Toss these in the slow cooker with 3 other ingredients and your family will think you spent all afternoon baking.

This little slow cooker Hawaiian roll pudding is the kind of recipe I wish I’d had when my kids were small and the days felt too short. It takes those leftover stale Hawaiian sweet rolls you hate to waste and turns them into a warm, custardy dessert that tastes like you fussed with it all afternoon. Around here in the rural Midwest, bread pudding has always been a thrifty, comforting way to stretch what you have, and this is the same idea with a tropical sweetness from the rolls. You just toss the cubes into the slow cooker with three simple ingredients, flip it on, and let the house fill with that cozy baked-vanilla smell while you go about your day.

Serve this warm right out of the slow cooker, spooned into bowls. A drizzle of heavy cream, a splash of half-and-half, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top makes it feel like Sunday supper dessert. It also pairs nicely with coffee after a simple weeknight meal, or as a sweet brunch dish alongside scrambled eggs and sausage. If you have fresh fruit on hand, a few berries or sliced bananas on the side brighten it up without any extra work.

Servings: 6

8 cups stale Hawaiian sweet rolls, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 12 standard rolls)

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with butter or nonstick spray so the pudding doesn’t stick.

Place the raw cubed stale Hawaiian sweet rolls in an even layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. The slow cooker should look mostly filled but not packed tight; the cubes should still look fluffy and a bit uneven on top.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract (if using) until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the bread cubes in the slow cooker, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon so all the cubes get a little soaked. It’s fine if some corners stick up; they’ll get toasty and golden.

Let the mixture sit for 5–10 minutes so the bread starts to absorb the custard. During this time, you can press the cubes down once or twice more to help them soak.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the custard is set in the center and a knife inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. The edges will look a bit browned and the top will feel springy.

Once done, turn off the slow cooker and let the pudding rest, covered, for about 10–15 minutes to firm up slightly before serving. Spoon warm pudding into bowls and serve plain or with a little cream or ice cream on top.

You can dress this up a bit without making it any harder. Stir a handful (about 1/2 cup) of raisins, chopped dried pineapple, or chopped pecans into the bread cubes before adding the custard for extra texture. A teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg whisked into the milk and egg mixture will give it more of an old-fashioned Midwestern bread pudding flavor. If you prefer it less sweet, reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup; if your rolls are very sweet already, this can be a good adjustment. For a richer pudding, replace 1/2 to 1 cup of the milk with half-and-half or evaporated milk. If you only have 2% milk, the recipe will still work, but the texture will be a bit lighter. Food safety tips: Use clean, dry hands or utensils when handling the bread and eggs. Crack eggs into a separate bowl to make sure there are no shell pieces and that the eggs are fresh. Once the pudding is cooked, the center should reach at least 160°F to ensure the eggs are safe to eat. Do not leave the finished pudding sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours; refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and reheat gently in the microwave or on LOW in the slow cooker with a splash of milk to keep it moist.