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Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)

Capirotada is a Mexican bread pudding made with cinnamon, piloncillo, cloves, raisins, bread, and cheese. I can smell and taste the sweet warm melted cheese as I type this. Yes, you read it right…cheese. The combination of these ingredients is sure to awaken your taste buds!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
Additional Time - Steeping
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 26 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Calories: 473 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 4 bolillo rolls or French rolls
  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 12 ounces piloncillo or 1½ cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 3 cups shredded cheese Longhorn Cheddar, Colby, or cheese of your choice
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 4 tablespoons butter or spray butter

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cut rolls in ½ inch slices and butter both sides, layer on a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes on each side, until lightly toasted and dry. Remove and cool.
  3. Combine water, piloncillo, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, creating a syrup. Simmer syrup uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered for 2 hours. Pour through a strainer and discard cinnamon sticks and cloves. Set syrup aside.
  4. Spray 8 x 10 ½” baking dish with non-stick spray, layer ingredients in the following order: a third of the toasted bread, third of the raisins, third of the cheese, and 1 1/2 cups syrup evenly over cheese. Wait 15 minutes and layer another third of the bread, raisins, cheese, and 1 1/2 cups syrup evenly over cheese. Let soak for another 15 minutes, and again top with the remaining bread, raisins, cheese, and syrup evenly over bread. Before baking let set for another 15 minutes.
  5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and bake 40 minutes, uncover and bake until cheese is golden brown about 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Storage & Heating:
  • Storage & Heating:
  • It will keep in a well-covered container in the fridge for 24 hours.
  • , capirotadas should be allowed to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer-friendly container. It should keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. 
  • for up to 3 months. 
  • you can gently warm refrigerated or thawed capirotada, covered,
  • Expert Tips:
  • Expert Tips:
  • If you’re familiar with
  • tres leches cake
  • or other
  • bread pudding
  • or
  • bread-based casserole
  • recipes, you know the key to getting that custardy, soft texture is letting the dried bread soak up all the flavorful goodness! 
  • Unlike a French-style bread pudding made with an egg custard base, this capirotada is made with fat-free, water-based simple syrup, so you don’t have as much of a window of error. 
  • Warm capirotada? DELICIOUS! Straight-out-of-the-oven-scalding-hot-capirotada? With the melty cheese in there, it’s basically the culinary equivalent of napalm. Unless you want the whole roof of your mouth to slough off, give it 10 minutes of patience.
  • I personally prefer warm, but do what calls to you!
  • place a parchment-lined baking sheet underneath it to catch any potential drips.
  •  
  • Feel free to prepare your capirotada up to a day ahead without baking it. It will keep in a well-covered container in the fridge for 24 hours.
  • Once baked, capirotadas should be allowed to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer-friendly container. It should keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. 
  • Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months. 
  • To reheat and serve capirotada, you can gently warm refrigerated or thawed capirotada, covered,
  • Don’t rush the step-by-step soak. If you’re familiar with tres leches cake or other bread pudding or bread-based casserole recipes, you know the key to getting that custardy, soft texture is letting the dried bread soak up all the flavorful goodness! 
  • Don't over-bake your Mexican bread pudding or the bread will be dry. Unlike a French-style bread pudding made with an egg custard base, this capirotada is made with fat-free, water-based simple syrup, so you don’t have as much of a window of error. 
  • Let the pudding cool slightly before serving. Warm capirotada? DELICIOUS! Straight-out-of-the-oven-scalding-hot-capirotada? With the melty cheese in there, it’s basically the culinary equivalent of napalm. Unless you want the whole roof of your mouth to slough off, give it 10 minutes of patience.
  • Capirotada can be served warm, room temperature, or cold. I personally prefer warm, but do what calls to you!
  • If your baking dish is too shallow, place a parchment-lined baking sheet underneath it to catch any potential drips.

Nutrition Information

Calories 473kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 69g (23%) Protein 13g (26%) Fat 16g (25%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Cholesterol 48mg (16%) Sodium 472mg (20%) Potassium 189mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 39g (78%) Vitamin A 459IU (9%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 256mg (26%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8to 10 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 473

% Daily Value*

Calories 473kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 69g 23%
Protein 13g 26%
Fat 16g 25%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 472mg 20%
Potassium 189mg 4%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 39g 78%
Vitamin A 459IU 9%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 256mg 26%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.