Croissant Bread Pudding

August 5, 2021 by Beth Pierce 67 Comments

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This scrumptious croissant bread pudding with creamy vanilla sauce is easy to prepare, making it the ultimate comfort dessert or breakfast. It is always a hit with friends and family. Leftovers heat up like a dream and are perfect for school days and busy mornings.

Make it an over-the-top dessert with fresh berries and hot coffee. For breakfast or brunch, I love to serve it with fruit salad and strawberry mimosas.

Bread pudding with a warm vanilla sauce.

What You’ll Need

Croissants: large ones; Costco sells great ones
Eggs: large ones
Milk: preferably whole
Sugars: granulated and light brown sugar
Butter: unsalted or salted
Spices: ground cinnamon and nutmeg
Vanilla extract: the pure stuff
Raisins: optional
Whipping cream: for the vanilla sauce

How to make Croissant Bread Pudding

This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.

First, cut the croissants into bite-size cubes and layer them in a casserole dish sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Then, pour the mixture over the bread, gently pressing the bread down into the mixture. If desired, sprinkle the top with raisins.

Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes so the bread can soak up the custard. Bake in a preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until the top is browned and the pudding is set. Let the pudding sit for about 15 minutes before cutting.

A collage of the different stages of making bread pudding.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. It will bubble a lot, so it needs constant stirring.

Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before stirring in the vanilla. Drizzle the warm vanilla sauce over the warm bread pudding.

Preparation Tips

Substitute challah or brioche bread for the croissants.
Bake until the center of the pudding reaches 160 degrees. The top will be browned, and the pudding will puff up a little bit. Another way to tell is to gently press down on the top and see if any liquid custard comes to the surface. If so, cook longer, checking about every five minutes.
Cook the vanilla sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly. It will bubble and look like it does when you are making candy. Keep stirring and cooking until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. See here for more tips and a visual.
Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before stirring in the vanilla. It may still bubble up, so be prepared to stir vigorously.
I find it best to add the vanilla sauce to each slice as I serve it. That way, the pudding does not get soggy, and the leftovers taste like the day I made them.
The vanilla sauce reheats very well on the stovetop or in the microwave at a reduced power.

Warm vanilla sauce drizzled over Croissant Bread pudding.

Storage and Reheat

You can store the bread pudding covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, or see the instructions for freezing below.

To reheat the pudding, cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and reheat in a 350-degree preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. You can also reheat it in the microwave by the slice for 1-2 minutes at 50% power.

How to freeze bread pudding

You can freeze bread pudding as long as the sauce has not been poured on it. First, let it completely cool. If freezing the whole thing later, freeze it in the dish you prepared it in, provided it is freezer-safe. Cover it with multiple layers of plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and remove the casserole from the refrigerator about 40 minutes before baking to let it come to room temperature. Remove the plastic wrap and cover with aluminum foil. Reheat the covered casserole in a 350-degree preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.

If freezing individual slices, place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and heat in an aluminum foil tent in a 350-degree oven until warm, or heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes at 50% power.

The vanilla sauce freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop or microwave at reduced power.

A casserole full of old fashioned homemade bread pudding.

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