Best Bread Pudding Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

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5 from 66 Ratings

Published: June 3, 2013Updated: December 8, 2022Author: Amy

This easy Croissant Bread Pudding recipe is a delicious casserole recipe for breakfast or dessert using buttery croissants, a sweetened cream cheese mixture, and fruit of your choice. Basically the best bread pudding ever!

More scrumptious breakfast recipes not to miss include our Challah french toast, lemon blueberry scones, and Dutch baby pancake.

Best Bread Pudding Recipe - Belly Full (1)

Best Bread Pudding Recipe

Bread pudding is a popular dessert, usually made with stale bread. The bread 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 croissants, milk, eggs, sugar, cream cheese, and fruit. The sweetness lends itself to a wonderful dessert or breakfast. It’s basically the best bread pudding ever!

Ingredients Needed

Here’s what you need to make this bread pudding recipe.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

  • Croissants – Cut up into pieces.
  • Blueberries and Raspberries – You can use fresh or frozen.
  • Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature for easier blending.
  • Sugar – This is blended with the cream cheese for sweetness.
  • Eggs – Provides structure to the custard.
  • Milk – Thins out the custard a bit and makes it extra creamy and rich.
  • Vanilla – For flavor.
Best Bread Pudding Recipe - Belly Full (2)

How to Make Bread Pudding

This croissant puff casserole comes together in just a few simple steps. Here’s a summary:
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements, and don’t miss the video below.)

  1. Place croissant pieces in the pan. Cut up the croissants into pieces, place in a greased 9-inch pan. Scatter the blueberries and raspberries over the top.
  2. Make the custard. Beat cream cheese and sugar until combined and smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Gradually add milk.
  3. Pour in custard evenly over croissant pieces. 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.
  4. Bake. Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes or until set in center and golden brown.
  5. Serve. Serve warm with powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

Recipe Variations

  • Croissants are made in all different sizes. What I consider large, might not be the same thing to you. Just make sure they render about 6 full cups once cut up.
  • Using 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.
  • Easily 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.

Video: Croissant Bread Pudding

Proper Storage

  • Storing leftovers. Because the ratio of eggs and dairy to the bread is much higher than in baked goods, bread pudding is more 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 moistness after 1-2 days.)
  • 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.

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 onTikTok,Facebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!

Best Bread Pudding Recipe - Belly Full (3)

Croissant Bread Pudding

5 from 66 Ratings

This easy Bread Pudding recipe is a delicious casserole recipe for breakfast or dessert using buttery croissants, a sweetened cream cheese mixture, and fruit of your choice. Basically the best bread pudding ever!

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Rest 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 large croissants ,cut up into pieces (about 6 full cups)
  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 8 ounces cream cheese ,softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • powdered sugar , for serving, optional
  • maple syrup , for serving, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees 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

Serving: 8servings | Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 275mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 735IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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.

Other Notes

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bread pudding, bread pudding recipe, croissant bread pudding

Did you make this recipe?Snap a picture and mention @bellyfullblog!

Best Bread Pudding Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep bread pudding from deflating? ›

Therefore, don't dish it out too quickly. It is evident if you do so because rather than looking uniform, the slice of bread pudding slumps over and looks quite sad. To avoid its texture and presentation from declining, wait at least 20 minutes for it to rest without interruption.

Why is my bread pudding mushy? ›

There are two main reasons why bread pudding bakes up mushy. One is that is has not baked long enough for the custard to . The other reason is that the bread was too fresh and did not soak up much custard, so the pudding is more liquidy than it should be.

Why do you use stale bread for bread pudding? ›

In olden days when bread pudding first became a thing, it was a way to use up the old bread without it going to waste. But even today, you'll see how fresh and moist stale bread becomes in this recipe.

Why is my bread pudding not setting? ›

Only Cover The Bread Pudding In Oven For Some Of The Time

If you take it out too soon, you'll be left with a mushy and wet middle that hasn't been given the time it needs in the oven to set, but with a super crispy top -- not ideal, to say the least.

Is it OK to leave bread pudding out overnight? ›

Can bread pudding sit out overnight? Do not let your bread pudding sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours after it has been baked. You should make sure you eat it within 4 days.

Do you refrigerate bread pudding after cooking? ›

Bread pudding is best served right away after it's finished baking. However, leftovers can be kept for up to 5 days refrigerated and can be reheated in the microwave. To reheat, warm individual portions in 1-minute bursts in the microwave until warmed through.

How do you make pudding more solid? ›

If your pudding is too thin, you may thicken it by adding cornstarch. To properly thicken instant pudding with almond milk, but you don't want to use cornstarch, you need to add a quarter cup more of the powdered pudding mix than in the original recipe.

How can you tell when bread pudding is done? ›

Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Another way to judge whether the pudding is fully baked, is to gently press down on the center of the pudding. If any custard comes up to the top, the pudding needs to be baked a little longer.

Should bread pudding be jiggly? ›

When prepared properly, this bread pudding should not be soggy. Yes, it is technically a custard, so it will have some jiggle when it's warm, but it should not be wet or soggy. The key is to make sure your bread is nice and stale.

Do you eat bread pudding with a spoon or fork? ›

Advice: Ditch the fork – it's completely superfluous – and dig in with the spoon!

How many days is bread pudding good for? ›

How to Store Bread Pudding. Allow the bread pudding to cool completely after baking. Cover tightly or transfer to a shallow, airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Why does my bread pudding curdle? ›

Why does my Bread and Butter pudding curdle? - Quora. It sounds like it was cooked too fast at too high a temperature. Custard needs to be heated slowly, or it will curdle.

Why does my bread pudding taste eggy? ›

Bread pudding custard is best at a ratio of about 1 egg per 1 cup of liquid. Whatever the liquid is (see below for a note about that in the flavoring section), use one egg for every cup. This will give you a custard that is not too eggy.

How many hours does it take for pudding to set? ›

Set the bowl, uncovered, in the refrigerator. After 15 minutes, cover the pudding with a sheet of plastic wrap pressed against the surface and refrigerate until fully thickened, about 2 hours. To serve: Whip the thickened pudding with a hand or stand mixer for a full minute to restore its creamy texture.

What gives pudding its consistency? ›

Pudding is made by cooking the milk and sugar base and adding cornstarch to thicken the mixture. This leads to a semisolid consistency and creamy texture. It is usually served chilled, but it can be served warm or at room temperature.

How wet should my bread pudding be? ›

Let's get one thing straight right from the start though: bread pudding shouldn't be soggy. The top should be golden and firm (mine has a nice slightly crunchy texture from turbinado sugar) and the remainder should be moist, soft, and slightly springy.

How do you know when bread pudding is done baking? ›

Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Another way to judge whether the pudding is fully baked, is to gently press down on the center of the pudding. If any custard comes up to the top, the pudding needs to be baked a little longer.

How do you fix loose pudding? ›

If your pudding is too thin, you may thicken it by adding cornstarch. To properly thicken instant pudding with almond milk, but you don't want to use cornstarch, you need to add a quarter cup more of the powdered pudding mix than in the original recipe.

Does pudding thicken as it sits? ›

You should wipe a clear, clean line through the custard. Remove from heat. The pudding will thicken more as it cools.

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