Torrijas de Leche: Classic Spanish Easter Bread Pudding Treat 59 2026

Torrijas de leche are one of Spain's most beloved Easter sweets, and they have become a year-round favorite on restaurant menus across the country. This version keeps things simple and traditional: day-old bread soaked in milk infused with cinnamon and lemon, then fried and coated in cinnamon sugar.

It is a thrifty recipe that makes the most of bread that has gone a little dry, and any type of bread works here, even sweet breads like brioche. However you make them, they come out delicious.

Serve them plain and coated in cinnamon sugar, as is customary, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Either way, they are best enjoyed freshly made so you can savor all their creaminess.

Ingredients for Torrijas de Leche

This recipe makes 10 torrijas.

• 1 liter of milk
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• The peel of half a lemon
• 10 slices of day-old bread
• 2 eggs
• Oil for frying
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

How to Make Torrijas de Leche Step by Step

1. Infuse the Milk

Bring 1 liter of milk to a boil with 2 cinnamon sticks and the peel of half a lemon. Heat over medium heat until the milk comes to a boil.

2. Cool the Milk Completely

When the milk begins to boil, remove it from the heat and pour it into a dish wide enough to soak the bread in. Let it cool completely.

3. Remove the Cinnamon and Lemon

Once the milk is cold, remove the cinnamon sticks and the lemon peel, which will have already released all their aroma into the milk.

4. Soak the Bread in the Milk

Place 10 slices of bread in the milk and let them absorb it well for a few minutes on each side, until they are nice and soft but can still be handled by hand without breaking apart.

5. Drain the Bread

Once soaked, place the bread slices on a rack to remove the excess milk.

6. Coat the Bread in Beaten Egg

Next, beat 2 eggs and coat the drained bread slices in the beaten egg.

7. Fry the Torrijas

Heat a saucepan or frying pan with enough oil for frying and fry the torrijas on both sides until they are golden to your liking.

8. Drain the Excess Oil

Once fried, place them on paper towels to remove the excess oil and to let them cool a little so you can handle them without burning yourself.

9. Coat in Cinnamon Sugar

Mix 4 tablespoons of sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon on a plate. Then coat the fried torrijas in this mixture.

10. Serve the Torrijas Immediately

Serve your delicious homemade torrijas immediately so you can enjoy them while they are still warm.

Tips for the Best Torrijas de Leche

Use Day-Old Bread

Any type of bread that has gone a little dry works well, including sweet breads like brioche following this same recipe. Stale bread holds its shape better during soaking and frying.

Soak Just Until Soft

Let the bread absorb the milk for a few minutes per side, until it is soft but still firm enough to handle without breaking. Over-soaking will make the slices fall apart.

Serve Them Fresh

Torrijas are at their best freshly made, when their interior is at its creamiest. Serve them plain with cinnamon sugar or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

30 Favorite Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Maybe you're a lot like me and like having a stash of cozy comfort dishes, tried-and-true international favorites, and desserts that please a crowd.

On nights when I'm after something indulgent and rich, my picks tend to be this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And whenever a fruity, comforting dessert is calling my name, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

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Even More Tasty Recipes to Cook for the Family

After years of testing and tweaking recipes in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes are built on simplicity, dependable methods, and serious flavor.

The recipes gathered here are the ones I genuinely keep coming back to—whether I'm putting together a fast meal just for me or making something memorable for friends and family.

When dessert is on my mind, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to for those times I want something elegant without much fuss. The caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake, is another sweet favorite. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

On days when I want something light and fresh, I'll usually make the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For comfort cooking with more heft, the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the creamy Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe are ones I recommend often.

I'm also a big fan of passing along dishes from kitchens around the world, such as the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crunchy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I turn to often, since it cuts down on time without sacrificing texture. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be indulgent, cheesy, and deeply comforting without any gluten.

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