Cheery Cherry-O Chocolate Bread Pudding

The new and improved Chocolate Cheerios, made with NO artificial flavors or colors from artificial sources, was the perfect addition to bread pudding. Adding a bit of crunch and tasty chocolate flavor from real cocoa, this classic cereal treat helped create a delicious dessert.

Cheery Cherry-O Chocolate Bread Pudding
by Gary Gee My Cooking Blog
Serves/makes 8

6 cups day-old white bread, French bread, dinner rolls or croissant
4 cups Chocolate Cheerios
3 cups heavy cream, half and half, whole milk, or any combination thereof
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup tart cherry pie filling
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Vanilla ice cream, for serving, if desired

Spray 9 x 12-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place bread cubes and Cheerios in dish, arranging to "fit" dish.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix milk, butter, pie filling, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Add the eggs and mix well. Pour over bread and Cheerios in baking dish, pressing down to coat and soak. Refrigerate for half an hour, up to overnight (weight down with smaller casserole dish, if necessary).

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until center tests done with toothpick. Cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.