Croissant Bread Pudding
Updated
Updated
This easy Croissant Bread Pudding recipe is a delicious casserole I make for breakfast or dessert using buttery croissants, a sweetened cream cheese mixture, and whatever fruit I happen to have on hand. I’ll be honest, it’s basically the best bread pudding ever!
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Best Bread Pudding Recipe
Bread pudding is a popular dessert usually made with stale bread that soaks in a custard mixture, which includes milk (or cream) and eggs. There are many versions, some sweet and some savory, and the bread type can vary greatly. This recipe I’m sharing today uses sweet buttery croissants, milk, eggs, sugar, cream cheese, and fruit. The sweetness lends itself to a wonderful dessert or breakfast. Once you try it, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s the best bread pudding out there!
Tips & Variations
- Croissants come in different sizes. What I consider large might not be large to you. Just make sure they render about 6 full cups once they are cut up.
- Use a different bread. Croissants are light and soft, so the liquid is absorbed pretty fast. If you use a different type of bread, adjust the resting time accordingly.
- Double the recipe. Have a big group to feed? This recipe can easily be doubled in a 9×13 pan.
- Change the fruit. Feel free to customize the type of fruit used to suit your taste.
Croissant Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 large croissants, cut up into pieces (about 6 full cups)
- ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¾ cup whole milk
- powdered sugar, for serving, optional
- maple syrup, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.
- Place croissant pieces in the pan. Scatter the blueberries and raspberries over the top.
- In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until combined and smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Gradually add milk, beating well after each addition.
- Pour mixture evenly over croissant pieces. Gently pat down with a wooden spoon so all the pieces are coated. Let rest 10-15 minutes.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set in center and golden brown. (If top starts to get too brown toward the end, cover with foil.)
- Serve warm with powdered sugar or maple syrup.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Bread Pudding Step by Step
Get the oven going and prepare a square pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.
Place croissant pieces in the pan: Cut 6 large croissants into pieces (you should end up with 6 heaping cups), place in the pan, and scatter ½ cup blueberries and ½ cup raspberries over the top.
Make the custard: Beat 8 oz. softened cream cheese and 2/3 cup sugar until combined and smooth. Add in 2 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla and beat until well blended. Gradually add ¾ cup whole milk.
Pour custard: Pour the custard over the croissants and gently pat down with a wooden spoon so all the pieces are coated. Let rest 10-15 minutes.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until set in the center and golden brown.
Serve: Serve warm with powdered sugar sprinkled on top.
How to Store
- Fridge. Because the ratio of eggs and dairy to the bread is much higher than in baked goods, bread pudding is more of a custard than a cake, and therefore any leftovers should be refrigerated. It will keep, tightly covered, up to 4 days (but will start to lose moisture after 1-2 days.)
- Freeze. To freeze, make sure the cooked pudding is completely cool, then cover the dish tightly. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to Serve With Croissant Bread Pudding
When I serve this bread pudding for breakfast or brunch, I like to balance out the sweetness with a few savory dishes. A hash brown quiche is always a hit—it’s hearty, cheesy, and makes the perfect comfort food side. I also love adding a feta and spinach casserole, which brings a fresh, flavorful note to the table. And for something a little lighter and bite-sized, crustless crab quiche bites are elegant yet easy.
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes
- Hash Brown Egg Casserole
- Breakfast Enchiladas
- Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Chile Relleno Casserole
- Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole
- French Toast Casserole
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
I make this and add 1 cup golden raisins soaked in salted caramel crown royal…. I do this in lieu of the fruit… with a dollop of whipped cream. Next level decadence!
This was so easy and simply delicious!
My family loves this also use blackberries in stead of blueberries this time
my daughter made this when i was visiting her and wow-loved it!
Perfection on Christmas morning!
Hello, this is a fantastic recipe! I have made it a few times and everyone loves it. However, some of my guests don’t eat eggs. Can I use cornstarch/custard powder to replace the eggs? If yes, how much cornstarch will I need to replace 2 eggs? Thank you sharing this amazing recipe
That’s a pretty significant alteration since eggs are a main ingredient in the custard, so without further recipe testing myself, I can’t advise, sorry!
Hi! Could you prep everything the night before and assemble the next day and would the custard be fine?
Excellent recipe! Made it with a full cup of fresh blueberries & 1/2 & 1/2 because that’s what I had in the fridge. Then I made a simple Creme Anglaise with vanilla bean to top it off.
A group of friends had gone to dinner & we came back to my place for dessert . It was a huge hit? Thank you ?
I am planning on making this recipe but am wondering if I can prepare it the night before and then bake in the morning. Thank you!
Hi Cindi – You can, but keep in mind that the croissants will really soften up that way since they’re not very dense, so the overall casserole will have less texture.
I’ve been making it every year for Easter brunch and it’s a regular requirement on our family summer vacation! Everybody loves it and the kids ask in advance to make sure I’m making it!! Thanks!
Delicious and easy. Will make again.
This was a huge hit ?? Any easy to prepare but truly delish bread pudding & terrific use of stale croissants. I used fresh strawberries & frozen blueberries. Winner !!!!
Just wondering if I could substitute heavy cream for the 3/4 cup whole milk to lower the carbs?
Absolutely yummy!
I can’t wait to try this!! Can I use a 9×13 and double the recipe?
Hi Jane – Yep!
Can I use Challah bread ?
I have not tested this recipe with challah and the resting time might need to be adjusted. Try it!
My finicky eater daughter loves this recipe.
This is soooo delicious! Every time I make it everyone raves be it women, men and kids. So happy I found your yummy recipe…thank you
My family loved this. Will definitely make again. Thank you for sharing!
Very Good
I had to use some half-n-half instead of whole milk (didn’t have on-hand and didn’t want to do another store run on Christmas Eve) Next time I’m cutting back some on the amount of sugar. Used frozen berries.
It’s a keeper and plan on making it more often.
Simply delicious! Everyone wants the recipe!
This is definitely a keeper. I have made it multiple times and my families on both sides LOVE, LOVE it!!
Fantastic! Made for a great Mothers Day brunch! Easy and satisfying!
I have made this recipe several times, my daughter’s absolute favorite! I never have whole milk but i always have some kind of milk and heavy whipping cream. So I do approximately half of each, and it still turns out great. Highly recommended!
This is my favorite bread pudding recipe, I’ve made it so many times. Making it again for Easter. Everyone loves it.
Can you use Challah bread?
Absolutely love this! We use blackberries as well! So delicious!
So good! Have made it twice since Christmas and added strawberries and blackberries.
I plan to make this on the weekend, but using a jar of homemade lingonberry preserves, and plain bagels. I know I will need to tweak your custard ingredients. I may want to top it with chopped pecans that I have tossed with a little sugar and butter. I’m going to take it to a church pot luck luncheon on Sunday for the dessert table and have a bowl of cool whip on the side for those that want it. I will probably sub half and half for the milk. Also I would assemble the night before and bake in the morning, I figure it would need extra soaking time since bagels are more firm than brioche or croissants.
What do you think?
Hi JoAnne! Those are some pretty significant alterations, so I can’t really advise without further testing. But, yes, it will definitely need to soak longer since bagels are so dense. You might even need more custard.
Thanks Amy! That’s exactly what I was thinking too! I will let you know how it turns out!
I made it twice so far–fresh raspberries & blueberries and then just fresh blueberries. Both were yummy! I substituted half & half but followed the recipe otherwise. Thank you! EZ & yummy! It’s great served warm w/whipped cream or ice cream!
Huge hit! Had to make it again the next day due to request. Added a shot of rum and set over night. Delicious
Delicious ! Will make again and again. So easy, soooo good.
This was so easy and delicious! Everyone enjoyed it
I have made this for overnight guests many times now. Everyone loves it! I do use 5 lg croissants and put it in a 9×11 baking dish keeping everything else the same. 10/10
This has become our families christmas morning breakfast for 3 years now! It’s so so good.
I doubled the recipe and ended up freezing half of it. I had guests and reheated from frozen. It was just as delicious as when first baked!! So thrilled to know how well it freezes and reheats!! I will be making this often!!
I just made this for a ladies brunch and it was a big hit!!! I doubled for a 9×13 pan. So delicious!!!
How can something this good be so so easy! A big hit!
Made it for Easter brunch and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Always a favorite!!
Would it be ok to make this the night before, refrigerate, and then pop it in the oven the next morning?
Love this and thanks so much for sharing. A family favorite at the holiday time. The only thing I changed was not adding sugar. I’m not fond of sweet foods. The berries have enough natural sweetness for me.
I make this recipe every year the morning after Thanksgiving. It’s become a tradition. This year I was out of vanilla extract so I used almond extract instead. Also used half and half instead of milk and added some toasted pine nuts I had leftover from something else. This recipe is very flexible in that way making the possibilities endless. Thank you!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it twice and I crave it after it’s gone.
PERFECT !!! EASY !!! DELICIOUS !!!
I made this recipe for breakfast. Is easy to make and delicious!! Cut the amount of ingredients in half. Used strawberries and blueberries.
This was breakfast Easter morning and it was SO GOOD!!
This is easy and so delicious. My husband hates bread pudding and he loved this! Definitely a winner.
We loved this! So easy to make and delicious!
This was fantastic! I used French bread in 11×9 pan. Just kept putting bread in until I thought it looked good. 3/4 of a loaf. Used lots & lots of blueberries & strawberries. Fantastic!!
Best bread pudding recipe I have ever made!
This was AMAZING!! I not a big fan of bread pudding but this is a total game changer!! Will definitely make again and again and again! Thank you for the share!
Love love love! Served this for brunch (I used frozen berries, since it’s the dead of winter where I am) and it was fantastic. Nothing left!
Had this at a recent brunch and loved it! Would like to make at home-is this okay to make with reduced fat cream cheese/milk? Also is fresh fruit okay or no?
Reduced fat cream cheese and fresh fruit would be fine!
Such a great brunch dish! It wasn’t too rich or heavy. Really great flavors and it came together so quickly
Wonderful, and easy, dish.
Delicious! This was so quick, easy and scrumptious – big hit!
This was such a simple and delicious brunch item. I used strawberries and appreciate that you can switch out the fruit however you would like. I did have to bake mine for about 45 minutes to get the center done, but it was beautiful when it came out. Definitely a hit in my house!
I first made this for our Christmas 2019 brunch. Have been making it ever since, following the exact recipe using fresh berries. Amazing! Everyone has loved it and has asked for the recipe.
This was a huge hit!
Made this for brunch and it received Best Brunch Ever reviews! With the request that it becomes a tradition at our annual friends at the lake weekend!
Just made this, and it is delicious! We try to eliminate refined sugar whenever possible, so I made this with 1/2 c. maple syrup instead of the sugar, and reduced the milk to 1/2 cup. It worked wonderfully! Will definitely be making this again! I used fresh blueberries & fresh cut up strawberries.
I use strawberries and blueberries. Double recipe for 9×12 pan. I cook until top just set. Makes puff taste like custard and berries. Great dessert for anytime.
Will this recipe work with an 8×8 pan rather than the 9×9?
Hi Layla! It should be fine, but since it’s smaller (which means the ingredients won’t be spread out as much), you might need to cook it a little longer. Follow the exact directions, but use a tester at 35 minutes and in 5 minute intervals after that until it’s cooked through.
Yes it works perfectly in an 8×8 and doubled in a 9×13
Delicious
I prepared this on New Year’s day for New Year’s brunch. Doubled the recipe (15x11x3″ pan), covered with foil, stored in fridge overnight. NY morning popped covered casserole in a 350 oven for 30 minutes. Removed foil and baked for 30 additional minutes. I set it out with a selection of homemade blueberry syrup, maple syrup, powdered sugar, butter etc. It was a hit, but next time I think I’ll add a portion of sweetened condensed milk to the wet mixture, as I like my casserole a bit sweeter if I choose to eat it without a topping.
I used eggnog instead of milk, def adds sweetness
Can I use mascarpone cheese in place of cream cheese?
Without further recipe testing, I can’t say for certain what the results would be like, but you can certainly try it!
This was my first time making this, i did an adjustment to the ingredients, instead of sugar and milk i just used 1cup sweet condensed milk , if you want it more sweeter just add more .
I just made this for breakfast this morning. I used raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. My kids loved it and we had no left overs. It was very easy to make and tasted great. Will definitely be making this recipe again!!
Did you make it with fresh or frozen berries?
I’ve made this twce now, once with Croissants and once with Brioche. My family have decided the Brioche is their favourite, but it was delicious either way.
I need to make this three hours before serving. What’s the best way to reheat it?
I made this today for a birthday breakfast at work and it was delicious! Had to give the recipe out to several people it was such a hit. Thought I’d share how I made this semi-make ahead…I prepped the croissants the night before and kept them in a container overnight. I also mixed the custard and kept that in a separate container and did the same for the berries. This morning I put assembled everything and let it sit while the oven preheated and just baked for an extra 10-15 min’s since everything was cold when it went into the oven. Worked out perfectly!
Hello! This looks amazing! I’m planning on making this the night before and using frozen berries. Is there any special prep for the frozen berries or do I just thrown them in as is?
Thanks!
Just throw them in as is. Enjoy!
Great, thank you!! Can’t wait to eat it tomorrow! :)
Hello, the recipe is very good, but is it possible if I could replace the sugar with condensed milk, thank you.
Any suggestions for another fruit. The family does not like either one of the ones used. What would you use with pineapple. Or peaches?
Should I cut Croissants the night before so the will dry out? And how big to cut?Also, can I make the night before and bake the next day. I’m not a Baker so sorry for the silly questions. Need asap as will bring this Sat morning.
Cut into about 3/4-inch cubes. I personally would not prep this the night before because the delicate croissants could turn to mush, even if they’re a little dried out. But you can try it – I’m sure it will still taste delicious.
I dont know what I did wrong , but took forever to bake, and does not look like the pic. At all. Lol. The liquid seemed to take over and I followed the steps verbatim. ?
make sure to dry off your berries prior to using them in your reciepe. Also if your berries were really juicy you might want to mix with some that aren’t so juicy
Can I use 2% milk in place of the whole milk?
Delicious,!!! I added blackberries and made exactly to the recipe. Very yummy! Thanks for sharing.
This was absolutely delicious! I made it exactly like the recipe and everyone loved it. I always make a French toast casserole for Christmas brunch and I chose this recipe this year. Once I cut up the croissants I had 9 cups of cubes, so I made 1 1/2 x’s the recipe. It filled up a 9×13” pan perfectly and served 12 people with just one small piece left over. I’ll make it again! Thank you for such a great recipe!
Did you use fresh or frozen berries?
Will it be too soggy if I bake the night before and bring to a Christmas brunch the next day?
Should be fine. Reheat it some before serving.
Could not find croissants at local grocery store. Has anyone used white bread?
you can use brioche bread cut up the same way
When you double the recipe and put it in a 9 x 13 pan how much longer do you need to bake it?
Same amount of time, because you’re baking it in a bigger dish, so the ingredients get spread out comparably.
This breakfast dish is fantastic – golden top, soft (not too gooey) insides, tasty fruit, great custard. In high elevation it works best to add a little more milk and bake 40-45 minutes. Excellent!
Looks and sounds delicious! Yum!
Yes so yummy I made it
Omg! Very good. I had many helpings. I used the frozen berry melody (berry mixture) great value brand. I will definitely make it again soon.
Oh, please can you tell me what other fruit can I use??? I don’t like berries! Please! Please! ?
Ripe pears or peaches would work.
I just made my first one about a week ago, and I made it with some fresh peaches, as well as some frozen blueberries. It was fabulous!
Someone asked but I didn’t see a reply… Can you make this ahead and freeze it?
I’ve never frozen this dish, so I can’t vouch for the results.
So, I made this this morning and it was AMAZING! And I wouldn’t just say that. I’ve tried lots of new recipes lately and some are good but this is best new recipe I’ve made in a long time!
I made mine with raspberries only because, although we love fresh blueberries, we much prefer raspberries in baked dishes. It was perfect with raspberries only but I can imagine it would be awesome with other types of berries and fruits.
I have a question – do you think it would be possible to make the cream cheese / egg / milk mixture the night before and refrigerate? This recipe is already quite easy but that would just make it SUPER easy for busy mornings! You probably could cut up the croissants the night before and store in Ziploc bag??? Let me know your thoughts on this!
Thanks for the great recipe! :)
Hi Natalie – happy to hear it was such a hit for you! Hm. I guess you could make the egg mixture ahead? I’ve never tried it.
I don’t know why you couldn’t make that ahead… I plan to make this next week for coffee hour after church. May make two, one with peaches. Looking forward to trying it.
I saw a similar recipe where they put the croissants, berries and the egg mixture together and left it over night. Then you bake it in the morning. I can’t see why you can’t do the same with this.
The only reason it’s not ideal with this particular recipe is because croissants are so light and delicate, they might break down too much. I’m sure it would still be fine and delicious, but not optimal results as the recipe was intended.
Can I use light cream instead of whole milk?
Can’t see why not!
Can this be made ahead and frozen? And if so, baking instructions?
Can I use fresh fruit instead of frozen…? Don’t like frozen fruit… And do I bake the croissants first then pull them apart to pieces and bake again when everything is put together…???
Hi Amy – buy the croissants from your grocery store’s bakery already made. All of that is covered in the ingredients and notes pf the recipe card, thanks!
Well I from finally made this, it’s in the oven right now. Used 6 croissants because they were average size. Cannot wait to try this! Will probably sprinkle some powdered sugar on top ???
Can I use 2% milk instead of whole milk?
Yep, that would be fine.
Can you put left overs in a container for the next day? It’s just my boyfriend and I not sure if we’ll finish the whole thing. Possibly though lol
Yep. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, in a tightly sealed container.
It looks delicious – and we have a teacher appreciation breakfast coming up…. :D
Have you done this other than in the oven? I’m wondering if this would work out in a crock pot. Hmmmm. I may have to try it and see. :)P
I’m planning to take this to church next week. Looks delicious
Amy, this looks delicious and easy to make I’ll try it and let you know
I made it how do I upload a pic of it?
If you use frozen berries, do you thaw them first?
Hi Jenny – ideally yes, because you don’t want any added water or moisture.
Thank you! That’s what I thought but just making sure. What is the recommended adjustment for cooking time if doubled into a 9×13?
It should still be the same amount of cooking time because even though you’re doubling the ingredients, you’re using a bigger pan, so the ingredients will be more spread out.
Can you make this without cream cheese I forgot to pick some up is there something else I can use instead of cream cheese
Hm. You could maybe use plain yogurt or cottage cheese. Both of those have a looser consistency and flavor, though, so I can’t vouch for the results.
Just made this for breakfast and HOLY CRAP it was delish. Mine didn’t quite come out as firm as I would have liked – my pan wasn’t quite the right size – but it was still AMAZING. My mom and I devoured 2/3 of the pan… so much for serving 6-8!!
Hi Kendray! I’m so glad you liked it! I haven’t made this in ages…and now I need to again!
does this come out mushy or firm? we don’t like mushy.
I would say soft…so somewhere in between.
The answer is: You CAN’T! You can’t go wrong with those ingredients!
This is my first week home with the boys and ironically, I think we need more staples and glue at home than at school. Bonus though: no uniforms to wash.
Summer vacation!!! I’m sure come the new school year you’ll be joyous that the kids are going back. Doesn’t it always seem like you want the opposite of what’s currently happening?? On a lighter note…holy moly this looks delicious! I could eat this for breakfast and desert and everything inbetween!
I’m thinking you must have even more school burn-out than Haley does! It is HARD being a parent these days…you have to do even more work than the kids. Croissant puff = necessary.
I can tell from all the ingredients this will be delicious. How can we lose weight when you keep posting these mouth watering gems!?
I love great big weekend breakfasts. So fun with berries for summer too! I can see myself eating far too much of this and going back to bed on Saturday…
Two of us saying no in the same week. Watch out world!!
I’m reading this recipe saying, this sounds familiar. Oh yeah, I made it with blueberries a few months ago. Now I need to make it again with mixed berries. It was sooooo good wasn’t it?
Yes remember, you enthusiastically thanked me for pinning it! You made it right away, but alas, I waited. It got buried. Loved it and so versatile…could practically use any berries in here. Love these easy/tasty recipes.
These look absolutely mouth- wateringly delicious!
Cheers,
J+C
Thank you!
You need to stop posting such amazingly yummy looking recipes – my pile of things I HAVE to make is growing and growing with just your posts! I will definitely be making this. :o)
I feel that same way! Too much good food out there. I wish I never got full. Or gained weight ;-)
I snorted out loud at that first paragraph. ;) AND JUST SAY NO! :D
Hee hee! Seriously felt good. And I can’t wait to go on vacation and be un-plugged. Or at least semi-unplugged. I’m not even going to check Feedly! Although, I fear that will backfire on me once I get home and have 50 million posts I’ll feel compelled to read. NOOOOO.
Just…say…no! I was so proud! :) And this is hilarious…”Haley’s uniforms are about two centimeters away from her looking like a tramp” I literally laughed out loud. Mine looks the same.
Love this recipe! Plan to make it over the summer. Yum!
Also, I don’t think Haley has one white shirt left that isn’t stained with paint or marker!
Wow! How delicious!! I want some for breakfast now!
I do, too! But it’s all gone *sadness*
Oh my this looks so wonderful!
I was, Milisa! And thank you so much for sharing!
I just made this today AWESOME recipe !!!!!
I made it for friends for New Year Eve gift ~ I bought a fancy baking dish and made this recipe wrapped it up with bow ~ they loved it!
That’s great, Karen! I can’t imagine anyone not enjoy receiving this!