Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding – an easy to make, decadent, dessert ready to go from prep to plate in just about an hour.
This chocolate-infused croissant bread pudding delivers everything you’re expecting from a stellar bread pudding recipe. Overflowing with gooey chocolate chunks, this dessert simple to prepare, giving you every reason to treat yourself to one today.
Maybe you’ve only experienced this custard-soaked bread dessert at restaurants, but bread pudding is comfort food I enjoy making at home. Deconstructed, it’s elevated French toast, with all the soft middles and crunchy edges in one pleasing dish.
Why I Love This Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
- It’s a hassle-free dessert, making it a good weeknight dessert option.
- Ingredients are simple and straightforward.
- Start to finish it’s ready in an hour.
- You can buy the large pack of croissants at Costco and use the leftovers to make this bread pudding.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter: Salted or unsalted is fine, since it’s for buttering the baking dish.
- Egg yolks only: From large sized eggs, save the whites for breakfast the next day.
- Whole milk: This is not the time to use skim milk! If you have an allergy, I would use oat milk.
- Heavy cream: Do not substitute. Again, if you have an allergy use a dairy-free heavy cream.
- Granulated sugar: White table sugar for sweetness.
- Pure vanilla extract: Adds aromatic flavor. You can also use vanilla bean paste.
- Kosher salt: For added flavor enhancement. You can substitute any salt you prefer, but will need to modify the measurement.
- Ground nutmeg: Grate your own if you prefer. Can substitute with cinnamon.
- Croissants: These are already baked croissants you are cutting into bite-sized pieces.
- Bittersweet/dark chocolate: 70% cacao is the best for this recipe. You can substitute with 85% cacao if you prefer.
How To Make Croissant Bread Pudding with Chocolate
- Preheat oven.
- Butter an 8-inch square or other shallow 2-quart baking dish.
- Combine egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Introduce the croissant pieces and chocolate, then blend until thoroughly mixed.
- Pour the croissant mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, typically taking around 40-50 minutes. Alternatively, make sure the top is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers at least 160°F.
- Tastes best when served warm and chocolate chunks are still melty.
Recipe Tips
- Toast the bread cubes first. Whether your croissants are a couple days old or fresh, I personally like to toast the cubes for a few minutes in the oven to make sure they’re completely dried out. While it seems counter-intuitive to dry out the croissant cubes when mixing them with milk and eggs is the next step, drying them makes them better able to absorb the custard and gives the pudding a better texture.
- Bake until creamy but custard is set. Unlike other breads, a tester toothpick inserted into the middle of bread pudding will still appear wet even when the custard is set. You’ll want to look for a golden-brown top and a center that is jiggly, but doesn’t wiggle, and make sure an instant-read thermometer reads at least 160°F if you want to be absolutely certain it’s done.
- For the ultimate chocolate taste, use chocolate croissants instead of plain.
Recipe FAQs
- Can I use regular bread instead of croissants? Croissants do add to the unique texture, but you can experiment with regular bread. Just make sure it’s slightly stale for better absorption of the custard.
- Can I substitute any other chocolates? Feel free to swap the chocolate type according to your preference, just remember that other types of chocolate can be sweeter.
- Can I make this ahead and reheat? Yes. Prepare it in advance, refrigerate, and reheat slices in the oven or microwave when ready to serve. It is at its best when made and served immediately.
- Can I freeze leftovers? Yes, you can freeze portions for later. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven for that freshly baked taste.
- What’s the best way to serve it? Warm on its own, or with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes
- Nutella Cookie Cups
- Earl Grey Tea Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
- Mini Chocolate Tarts
- Chocolate Cake Mix Muffins
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
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Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- butter for the baking dish
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 6 croissants (1 lb) cut into 1" pieces (it's okay if they are day old), toasted in the oven until they feel dry and hard, but are still very pale looking*
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao) chopped into chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Butter an 8-inch square or other shallow 2-quart baking dish.butter for the baking dish
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Add toasted croissant pieces and chocolate. Mix to combine.6 large egg yolks, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 6 croissants (1 lb) cut into 1" pieces (it's okay if they are day old), toasted in the oven until they feel dry and hard, but are still very pale looking*, 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao) chopped into chunks
- Transfer croissant mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake until a tester knife or inserted in the middle comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Or make sure an instant-read thermometer reads at least 160°F and the top is golden brown.
- Serve warm or room temperature.
Notes
- Arrange two racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 350°F.
- Slice the croissants into bite-sized cubes.
- Divide the bread among two rimmed baking sheets and spread into an even layer. Toast, stirring halfway through, until the cubes feel dry and hard, but are still very pale, 15 to 20 minutes total. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Nutrition
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