Croissant Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce is made with croissants baked in a custard sauce and topped with a homemade vanilla bean sauce. The most decadent dessert or breakfast recipe!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, start by making the homemade custard by whisking eggs, brown sugar, sugar, half-n-half, and vanilla together. This can also be done in the blender and it makes the custard mixture extra smooth.
Cut the croissants into large bite-size pieces. Spray a 10 x 15 or 9 x 16 or 10 x 13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spread croissants into the pan.
Pour custard over the croissants and let it sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the croissants to soak up the custard mixture. Place the pan into a larger pan, filled with 1-inch of hot water. This is going to allow the bread pudding to temper and not overcook.
Cover the pan with foil, tenting the foil, to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes with foil on. After 45 minutes, remove the foil and allow the bread pudding to bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes longer. Watch for the bread pudding to puff up and the custard to set up.
Remove from the oven and serve with homemade vanilla butter sauce below.
Vanilla Sauce:
Heat a small pot over medium heat. Add butter and allow it to begin to melt. Add brown sugar, sugar, and heavy cream and let it dissolve. Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken and become completely smooth. If you want a deeper, richer sauce, let it cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Drizzle vanilla sauce all over the bread pudding and serve.
Notes
Day old croissants work best in this bread pudding but you can also toast fresh croissants to help them soak in the vanilla custard.