Rich bread pudding made with croissants. Add dark chocolate chips for a fun twist.

Croissant Bread Pudding

Who says that for a dessert to be decadent it has to be chocolate?

I’m a complete sucker for bread pudding. It’s rich, it’s flavorful, it’s pure comfort food. I always like to make mine with a sweetened bread like challah or brioche, but I had yet to try it with croissants. Now I have, and I’m still in love.

Croissant Bread Pudding

Croissant Bread Pudding

I picked these croissants up from Boulangerie, a new Parisian styled bakery in Salt Lake City. They sell day-old baked goods for practically nothing and I got a half dozen of their almond croissants (the only flavor left) for just three bucks. The bread pudding had a subtle almond flavor, which I liked. I added some dark chocolate chips to a few of my ramekins (though not the ones you see pictured here, sorry) and the chocolate only helped with the decadence.

Want to make this dessert for two? If you’d like to serve this croissant bread pudding for an occasion such as Valentine’s Day and don’t want any leftovers, it can be done. Simply use two croissants and divide the custard recipe in half (use 2 eggs). You may have some extra custard, just discard whatever doesn’t fit into your ramekins.

Croissant Bread Pudding

baking tip:Do you need to use stale bread?

You probably have heard that it’s best to use stale bread for bread pudding, french toast, and stuffing. Bread pudding was originally created as a way to use old, stale bread. It soaks up a custard and becomes moist and fresh again after it’s baked. But does the bread need to be dry and stale in order to soak up the liquid? Not really, the difference it makes is very small. Use whatever bread or croissants you have on hand.

Croissant Bread Pudding

5 from 1 review

Croissant Bread Pudding

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Rich bread pudding made with croissants. Add dark chocolate chips for a fun twist.

Ingredients
 

  • 4-5 medium croissants
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (237 ml)
  • 1 cup whole milk (237 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon , optional
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional) (100 grams)

Instructions
 

  • Grease a 9-inch baking dish (or 4 ramekins) with butter or non-stick spray. Tear the croissants into bite-sized pieces and fill the baking dish(es) to the brim, packing them as full as possible.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, heavy cream, and milk over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and heat until steaming and small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan.
  • Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Slowly pour the hot liquid into the eggs while whisking constantly. Add the vanilla extract and bourbon (if using). Pour mixture over the croissant pieces, then press down the pieces to make sure they have been moistened and are submerged as much as possible. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove bread pudding(s) from the fridge and let come to room temperature while oven preheats. Press the chocolate chips into the surface of the pudding (if using). Bake for 25-35 minutes, until pudding is puffed and golden brown.
  • Serve warm or cold. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Calories: 751kcal, Carbohydrates: 69g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 29g, Cholesterol: 249mg, Sodium: 386mg, Potassium: 380mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 42g, Vitamin A: 1576IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 215mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: French
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.