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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Modified: Dec 7, 2023 · Published: Dec 13, 2020 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income from ads.

    Croissant Bread Pudding

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Croissant Bread Pudding is a delicious combination of the rich, buttery croissants, with fresh fruit and a sumptuous vanilla pudding. But perhaps the best part of this bread pudding recipe is you can serve it warm or cold. Plus, it's assembled in less than 15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of Homemade Honey Butter for a delicous flavor combination!

    A portion of bread pudding on a plate with fresh raspberry on top.
    Fresh fruit is layered throughout the entire dish of Croissant Bread Pudding.
    Jump to:
    • 🥐 Ingredients to Have on Hand
    • 💭 How to Make Croissant Bread Pudding
    • ⏲️ Baking Dish Preference
    • 🥣 Croissant Pudding
    • ⭐ Recipe FAQs
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Fruit is Optional for Croissant Bread Pudding
    • 🔪Croissant Size for Bread Pudding
    • 🍓Fruit Options for Croissant Bread Pudding
    • ♨️ No Need for Sauce on Top
    • 🍴The History of Bread Pudding
    • 🍰 More Dessert Ideas
    • 🥧 More Baking Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    🥐 Ingredients to Have on Hand

    It doesn't take many ingredients to create Croissant Bread Pudding. Simply buy store-bought croissants, add fresh fruit and gather some pantry and refrigerator ingredients and you are set.

    • Croissants
    • Half-and-half
    • Eggs
    • Sugar
    • Vanilla extract
    • Fresh fruit

    I like to serve this easy bread pudding with my cheesy Cougar Gold Quiche or Green Chili Egg Casserole for brunch.

    Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    Half and half in a measuring cup with a whisk and three eggs.
    Simple ingredients combine to create the delicious custard for this bread pudding.

    💭 How to Make Croissant Bread Pudding

    It takes fewer than 15 minutes to dice the croissants and pour the sweetened half-and-half mixture over the top.

    Here's how to assemble it, step-by-step:

    1. Whisk together the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs in a 4-cup glass measuring cup.
    2. Use a knife to cut each croissant into bite-sized pieces.
    3. Rinse the fruit and set aside to drain in a colander.
    4. Place half the croissants and half the fruit in a 9" x 9" baking dish.
    5. Top with the remaining croissants and fruit.
    6. Pour the half-and-half mixture over the layers of croissants and fruit.

    If you'd like to find something savory to serve with Croissant Bread Pudding, I highly recommend Cranberry Jalapeno Meatballs or Starbucks Copycat Egg Bites.

    It's so easy to make a delicious dessert or brunch treat.

    ⏲️ Baking Dish Preference

    As you are assembling the Croissant Bread Pudding, it will seem like the 9" x 9" dish is very full when you add the croissants and fruit. That's OK. But if you use a larger dish, keep in mind that will affect the baking time. If you use a larger baking dish, check it after 25 minutes.

    Pro Tip: I like to use glass bakeware for this recipe. Here's a dish that I recommend, but any 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" baking pan will work great.

    🥣 Croissant Pudding

    When you pour the liquid ingredients over the diced croissants and the fruit in the baking dish, you'll cover everything with just enough of the sweetened half-and-half mixture.

    The rest of the liquid will settle to the bottom of the dish and create a delicate layer similar to a pudding, you could call it a croissant pudding and no one would argue.

    A serving on a plate with a sprig of mint and fresh raspberries.
    Flaky croissants on top, fresh fruit in the middle and a sweet pudding-like layer along the bottom.

    ⭐ Recipe FAQs

    How should I store croissant bread pudding?

    It's best served within two days and store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

    Remember, there's a pudding-like layer along the bottom of the dish and those ingredients need to be refrigerated, even after baking.

    Can I freeze bread pudding?

    Technically yes, but I think croissant bread pudding is best served either warm from the oven on the day you bake it or cold from the fridge.

    You can freeze bread pudding after it's cooled. Be sure to cover the dish tightly with foil. You can freeze it for up to three months.

    Thaw it in the refrigerator for 8 - 10 hours, and remove it from the fridge about 45 minutes before baking. Leave the foil on top, and reheat in a 350° F oven for about 15 minutes.

    Are there substitutions for the croissants?

    Yes, you can also use brioche or challah bread. But note, neither will have the same buttery flavor or flakiness of croissants and the result will be a more dense bread pudding. Croissant bread pudding with fruit in a baking dish, before baking.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Fruit is Optional for Croissant Bread Pudding

    While this recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of fresh berries, I've made this without adding fresh fruit and it's just as delicious.

    The unsweetened fresh berries give the croissant bread pudding a tart, fresh burst of bright flavor, and the fruit tastes wonderful with those buttery croissants.

    Be assured, this is a dessert (or brunch) recipe that will be enjoyed by all regardless of whether you add fruit.

    Diced croissants in a glass baking dish.
    No fruit? No problem. This recipe is equally delicious without fresh fruit.

    🔪Croissant Size for Bread Pudding

    I've made this using standard-sized, large croissants and much smaller mini-croissants.

    Pro Tip: I prefer using the smaller croissants because they provide more of the sturdy croissant tips in the bread pudding since you use 12 small croissants instead of six standard-sized, large croissants.

    Most grocery stores sell large packages of croissants, but they do dry out quickly. If you have a few extras, this recipe is a great way to ensure no croissants from that big package go to waste.

    Croissant Bread Pudding is a great recipe to use up leftover croissants.

    Croissants with fruit in a baking dish, before baking.
    Pour the half-and-half mixture over the top. There's no need to completely soak every croissant piece for this croissant bread pudding.

    🍓Fruit Options for Croissant Bread Pudding

    Mix and match fresh fruit to add to your croissant bread pudding. I recommend choosing fruit that doesn't require a lengthy cooking time to soften.

    For fruit such as peaches and apricots, peel the fruit then slice and dice into small, bite-sized portions.

    Here's a list of fruits that will work well in croissant bread pudding.

    • Raspberries
    • Blueberries
    • Blackberries
    • Strawberries
    • Peaches
    • Apricots

    ♨️ No Need for Sauce on Top

    Many bread puddings call for a syrupy sauce drizzled on each serving. While I'm never one to decline an opportunity to add more sweetness to anything, this croissant bread pudding does fine without a sauce on top. There's plenty of sugary sweetness in the dish already.

    Pro Tip: Sometimes, just to be fancy, I've dusted each serving of Croissant Bread Pudding with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar and placed a sprig of fresh mint on the side.

    🍴The History of Bread Pudding

    Bread pudding has come a long way from its humble beginnings in England in the 11th and 12th centuries. Now bread pudding is enjoyed as a standalone treat, rather than simply a way to ensure stale bread doesn't go to waste.

    But hat tip to all those frugal bakers back in the day who came up with a great way to combine bread with a sweetened custardy pudding and with a delicious result.

    Pro Tip: Speaking of making sure no ingredients ever go to waste, be sure to check out my Crockpot Banana Bread recipe, it's a whole new spin on slow cooker baking and a great way to use up ripe bananas.

    A slice of croissant bread pudding on a plate with a sprig of mint on the side

    🍰 More Dessert Ideas

    I love to use fresh fruit in dessert recipes. Give these a try and let me know what you think.

    • Fresh Fruit Tart has a buttery shortbread crust that's simply delicious.
    • Chocolate Strawberry Pie is a recipe for making mini-pies and these are so good, especially when strawberries are in season and plentiful.
    • No-Peel Apple Cake is one of the easiest apple spice cake recipes. We even keep the peels on the apples!

    🥧 More Baking Recipes

    • A frosted cookie on a spatula with more cookies on a plate.
      Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies
    • A slice of vanilla cheesecake on a plate with a fork and a lemon in the background.
      Baked Vanilla Cheesecake
    • A slice of pumpkin pie on a plate with a fork.
      Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk
    • Baked biscuits on a plate with a bowl of butter and jar of jam.
      Four Ingredient Basic Biscuits

    If you made Croissant Bread Pudding or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

    Recipe

    Croissant bread pudding with fruit in a baking dish, before baking.

    Croissant Bread Pudding

    Easy to make and as delicious as any dessert you'd find in a bakery! Croissant bread pudding is the perfect combination of buttery croissants, sweetened half-and-half, fresh fruit and a delicious vanilla custard pudding.
    4.99 from 173 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 386kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    • 6 croissants - large - or 12 mini-croissants
    • 2 cups half-and-half
    • 1 cup sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup raspberries - fresh
    • ½ cup blueberries - fresh

    Instructions

    • Butter a 9” x 9” glass baking dish or spray with Pam.

    Dice Croissants and Prep Ingredients

    • Slice and cut croissants into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
      In a large, 4-cup glass measuring cup add half-and-half, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs. Whisk to combine.
    • Place ½ the croissants in a baking dish and top with half of the fruit, creating a first layer. Next, place what's left of the croissants and fruit on top of that first layer.
      Pour the liquid from the measuring cup over the diced croissants and fruit. Set aside and allow the dish to rest for 30 minutes or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
      Note: If refrigerating overnight, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator in the morning and set it on the kitchen counter at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Remove the plastic wrap and bake as directed. Since the ingredients were chilled, it may need a few extra minutes in the oven.

    Bake

    • Preheat oven to 350° F.
    • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the croissants are lightly browned on top and bubbling around the edges. If baking after refrigeration, it may need a few extra minutes.
    • Serve immediately. If for brunch or breakfast, enjoy with coffee or orange juice.
      For dessert, serve as-is or top with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream. I like to garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

    Notes

    Mix and match fresh fruit to add to your croissant bread pudding. I recommend choosing fruit that doesn't require a lengthy cooking time to soften. For fruit such as peaches and apricots, peel the fruit then slice and dice into bite-sized portions. If you are a fan of croissant bread pudding, I think you'll also enjoy my recipes for Cheese, Egg and Sausage Casserole and  Buttermilk French Toast. 
    Serving: 8gCalories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 8gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 248mgPotassium: 182mgFiber: 2gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 621IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 1mg

    Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database, so they’re just a rough estimate not an exact science.

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below or @crinkledcookbook on Instagram, snap a photo and tag it #crinkledcookbook
    8

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    Comments

      4.99 from 173 votes (166 ratings without comment)

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    1. Marnie says

      February 22, 2024 at 6:29 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and super easy!! I’ve made this so many times, my family loves it. PS: if I’m out of fruit, I substitute chocolate chips that I layer in! Soooo good!!!

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        February 23, 2024 at 7:28 am

        Chocolate goes great with croissants, good idea! Thank you for the five star rating Marnie.

        Reply
    2. Amanda says

      July 04, 2022 at 10:19 am

      5 stars
      Very delicious recipe.

      Reply
    3. Megan Ellam says

      August 26, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      5 stars
      So decadent and delicious! A perfect brunch dish. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Marcellina says

      August 26, 2021 at 4:01 pm

      5 stars
      A seriously addictive recipe! Just threw in some choc chips for good measure! YUM!!

      Reply
    5. Jeri says

      August 26, 2021 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      This brought back memories of my childhood when my mom used to make bread pudding! I kind of forgot about it until I saw this recipe! It looks delicious, especially made with croissants! Yum!

      Reply
    6. Natalie says

      August 26, 2021 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh! I bet this tastes amazing! Buttery and delicious. What a great idea. I'm making this for breakfast tomorrow morning.

      Reply
    7. Stephanie Brush says

      July 02, 2021 at 7:34 am

      5 stars
      This is such a yummy dish. I prepared it for a brunch and everyone loved it.

      Reply

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