This recipe is one of my first food waste reduction recipes of 2026. One of my favorite ways to spark creativity in the kitchen is by working with what I already have and finding ways to use leftovers instead of letting them go to waste. Earlier this week, I made my Fancy Chicago Dog recipe and ended up with extra poppy seed buns that were starting to go stale. Rather than tossing them, I turned them into a bread pudding. Since poppy seeds pair beautifully with lemon and I had a few extra lemons on hand, the idea naturally became a lemon poppy seed bread pudding. I hope you enjoy this recipe, whether you’re looking to use up leftover poppy seed buns or you’re simply craving a bright, tangy dessert that’s guaranteed to impress.
Topics
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Zesting the Lemons: When zesting, be careful not to go too deep into the peel. Stop as soon as you reach the white pith, as it is bitter and can negatively affect the flavor of the custard.
- Using Leftover Lemon Peels: Don’t toss the lemon peels after juicing. They can be repurposed as a natural deodorizer for your garbage disposal. Cut the peels into smaller pieces, run the disposal, and drop them in to leave it smelling fresh and clean.
- Milk Substitutions: If you don’t have or prefer not to use 2 percent milk, you can substitute another dairy based milk without significantly changing the flavor or consistency of the recipe.
Select one of the buttons below to follow along with a step-by-step recipe demo!
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Pudding
Serving Size:
6-8 servings
Time:
1 hour, 40 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy
Ingredients
- 4 small Meyer lemons
- 6 poppy seed hotdog buns
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 + 1/4 cup 2% milk
- 4 whole eggs
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- Confectioners sugar to taste (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease an 11 × 7 inch glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter, making sure the entire surface is well coated.
- Add the remaining butter from greasing the pan, along with an additional 1 tablespoon of butter, to a glass measuring cup. Microwave until fully melted.
- Cut the poppy seed buns into large cubes and arrange them evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the bread, distributing it as evenly as possible. Set the dish aside while you prepare the lemon custard.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, milk, and salt. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Pour the custard evenly over the bread in the baking dish.
- Using the back of a spoon, gently press the bread into the custard to ensure all pieces are fully coated.
- Refrigerate the bread pudding for 30 minutes to allow the custard to soak into the bread.
- Remove the dish from the refrigerator and bake for 50 minutes, or until the custard is set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. If desired, finish with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate or freeze for future use.
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