Comfort food doesn’t get more decadent than this chocolate croissant bread pudding. Buttery croissants are used in place of traditional bread, and chocolate chips take it to the next level!
I’m on a comfort food kick lately. Life has been a bit stressful. I’ve gotta tell you, this might be one of the most comforting desserts I’ve made in a long time. Traditional bread pudding is already a classic comfort food dish, but swapping regular bread for buttery croissants truly makes it spectacular. Throw in some bittersweet chocolate chips, and you’ve got a bit of magic.
How to Make Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
If you’re familiar with the classic recipe, this is very similar (and very easy). You want to ideally use stale croissants that have had a day or two to dry out, but you can also use fresh croissants and dry them out in the oven.
The croissants are soaked in milk and then combined with eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and chocolate chips. Top the whole thing with more chocolate chips, some small pieces of butter, and bake until your kitchen smells amazing.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
The first time I prepared this recipe, I used Hershey’s chocolate chips (they were all I could find). I didn’t like the way the bread pudding tasted, so I recommend avoiding those. My favorite chocolate brands for baking are Guittard and Valrhona. Ghirardelli is also a good option. If you can find them, I recommend using bittersweet chocolate chips vs semi-sweet. The subtle bitterness keeps the dessert from being overly sweet.
I used this Lodge casserole dish, which holds 3.6 quarts. You can use any casserole or baking dish that holds a similar quantity of ingredients. It can be round, square or rectangle; the shape doesn’t impact the results.
If you’re not sure about what volume your dish can hold, I recommend using water to test. If you have a 1-quart liquid measuring cup, that’s perfect. Add water to the pot and total up how much liquid it holds. There’s your number.
How to Store Leftovers
This recipe will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If your casserole dish has a lid, that’s a great way to store it.
More Chocolate Recipes
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my Dark Chocolate Cupcakes, White Hot Chocolate, and Perfect Homemade Brownies.
You can also see my full archive of chocolate recipes here!
Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 14 croissants, cut into 1-inch cubes (preferably 1-2 days old; about 1.5 pounds)
- 4 cups whole milk
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips, preferably bittersweet (see notes)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for buttering the dish
Instructions
- If the croissants aren’t already stale, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and place in a 300 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they’ve dried out a bit on the surface.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Butter a 4-quart casserole dish (or a similar sized baking dish), set the dish on top of a baking sheet, and set aside.
- Combine the croissants and milk in a large bowl. Let the ingredients sit until most of the milk is absorbed, approximately 10 minutes.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cream, cinnamon, and vanilla until evenly combined. Add to the croissants, then stir the chocolate chips, reserving about 1/4 - 1/3 cup to sprinkle on top.
- Pour the ingredients into the prepared casserole dish, and let stand on the counter for 20 minutes to give the mixture time to soak into the bread.
- At this point, you can optionally press down on the bread with clean hands, gently, to compress the ingredients a bit. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the bread pudding and top evenly with the pieces of butter.
- Bake for approximately 55-65 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 5 days.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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I used to get bread pudding from a bakery that used all sorts of bakery case leftovers to make it, so it might have chocolate croissant, challa, fruit danish, brioche, etc. It was marvelous! So now when I make mine I add chocolate chips, bits of dried fruit, nuts, and dabs of jam. Comes out pretty darned scrumptious! I really enjoy all the recipes you share. Thank you!
How good does this look?? And being in croissant central over here, I’m definitely going to have to try this. Love your chocolate chip snobbery. Am in complete agreement. ❤️