Vegan bread pudding is a take on a classic dish with some adaptations specific to vegan foods. Bread pudding is popular, particularly during the cold winter months, and many cooks have considered this dish to be a family tradition. Bread pudding recipes can be adapted for vegans if vegan alternatives are substituted for the dairy ingredients and the eggs. Vegan baking usually involves some experimentation and vegan bread pudding recipes may call for a variety of substitute ingredients.
Bread is an important ingredient in this dessert, and some cooks even make a batch of bread pudding as a flavorful and practical way of using up day-old bread so that it does not go to waste. Some vegan bread pudding recipes call for any type of standard white bread, while others recommend whole grain bread for additional flavor and nutrients. Italian bread is another popular bread option. Many recipes instruct the home cook to cut the bread into small cubes that can easily be spread over the bottom of a baking dish. An alternative is to pack a handful of bread cubes at a time into small, round baking pans specifically designed for bread pudding.
Instead of dairy milk, many vegan bread pudding recipes call for rice milk, soy milk, or unsweetened almond milk. This ingredient is typically combined with maple syrup, agave nectar, or vegan-friendly custard as an alternative to eggs. An optional ingredient for a less sweet bread pudding is a small amount of apple juice or orange juice. Some vegan cooks use a blended mixture of their favorite flavored soy milk and a measure of silken tofu to arrive at the right bread pudding batter consistency.
Once the liquid ingredients of choice for vegan bread pudding are thoroughly mixed together, many cooks like to add more flavor and texture. Some favorite ingredients for this step include nutmeg, ground cinnamon, light brown sugar, crushed almonds, vanilla extract, and either brown or golden raisins. Dried cranberries or figs can also be added in as alternatives to raisins. After all of these ingredients are completely folded into the batter, the next step involves pouring the mixture over the bread cubes until they are completely covered.
