The Best Croissant Bread Pudding is inspired by the classic tiramisu! Leftover croissants are soaked in a coffee-infused custard, baked, and then finished with a dusting of cocoa powder. It is heavenly when served with vanilla tres leches sauce with optional booze, making it one of the best breakfast desserts you’ve ever had and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
This croissant bread pudding is a decadent twist on our air fryer bread pudding. Instead of bread, I've used croissants and infused the egg custard with coffee. To finish, it's delicately dusted with cocoa powder, reminiscent of a classic tiramisu. This brunch dish makes an ideal fall baking recipe!
Similar to how bread pudding transforms stale bread, this croissant bread pudding is perfect for using up leftover croissants, especially after snagging a big box from Costco. This sweet breakfast casserole is perfect for brunch, but if you’re in the mood for something savory, you might want to try the bubble up biscuit casserole instead. It's perfect for the holidays as a Christmas breakfast or an effortless dessert for a crowd.
What does the tiramisu bread pudding with croissants taste like? It captures the essence of tiramisu tres leches cake but is much simpler to make. Pair it with the vanilla tres leches sauce for a heavenly treat. Don’t hesitate to try this croissant bread pudding—it’s the real deal!
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Why you'll love this?
- Tastes amazing with the flavors of tiramisu
- Make ahead dessert
- Easy brunch idea
- The most amazing vanilla tres leches sauce
- Guaranteed crowd-pleaser
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Croissants - It turns out best when the croissants are slightly stale, so let them sit for a day or two before you begin.
- Heavy cream - A cup of heavy whipping cream makes it indulgent.
- Milk - Opt for whole or skim milk. I wouldn't recommend fat-free milk since this is a dessert, after all.
- Eggs - It plays a crucial role in helping the custard set in croissant bread pudding.
- Coffee - I use instant coffee granules, similar to the mocha mug cake. Brewed coffee isn't suitable here as it would thin out the custard and fail to achieve the desired texture.
- Cocoa powder - Just enough to do a light dusting on top of the finish croissant bread and butter pudding. Read more on the type of cocoa powder to use in the round up post cocoa powder recipes.
💡 Stale croissants are recommended for this croissant bread pudding because they absorb the coffee custard more effectively and help prevent the pudding from becoming too mushy or soggy during baking. Fresh croissants are too soft and tend to break down easily when soaked in the custard mixture, potentially resulting in a pudding that lacks structure and becomes soggy.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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Step 7 - Let soak for 20 to 30 minutes and then bake covered with foil in a preheated 350 degree oven, uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
Make ahead instructions
Cut the croissants, prepare the custard, soak the croissants in the custard, cover the pan with foil, and refrigerate for up to a day. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge, uncover, preheat the oven to 350°F, and bake according to instructions. You may need an additional 5 minutes.
How to serve?
Serve warm or at room temperature, lightly dusted with cocoa powder and accompanied by the vanilla tres leches sauce. Just as the eggnog croissant bread pudding, it is perfect to serve as a part of your Christmas breakfast and brunch menu.
I provide a detailed procedure for making a cinnamon tres leches sauce in the chocolate waffles recipe, which can be adapted here by omitting the cinnamon. If you're pressed for time, it also pairs beautifully with vanilla ice cream."
How to store leftovers?
Transfer any leftover tiramisu croissant bread pudding to an airtight container and refrigerate for a few days, or freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, use the microwave for individual servings, or for larger portions in a casserole dish, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through.
Store the vanilla tres leches sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Tips
- Use other types of bread like brioche, soft Italian bread or leftover dinner rolls instead of croissants.
- Use day old or stale croissants instead of fresh. It is a great way to use leftover croissants from Costco.
More easy dessert ideas
Croissant Bread Pudding
Equipment
- 9 x 13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 day old croissants (8 cups in total when chopped)
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
Vanilla tres leches sauce
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup sweetned condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Kahlua or dark rum (optional)
Instructions
Croissant pudding
- Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or brush with melted butter.
- Chop the croissants with a serrated knife into 1-inch bite size pieces. Add them to the prepared pan.
- Add eggs and instant coffee into a bowl and whisk well. Add the heavy cream, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk until most of the coffee is dissolved.
- Pour the mixture over the croissants, gently toss to evenly coat all the pieces with the custard.
- Allow to sit for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature to soak up the custard mixture. (Or, if you’re making this ahead, cover and store it in the fridge until the next day)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cover the pan with foil, and bake for 30 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, or the top is golden brown.
- Place pan on a wire rack to cool. Dust cocoa powder over the top (I use a fine mesh strainer to do this). Serve with the vanilla tres leches sauce or ice cream.
Vanilla tres leches sauce
- Add all sauce ingredients (except vanilla and alcohol), into a medium saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until it comes to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to low to prevent the milk from boiling over. Keep cooking and whisking constantly for an additional minute, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Take the pan off the heat, mix in the vanilla and alcohol, if using and let cool to room. Tip: Sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Monica
I made this last night and it got wiped out before even it cooled completely. So Good!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡