This easy, delicious Blueberry Croissant Bread Pudding features buttery croissants, blueberries, and a sweet brown sugar and orange-infused custard. This is the perfect way to use up leftover or stale croissants! A delightful twist on a classic, this bread pudding can be served for breakfast or dessert. Plus, it can easily be prepared ahead of time, and baked fresh for your guests!
I’ll never understand the British propensity for naming every single dish “pudding” this or that. Of course, I’m exaggerating. But barely!! They have sticky toffee pudding, savory Yorkshire pudding, rice pudding, and, of course, bread pudding. But what is pudding?
In the US, “pudding” typically refers to sweet, milk-based desserts often made with a creamy custard. In the UK, “pudding” can refer to a wider variety of both sweet and savory dishes, often made with a pastry crust. In this recipe, bread is replaced by croissants that are soaked in an orange-infused custard until saturated, then baked until the custard is set and the top is crispy. I love using croissants instead of bread because they’re so rich and delicious to begin with, and the flavor is really amplified when baked. Plus, this is a great zero-waste recipe – it’s perfect for leftover, stale croissants! I know y’all will love this one, enjoy!
Blueberry Croissant Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 4-5 Cups Stale Croissants about 2-3 croissants
- 1 1/2 Cups Whole Milk
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- Zest from 1 Orange
- 1/2 Cup Blueberries
Instructions
- To begin, cut up your croissants into approx. 1" pieces until you have between 4-5 cups of them. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, both sugars, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Into the bowl, add the zest from 1 washed and dried orange, then whisk vigorously until combined.
- Grease a pie dish with butter. Add in the croissant pieces and arrange into an even layer. Give the custard mixture one last mix to make sure that it's fully incorporated, then pour into the pie dish along with the croissant pieces. Be sure to leave some of croissant piece tops exposed so that they're not covered with the custard – you want these to crisp up in the oven later on.
- Cover the pie dish with cling wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator for AT LEAST two hours, or up to overnight. Because croissants have a higher fat content than bread, they will need more time to infuse with the custard, so don't skip this step!!
- When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375.
- While the oven is preheating, scatter the blueberries over the top of the bread pudding.
- Bake the pudding, uncovered, for 35-45, or until custard is set and the top is golden brown. You can tell that it's done if the edges of the bread pudding are starting to pull away from the pie dish. The custard should be a little jiggly but firmer on the edges, and not liquid or wobbly.
- Let the bread pudding cool slightly before serving.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- For this recipe, you definitely want to use stale croissants so that they’ll soak up the custard. If your croissants aren’t stale, you can cut them up as instructed in the recipe, then bake them in the oven at 300 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes, or until dry (but not burnt or even browned). You want them to dehydrate, not overcook!
Nutrition
Blueberry Croissant Bread Pudding FAQs
Can I use croissants for bread pudding?
Yes, absolutely! Croissants are a delicious alternative to bread for a bread pudding. Just be sure to use croissants that are stale, so that they’re dry enough to soak up all the delicious custard.
How long do I need to let the croissants soak in the custard for?
For this recipe, I strongly recommend letting the croissants soak for AT LEAST two hours, or up to overnight. Since croissants have a higher fat content than regular bread, they need more time to soak up the custard.
How to use up old croissants?
This recipe is the perfect way to use up old croissants! Oftentimes, you can buy stale or days-old croissants or other baked goods at bakeries for a discounted price. This would be a great use for that!
Is this croissant bread pudding made with milk?
Yes, in this recipe you use whole milk in the custard, along with eggs and sugar!
P.S.
For more plant-forward recipes and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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