Capirotada
Capirotada, a Mexican bread pudding recipe, features bread, raisins, sliced almonds, and cheese, all flavored with a soaking of warmly spiced sweet cream. Baked until the cheese is melty, this Mexican dessert has a delightful texture, with sweet & salty contrasting flavors.
Authentic Capirotada Recipe
You can make this Mexican Capirotada recipe any time of year, but right now – during Lent – is when it’s traditionally served. This easy recipe is familiar like most bread pudding recipes, with a sweetly soaked bread mixture baked in a pan…but with the unexpected addition of cheese. I know people who insist on eating apple pie with a slice of melty cheese (an Upper Midwest thing!), so this is along the same line. Enjoy this delicious Mexican dessert all warm and melty from the oven, at room temperature, or cold from the fridge – it’s up to you!
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe
I adore recipes with a sweet and salty contrast, and I welcome this Mexican bread pudding any time of year. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- A little different. I like what the addition of melted cheese does to this bread pudding recipe. It adds a mellow, salty note that is so lovely with the sweet spiced cream.
- Adaptable. You can make capirotada with or without raisins and nuts. And you can play around with the fruit (try dried apricots or fresh banana or mango), nuts, and kinds of milk.
- Keeps well. The flavors of capirotada develop the longer it rests, making it a great option for a make-ahead dessert.
What Is Capirotada?
Capirotada is a bread pudding dessert from Mexico. It features a sweet spiced cream made of milk, piloncillo (similar to brown sugar), cinnamon, and cloves that is soaked into a mixture of bread, raisins, nuts, and cheese. There are many ways to change up capirotada – see some flavor variations lower down in my “tips” section.
This Mexican dessert is traditionally eaten throughout the Lenten season leading up to Easter, and especially on Good Friday.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Mexican bread pudding. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Bolillo rolls – This is a traditional Mexican bread roll that has a crusty exterior and a soft inside. If you can’t find it, French bread rolls are a fine substitute.
- Oaxaca cheese – This is a mildly flavored, soft melting cheese that adds a rich creaminess to the bread pudding. Substitute with mozzarella or Monterey Jack if needed.
- Raisins – I use both regular raisins and golden raisins, but you could use just one kind if desired.
- Almonds – Thinly sliced almonds add a delicate crunch and delicious flavor this dessert.
- Milk – I use whole milk for richness.
- Heavy cream – You can use all milk if you prefer, but the addition of cream adds a bit of extra richness and body.
- Piloncillo – This traditional Mexican sugar is made by heating sugar cane and pouring it into a cone to harden. The process adds a complex flavor. While you can substitute with dark brown sugar, piloncillo is truly best for this dish.
- Ground spices – Cinnamon and cloves add warmly spiced flavor.
How to Make Capirotada
This simple recipe is easy to put together, and I’ve outlined how to do it below. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Assemble the bread mixture. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a baking dish. Add the bread, shredded cheese, golden raisins, raisins, and sliced almonds.
- Heat the spiced sweet cream. Simmer the milk, cream, piloncillo, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Combine. Pour the warm spiced sweet cream evenly over the bread mixture.
- Bake. Now bake the bread pudding until set, with gooey cheese and a golden brown top, about 40 minutes.
Tips & Variations
There are many ways to make capirotada. Here are a few handy tips, plus some substitution suggestions:
- Don’t over-bake. For the best bread pudding texture, be sure to not over-bake, as that will make the bread dry.
- Use French bread instead. You can easily substitute French bread for the bolillo rolls.
- Toast the bread first. If desired, place the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes before starting. This will dry out the bread a bit and give some additional texture to the bread pudding. If you like a very soft bread pudding, definitely skip this optional step.
- Try different fruits. If you don’t like raisins, try dried apricots, cranberries, blueberries, or dates. Or use fresh banana, mango, or thinly sliced apple.
- Not crazy about almonds? Instead of the sliced almonds, try roasted pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or peanuts.
- Use your favorite cheese. I like mild, melty Oaxaca cheese in this recipe, but you could use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or provolone. And if you’re an apple-pie-with-cheddar-cheese fan, by all means, use some cheddar – you’ll love that saltier cheese with the sweetness of the capirotada!
- Piloncillo substitute: If you don’t have piloncillo, you can replace it with 6 ounces of dark brown sugar (about 1 cup packed). You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of mild molasses with the brown sugar for extra flavor.
- Add some fun sweetness! For a sweeter dish, add sprinkles or a dusting of powdered sugar right before serving.
- Bake it ahead: You can make and bake the capirotada up to 24 hours in advance. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. Let the bread pudding sit on the counter for 15 minutes before warming it in the oven, tented with foil, at 350°F. Or serve it cold!
How to Eat Capirotada
I prefer to eat capirotada warm, when the cheese is melty. The spiced sweet cream has such a wonderful scent, which adds to the coziness of the dish. Really, a good coffee drink is all I need – like a creamy cortadito or a dirty chai latte. Even I’m craving a cold coffee, an iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso is always welcome!
How to Store Mexican Bread Pudding
Here’s how to store any leftover capirotada:
- Fridge – Place any leftover capirotada in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer – Place cooled capirotada in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
- To Reheat – Place the Mexican bread pudding in an oven-safe dish and warm in the oven at 350°F until the cheese is melted and the bread pudding is heated through.
More Mexican Recipes To Try
Capirotada
Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed, to about 1”, bolillo rolls (about 3-4 large rolls) or use French bread
- 1 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese or use a melty white cheese like mozzarella or Monterey Jack
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup regular raisins
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 6-ounce piloncillo cone
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray or butter.
- Add the cubed bread, shredded cheese, golden raisins, raisins, and sliced almonds to the baking dish, and stir them gently to combine.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, piloncillo, cinnamon, and cloves. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the piloncillo is melted.
- Pour the milk mixture very evenly over the bread cubes and cheese. Use a spatula to gently press the bread down so that the milk evenly covers the bread.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread pudding is set and the top is golden brown. Check the capirotada after 15 minutes. If it is browning too quickly, cover it with foil for the last 20 minutes.
