped custard toast.

4. Shape and bake the cookies

  • Shape the dough into a log, wrap in parchment, and chill for 30 minutes.

  • Slice the dough into 16 equal rounds, roll into balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill overnight.

  • Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (fan)/325°F/Gas Mark 3.

  • Bake 6–8 cookies at a time, spaced 10cm apart, for 16 minutes.

  • Let the cookies rest for a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Bread and Butter Pudding Cookies
Bread and Butter Pudding Cookies