This 3-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding Is My Favorite Easy Holiday Dessert

Growing up, my household was an eggnog-free zone. Neither of my parents enjoys the creamy, rich drink, and I always wondered if it could possibly be as good as all the Christmas movies made it out to be. So, when I finally tried it as an adult, I was pleasantly surprised. With its custardy texture and warm nutmeg flavor, it’s even more magical than all the movies had me believe, and it’s now a holiday must-have for me.

Because I love eggnog so much, I use it in place of milk or cream in baked goods during the Christmas season. I use it in buttercream frosting, chai lattes, ice cream, and in this easy three-ingredient cinnamon roll bread pudding.

This easy bread pudding is inspired by my 2-Ingredient Apple Cobbler and 2-Ingredient Cherry Cobbler recipes and starts with a can of cinnamon rolls, just like they do. I cut the cinnamon rolls into pieces, separate each layer, then make a custard from eggnog plus a few eggs. I stir it all together and bake, then top it off with an eggnog sauce for the quickest-ever dessert that’s packed with nostalgic holiday flavor.

Tips For Making My 3-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

• Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls have distinct layers, and that’s why they work so well for this bread pudding. After you cut each cinnamon roll into quarters, be sure to separate each layer of dough into individual slivers for the best texture. 
• Keep the slivers of dough separated as you stir. The layers have a tendency to clump back together when they’re mixed with the custard, but you need to keep them apart as much as possible and spread them out evenly in the dish to make sure they rise properly in the oven. 
• This recipe may look like it’s not going to make a lot before it goes into the oven, but the cinnamon rolls will fluff up significantly while cooking and will fill up the baking dish for lots of servings of bread pudding.
• This bread pudding can be served warm or cold. I love it warm from the oven, but it’s also delicious to eat the leftovers cold, right from the fridge, especially for breakfast.

How to Make My 3-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

To make one 9x9-inch dish of bread pudding (9 to 12 servings), you’ll need:

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Cooling and soaking time: 15 minutes

• Nonstick baking spray (such as Baker’s Joy)
• 1 (17.5-ounce) can Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls with Cinnabon Cinnamon and Original Icing
• 1 3/4 cups eggnog, divided (I like Southern Comfort Traditional Eggnog)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
• 1 to 2 tablespoons brandy, optional

Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9x9-inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray. Cut each cinnamon roll into four equal pieces, so you have 20 pieces total from 5 cinnamon rolls. Separate all the layers from each piece of cinnamon roll by pulling apart each sliver of dough. Add the dough pieces to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the eggnog, the eggs, and the nutmeg, if using, until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Pour the eggnog mixture over the cinnamon rolls in the large mixing bowl and use a spatula to stir until each sliver of dough is coated.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use the spatula to distribute the dough evenly, making sure all areas of the baking dish are covered with dough. Spray one side of a large piece of foil with baking spray. The foil should be large enough to cover the baking dish. Tightly wrap the foil around the baking dish.

Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Then, remove the dish from the oven and remove and discard the aluminum foil. Place the bread pudding back in the oven and continue to bake, uncovered, until the top is deep golden brown and the center jiggles only slightly, about 10 minutes.

While the bread pudding is baking, make the sauce. Use a spatula to remove the icing that came with the cinnamon rolls from its plastic container and put it into a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until fluid, about 15 seconds. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of eggnog and microwave for 5 more seconds. Stir in the brandy, if using. 

Remove the bread pudding from the oven and pour the icing eggnog sauce over the bread pudding. 

Allow to cool on the counter for about 15 minutes, where it will soak in all that lovely sauce. Serve the bread pudding warm and enjoy!

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. Reheat in 10-second increments in the microwave until warmed through.

Easy Tweaks and Variations

• Get creative with toppings: This recipe tastes great on its own, but you can add toppings to jazz things up even more. Crushed pecans, mini gingerbread cookies, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream all work well with this easy bread pudding.
• Go homemade: You can make this bread pudding even more special by making Homemade Eggnog.
• Serve a crowd: This bread pudding is an easy holiday dessert. You can easily double the recipe by doubling the ingredients and using two 9x9-inch baking dishes to make enough to feed a crowd if you’ve got lots of hungry visitors.

More Eggnog Treats

• Eggnog French Toast
• Eggnog Ice Cream
• Eggnog Pound Cake