Get ready for the most amazing, decadent bread pudding recipe you’ve ever had! Croissant Bread Pudding is made with buttery, flaky pastry, a luscious custard, and topped with a classic vanilla crème anglaise.
This special bread pudding recipe is completely perfect and simple to create!
I can’t believe I haven’t shared this recipe with you until now! Bread pudding with croissants is the best version of this easy-to-make dessert yet.
Croissant pudding, or croissant bread pudding, or croissant bread and butter pudding – whatever you’d like to call it, you can be sure that it will impress your guests.
The flavors are sweet and gently spiced with cinnamon, and the texture is rich from the flaky, buttery croissants and creamy custard. It’s like my classic bread pudding, but better!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfected Simplicity – None of the ingredients in this recipe are particularly special, but the way that they are put together is simply amazing! To me, croissant bread and butter pudding is all about texture, and this recipe has it, in the form of flaky croissants and smooth, silky custard.
- An Easy Dessert – Unlike some other recipes, this dessert is made all in one casserole dish! Aside from that, you’ll just need a mixing bowl and a whisk to make the perfect bread pudding with croissants.
- Make Ahead Option – You can bake your bread pudding right away, or store it in the fridge overnight so it’s ready to pop in the oven in the morning! Yes, croissant bread pudding is an amazing dessert, but it’s also perfect for brunch along with some sparkling raspberry sorbet bellinis.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this amazing and simple dessert:
- Croissants: You’ll need 6-8 large croissants, cut up into 1-inch pieces. I love buying the big packs of croissants from Costco for this recipe, and they also make amazing chicken salad sandwiches too! Bread pudding works best when your bread is a little bit old, so give the croissants a day or two to get stale before starting.
- Butter: To make this buttery bread pudding even buttery-er, grease the pan with some. The crispy edges of this dessert are my favorite!
- To Make the Custard: Milk, Cream, Eggs, and Sugar make up a rich, thick custard that binds all of the bread cubes together. Seasoned with vanilla and cinnamon, it’s also perfectly delicious.
- Vanilla Sauce: Go grab my recipe for easy vanilla sauce, aka crème anglaise. It’s the perfect topping for bread pudding, and it only takes a few minutes to make on the stove.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Croissant Bread Pudding
- Cut up the Croissants: Dice them into pieces that are about 1-inch square. This way there’s plenty of open surface area to soak up the custard.
- Mix the Custard: Add eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to a mixing bowl, and whisk until blended.
- Soak: Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13 pan, then fill it with croissant cubes. Pour the custard mixture over the croissants, and allow them to sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Tip!
You can make this recipe ahead of time! Stop here, and place the dish with the custard soaked bread in the refrigerator, covered, until you’re ready to bake it.
- Bake: Cover the bread pudding with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. This step creates a steamy environment that is perfect for bread pudding. Then, uncover the pan and bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until the custard is done and the top of the bake is golden brown.
Tip!
Keep the baked bread pudding plain until just before you’re ready to serve it. Pour the creamy vanilla sauce over individual servings if you don’t expect to eat the whole pan right away.
Recipe Tips
- To Serve: Serve Croissant Bread Pudding warm or at room temperature, topped with vanilla sauce and fresh berries. I prefer to heat the vanilla sauce, but you can also serve the sauce cold.
- This recipe works well with other types of bread. In my classic bread pudding recipe, I use brioche, but you can try this with any sturdy bread. Leftover dinner rolls, French bread, or sandwich bread will all be delicious!
- Dry bread makes the best bread pudding. To quickly dry out the croissant cubes so that they’re ready to make bread pudding with, place them in a low oven (100°F/40°C, or as low as your oven will go) for a few minutes.
- Bake individual servings. Instead of making this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan, divide the ingredients into ramekins and bake for 20 minutes covered and 10-15 minutes uncovered, or until done.
- Try adding fruit. You can stir in fresh berries with the bread and custard, and bake it all together to make an extra special berry croissant bread pudding.
Storing Tips
Keep leftover croissant bread pudding in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Enjoy it within 5 days.
You can serve leftover bread pudding cold, or gently warm it first.
If you have leftover creme anglaise sauce, drizzle it over a slice of blueberry pie or a plate of chocolate chip pancakes.
What To Serve With Croissant Bread Pudding
This sweet, luscious dish is a brunch favorite! Serve it with French Press Coffee and fresh fruit. Some crispy bacon on the side would also be amazing
You can also enjoy croissant bread pudding as a dessert after any meal. I love to make this when I have guests over for Marry Me Chicken or Garlic Shrimp Pasta.
Recipe FAQs
Similar to a cake, you can check to be sure that your bread pudding is done by inserting a clean knife into the center of the pan. If it comes out clean, the pudding is ready! To be more scientific, use an instant-read thermometer. Fully cooked bread pudding should be at least 160°F/70°C in the center.
Vanilla sauce is my go-to bread pudding drizzle, but it’s also amazing with caramel sauce or chocolate syrup!
You can eat it any way you want to! I like it best when it’s warm from the oven still, but it’s tasty from the fridge too.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
all desserts→
Croissant Bread Pudding is the perfect brunch treat or dessert for your guests. Make this recipe, and serve it with warm vanilla sauce and fresh berries – everyone will be so impressed!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Croissant Bread Pudding
Recipe Video
Equipment
- Serrated Knife
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (13 grams) butter softened, to grease the pan
- 6-8 croissants Use day old or stale croissants. 8 cups in total when chopped
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk whole or 2%
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For Serving
- 1 recipe vanilla sauce (creme anglaise)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, or 160°C fan oven. Butter the inside of a 9×13 inch (approx. 23×33 cm) baking pan.
- Chop the croissants with a serrated knife into 1-inch bite size pieces. Add them to the prepared 9×13 pan.
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour the mixture over the croissants, and allow to sit for 20 minutes at room temperature to soak up the custard mixture. Or, if you’re making this ahead, cover and store it in the fridge until the next morning/day.
- Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the custard is 160°F/70°C and the top is golden brown. Serve with fresh berries and vanilla sauce or dust with powdered sugar.
Notes:
- This recipe makes 8 large square servings or 12 slightly smaller ones.
- This recipe works well with other types of bread. In my classic bread pudding recipe, I use brioche, but you can try this with any sturdy bread. Leftover dinner rolls, French bread, or sandwich bread will all be delicious.
- Dry bread makes the best bread pudding. To quickly dry out the croissant cubes so that they’re ready to make bread pudding with, place them in a low oven (100°F/40°C, or as low as your oven will go) for a few minutes.
- Make Ahead: After you’ve combined the bread with the custard, cover the casserole dish and store in the refrigerator for up to one day. Bake as directed when you’re ready.
- Bake individual servings. Instead of making this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan, divide the ingredients into ramekins and bake for 20 minutes covered and 10-15 minutes uncovered, or until done.
- Try adding fruit. You can stir in fresh berries with the bread and custard, and bake it all together to make an extra special berry croissant bread pudding.
- To Store: Keep leftover croissant bread pudding in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Enjoy it within 5 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Melissa says
This recipe turned out perfect! The texture is so spongy with a flaky crisp to the top. This will definitely be my go to.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Hi Melissa! Thank you so much for the fantastic feedback!
Laura says
Excellent and so easy. I sprinkled in dark chocolate chips and pecans instead of using the sauce. I used 10 mini croissants, toasted in the oven, and used a 9×9 pan. I’ve made it twice in one week. It’s a keeper.
Diana says
That sounds amazing! The dark chocolate chips and pecans must have added a great texture and flavor. So glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
Lauren Ehmer says
Question: Can I use frozen fruit in lieu of fresh? Thanks.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
You could! I’d recommend thawing the fruit first and removing all of the extra moisture before stirring it into the bread pudding. Enjoy!
Loraine Oldershaw says
l would love to have amounts of ingredients for the croissant bread pudding.All l see is a picture of the ingredients. Thank you
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Hi Loraine! Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to find the recipe card which includes all of the details of the recipe with measurements and instructions.
Victoria says
Absolutely 💯% delicious. just made this dish this morning and it’s absolutely delicious
Diana says
I’m happy to hear that the bread pudding was a hit! Thanks for trying it out and for your enthusiastic feedback!