Crockpot Apples and Honey Challah Bread Pudding

Crockpot apples and honey challah bread pudding combines challah, apples, honey, applesauce, and cinnamon in one comforting dessert. Everything cooks directly in the slow cooker, freeing up valuable oven space while creating a soft, custardy center and lightly browned edges. This easy bread pudding is a wonderful addition to a Rosh Hashanah celebration, holiday brunch, or fall dessert table.

Ingredients For Crockpot Apples and Honey Challah Bread Pudding

• Challah bread: You will need day-old challah torn into bite-size pieces. Slightly stale bread absorbs the custard without becoming overly soggy. If your challah is fresh, leave the pieces uncovered for several hours to help dry them out.
• Apple: One large apple or two small apples add natural sweetness, texture, and fresh apple flavor. Dice or slice the apple into small, evenly sized pieces so it softens as the bread pudding cooks.
• Unsweetened applesauce: Applesauce adds moisture and strengthens the apple flavor without making the bread pudding overly sweet.
• Honey: Honey sweetens the custard and gives this bread pudding its signature Rosh Hashanah flavor. You can drizzle additional honey over the finished pudding before serving.
• Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients and help create the soft, custard-like texture.
• Milk: Use your preferred milk. Whole milk will create a richer bread pudding, but reduced-fat or unsweetened nondairy milk may also be used.
• Heavy cream: Heavy cream adds richness and gives the custard a smooth, creamy consistency.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla complements the apples, honey, and cinnamon.
• Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon adds warmth without overpowering the apple and honey flavors.
• Cooking spray: Generously coat the slow cooker before adding the ingredients to prevent the bread pudding from sticking. Parchment paper may also be used.

How To Make Crockpot Apples and Honey Challah Bread Pudding

1. Generously coat the slow cooker with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. Add the torn challah pieces and top evenly with the diced apple.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, applesauce, honey, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
3. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread and apples, making sure all the bread is moistened. Gently press down the mixture and smooth the top into an even layer.
4. Place a clean kitchen towel over the top of the slow cooker, then add the lid over the towel. Make sure the towel is pulled taut and that its edges remain safely away from the outside heating element. The towel will absorb condensation as the bread pudding cooks.
5. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 4 hours or on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. The bread pudding is done when the center is set and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. Turn off the slow cooker and let the bread pudding cool slightly before serving. Do not leave it on the WARM setting for an extended period.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Perfect for Rosh Hashanah: Apples, honey, and challah come together in a meaningful holiday dessert.
• Frees up oven space: The entire bread pudding cooks in the crockpot, leaving your oven available for the rest of the meal.
• Simple preparation: Tear the bread, whisk the custard, and let the slow cooker handle the cooking.
• Warm fall flavors: Apples, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon create a comforting dessert without an overly complicated ingredient list.
• Versatile: Serve this bread pudding for dessert, breakfast, brunch, or as part of a holiday celebration.
• Easy to customize: Add raisins, chopped nuts, or an extra drizzle of honey to make it your own.

Apple Recipes 

• Chicken with Apples & Honey

• Apple Bake

• Apple Butter

• Apple Cider 

FAQs & Tips

Why is this a Rosh Hashanah recipe?

This recipe combines three foods traditionally eaten during Rosh Hashanah: challah, apples, and honey. Apples and honey symbolize the hope for a sweet new year, while round challah is traditionally served during the holiday

What Is challah bread?

Challah is a soft, enriched bread traditionally served during Shabbat and many Jewish holidays. It is commonly made with flour, eggs, yeast, water, oil, sugar, and salt. Its rich flavor and tender crumb make challah particularly good for bread pudding because it absorbs the custard while maintaining some structure. Challah is often braided, although round challah is traditionally served for Rosh Hashanah. Store-bought challah works perfectly in this recipe, so there is no need to make a loaf from scratch.

Why should you use day-old challah?

Slightly stale challah absorbs the custard more effectively than very fresh bread. Fresh, soft challah may become overly soggy. If your bread is fresh, tear it into pieces and leave it uncovered for several hours before assembling the recipe.

What can you substitute for challah?

Brioche and French bread are good substitutes because they hold up well when soaked in custard. Brioche will create a richer result, while French bread will be slightly firmer and less sweet.

What type of apple should you use?

You can use your preferred apple. Gala, Fuji, and Honeycrisp apples will produce a sweeter flavor, while Granny Smith apples will give the bread pudding a more tart contrast. You can also combine sweet and tart apples.

Do you need to peel the apple?

No. The apple peel softens during slow cooking, so peeling is optional. Peel the apple first if you prefer a smoother texture.

Why do you place a towel underneath the slow cooker lid?

Without a towel, condensation can collect underneath the lid and drip onto the bread pudding, leaving the top wet or soggy. Placing a clean kitchen towel between the slow cooker and lid absorbs the excess moisture and helps the bread pudding set more evenly. Keep the towel pulled taut and away from the exterior heating element, and confirm that your slow cooker’s manufacturer permits this method.

Will this stick to the slow cooker?

It shouldn’t if you generously coat the slow cooker with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. Letting the bread pudding cool slightly before removing it will also help prevent sticking. If you use parchment paper, you can carefully lift the bread pudding out of the slow cooker.

Will the bottom burn?

Not if you don’t overcook it. This isn’t a recipe you can leave on the warm setting too long because it will burn the bottom of the bread pudding. When it’s done cooking, it’s best to turn the slow cooker off and let it cool.

Can you prepare the bread pudding ahead of time?

You can tear the bread and dice the apple in advance. The custard may also be whisked together and refrigerated separately. For the best texture, wait to pour the custard over the challah until you are ready to begin cooking.

How do you know when bread pudding is done?

The center should look set rather than wet or liquid. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Cooking times can vary depending on the slow cooker, so begin checking it at the lower end of the suggested range.

How to serve challah bread pudding

Serve this bread pudding warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Drizzle additional honey over each serving or add a spoonful of whipped cream. It can also be served with vanilla ice cream, chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, or additional cooked apples.

How do you store leftovers?

Allow the bread pudding to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store leftover slow cooker apples and honey challah bread pudding in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

What size slow cooker did you use?

I use a 3.5-quart slow cooker for this recipe. Feeding a larger crowd? Double the recipe and use a larger slow cooker. 

Jewish Recipes

• Matzo Ball Soup

• Jewish Wedding Soup

• Beef Cholent

• Chicken With Apples & Honey

• Chopped Liver

• Noodle Kugel

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Crockpot Apples and Honey Challah Bread Pudding

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This crockpot apples and honey challah bread pudding combines challah, apples, honey, applesauce, and cinnamon in one comforting dessert. Everything cooks directly in the slow cooker, freeing up valuable oven space while creating a soft, custardy center and lightly browned edges. This easy bread pudding is a wonderful addition to a Rosh Hashanah celebration, holiday brunch, or fall dessert table.

• Author: Shannon Epstein
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Slow Cooking
• Cuisine: American, Jewish
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 loaf day-old challah bread, torn into pieces
• 1 large apple or 2 small, diced or sliced
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk of your choice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Generously coat the slow cooker with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. Add the torn challah pieces and top evenly with the diced or sliced apple.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, applesauce, honey, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
3. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread and apples, making sure all the bread is moistened. Gently press down the mixture and smooth the top into an even layer.
4. Place a clean kitchen towel over the top of the slow cooker, then add the lid over the towel. Make sure the towel is pulled taut and that its edges remain safely away from the outside heating element. The towel will absorb condensation as the bread pudding cooks.
5. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 4 hours or on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. The bread pudding is done when the center is set and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. Turn off the slow cooker and let the bread pudding cool slightly before serving. Do not leave it on the WARM setting for an extended period.

Notes

Cooking times can vary between slow cookers. Begin checking the bread pudding at the lower end of the suggested cooking range.

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