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Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding

Toasted pecans and sweet maple syrup make this pumpkin brioche bread pudding the perfect autumn treat or holiday dish! This high protein recipe feeds 6-8 easily and makes a delicious brunch or dessert. And it bakes up in 30 minutes in the Ninja Speed!

What you’ll love about this recipe:


  • SUGAR-FREE – No refined sugar is used in this recipe. Instead, 100% pure maple syrup is used as the sweetener.
  • FAST – I’ve made bread puddings in the past that took an hour to make. This pumpkin brioche bread pudding is done in 30 minutes in the air fryer (multi cooker)!
  • VERSATILE – This recipe makes a decadent dessert or a deliciously sweet breakfast. Or both!
  • HEALTHY – The protein powder balances the macros and makes this a high protein bread pudding recipe.
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What You Need to Make Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding

Here’s what I used to make this recipe. Although I used the Ninja Speedi, you can make this pumpkin bread pudding easy as can be in any air fryer/multi cooker.

  • Air fryer (Ninja Speedi)
  • Bread knife
  • Whisk
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Silicone tongs
  • Silicone spatula

Ingredients for Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding

Ingredients for pumpkin brioche bread pudding include canned pumpkin, milk, eggs, maple syrup, spices, protein powder, and pecans

Full List of Ingredients

  • Brioche bread
  • Canned pumpkin puree
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Maple syrup
  • Unflavored protein powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • Pumpkin pie spice
  • Salt
  • Pecans

Substitutions

If you don’t have all of the ingredients above to make this pumpkin brioche bread pudding, or if you prefer using other items, here is a list of ideas for alternatives.

Brioche bread Brioche is a soft, sweet bread, even when it’s “stale” or “day-old.” So in this recipe it can become mushy when mixed and cooked with the pumpkin mixture. If you like a firmer bread that holds up to the “batter,” then try a French baguette and leave it to dry out for a few days before using.

See the Handy Tip below for crisping up the bread if you need to use a fresh loaf.

Milk I used whole cow’s milk in my recipe, but there are lots of other options. Any plant-based milk should work in this recipe. And if you have vanilla flavored milk, that will make it even creamier tasting!

Maple syrup I’m moving away from refined sweeteners and using more whole food ingredients. So I’ve chosen to use pure maple syrup as my sweetener in this pumpkin brioche bread pudding. I think it perfectly complements the pumpkin and spices, but you could use organic cane sugar or another sweetener here. You may need to add another 1/4 cup however, since maple sugar is sweeter than sugar.

Vanilla extract I actually used vanilla bean powder in my recipe. Either one works.

Spices If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you could use a mix of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Use roughly equal portions for a total amount of two teaspoons.

Protein powder This isn’t just any old bread pudding recipe, this is a high protein bread pudding recipe! I don’t eat dessert, so I actually created this recipe to be a meal, specifically a brunch recipe. Since it was heavy on the fat and carbs, I added some protein powder to balance things out. Use your favorite, and give a vanilla protein powder a try!

Here’s another delicious pumpkin breakfast recipe: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Ninja Speedi Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding served on a plate

How to Make Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding in an Air Fryer

Here are the general directions for making this pumpkin brioche bread pudding in whatever model air fryer you have, as long as it’s a multi cooker type air fryer that has a cooking pot, not just a basket. The recipe card below gives directions for making it specifically in the Ninja Speedi.

Handy tip!

If you don’t have stale or day-old bread and have to use fresh bread, you can still have crispy cubes for the recipe. Just bake the bread cubes in the air fryer at 300° for about 10 minutes while you prep the pumpkin mixture. See the recipe card below for specifics.

Crisp brioche bread cubes in the Ninja Speedi air fryer

Step 1 Add the bread cubes to the air fryer cooking pot. Then mix the remaining ingredients (see specific amounts in the recipe card below), except the pecans, in a large mixing bowl. Pour the pumpkin mixture on the bread cubes and mix to coat all the bread.

The blended pumpkin puree is poured on the bread for pumpkin brioche bread pudding

Step 2 Bake at 325° for 30 minutes. Cover the bread pudding about midway through the cooking time to prevent the top from burning. Add the pecans to the pot to toast the last few minutes of cooking.

The finished pumpkin brioche bread pudding topped with toasted pecans in the Ninja Speedi cooking pot

Step 3 Serve warm topped with a drizzle of maple syrup and some toasted pecans.

Recipe Card for Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding

Ninja Speedi Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding served on a plate

Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Toasted pecans and sweet maple syrup make this pumpkin brioche bread pudding the perfect autumn treat or holiday dish! This high protein recipe feeds 6-8 easily and makes a delicious brunch or dessert. And it bakes up in 30 minutes in the Ninja Speed!

Ingredients

  • 8 cups "stale" brioche bread, cut into 1" cubes
  • 15 oz canned pumpkin puree
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 4 scoops unflavored protein powder
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Optional: 1/2 cup pecan halves

Instructions

  1. Optional: Place the crisping tray in the lower position in the cooking pot of the Ninja Speedi. Pour in the cubed brioche bread and arrange in an even layer. Put the SmartSwitch in the Air Fryer position and cook at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes on the AIR FRY setting.
  2. While the bread is crisping, whisk the canned pumpkin, eggs, milk, 1/2 cup maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  3. When the bread is done crisping, use silicone-tipped tongs to carefully remove the tray while dumping the bread cubes into the cooking pot.
  4. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread cubes and stir everything together, making sure all the bread is coated.
  5. Change the settings to BAKE/ROAST at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Press START.
  6. When there is about 15 minutes left on the timer, open the unit and place a square of parchment paper over the bread pudding and place the crisping tray on top to hold the paper in place. This will prevent to top from getting to dark and drying out.
  7. When there is 5 minutes left on the timer, put the pecans on the crisping tray.
  8. When the unit shuts off, use the tongs to remove the pecans and crisping tray. Remove the parchment paper also. Crumble or chop the pecans.
  9. To serve the pumpkin brioche bread pudding, top each serving with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of toasted pecans.

Nutrition Info for This Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding Recipe

Below is the nutrition panel for this recipe based on the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card above. If you make substitutions, the nutrition information may be different.

Nutrition Panel for Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding

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