Baklava Croissant Bread Pudding (with Honey Buttermilk Syrup)
This Baklava Croissant Bread Pudding is the most indulgent and stunning mashup of two classic desserts — buttery and flaky croissants are soaked in a rich and creamy vanilla bean custard, then swirled throughout and layered on top with a warm and gooey baklava filling that practically melts into every single bite with the most satisfying crunch. Baked until perfectly golden and served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a generous drizzle of honey buttermilk syrup, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt — this is the ultimate cozy and impressive dessert you'll want to make on repeat!
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Ingredients You Need:
Full ingredients and recipe are in the recipe card below. Read through this section for all the ingredients substitution and baking tips!
Croissants: The star of this bread pudding — buttery and flaky large croissants cut into cubes and dried out overnight soak up every drop of the rich vanilla bean custard for the most incredibly soft, tender, and indulgent base that makes every single bite melt in your mouth.
Vanilla Ice Cream: The perfect finishing touch — a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the warm baklava croissant bread pudding creates the ultimate contrast of warm and cold in every single bite.
Brown Sugar: Used in both the warm and gooey baklava filling and the honey buttermilk syrup for a deep, rich, molasses-like sweetness that enhances the warm baklava flavors throughout every single layer.
Honey: Added to both the baklava filling and the honey buttermilk syrup for a natural, floral sweetness that is the signature flavor of classic baklava and makes both components absolutely irresistible.
Salted Butter: Melted into the baklava filling for a rich, buttery depth of flavor, melted into the vanilla bean custard for extra richness, and simmered into the honey buttermilk syrup for a silky, smooth, and indulgent finish.
Cinnamon: Adds a warm, cozy spice to both the baklava filling and the vanilla bean custard that gives every single bite that classic baklava flavor and warmth throughout.
Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: Adds a warm, sweet, and aromatic flavor that enhances the baklava filling, vanilla bean custard, and honey buttermilk syrup throughout.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the warm, rich flavors throughout every component of this baklava croissant bread pudding.
Chopped Nuts: The heart of the warm and gooey baklava filling — a combination of pistachios, walnuts, and almonds adds a rich, nutty flavor and the most satisfying crunch that practically melts into every single bite of the bread pudding.
Milk: Combined with the heavy cream to create the base of the rich vanilla bean custard that soaks deep into every piece of croissant throughout.
Heavy Cream: Adds richness and a silky, creamy texture to the vanilla bean custard that makes this bread pudding incredibly indulgent and melt-in-your-mouth delicious in every single bite.
Eggs: Provide structure and stability to the vanilla bean custard while helping it set beautifully during baking for a perfectly custardy and creamy result throughout.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the vanilla bean custard and balances all the rich, warm flavors throughout the bread pudding.
Buttermilk: The key ingredient in the honey buttermilk syrup that adds a subtle tang and helps create a silky, smooth, and perfectly balanced syrup — a splash of lemon juice mixed with milk of choice works as a substitute but buttermilk will give the best results.
Baking Soda: Whisked into the honey buttermilk syrup at the end to create a light, airy, and perfectly silky consistency — it reacts with the buttermilk to give the syrup its signature smooth and pourable finish.
Why You’ll Love Baklava Croissant Bread Pudding (w/ Honey Buttermilk Syrup):
The Most Incredible Flavor Mashup: This dessert is the ultimate mashup of two classic favorites — buttery and flaky croissants meet a warm and gooey baklava filling for the most indulgent, unique, and absolutely irresistible dessert you will ever make.
Buttery And Flaky Croissants Throughout: The buttery, flaky croissants soak up every drop of the rich vanilla bean custard for the most incredibly soft, tender, and indulgent base that makes every single bite melt in your mouth.
Rich And Creamy Vanilla Bean Custard: The rich vanilla bean custard soaks deep into every piece of croissant for a creamy, perfectly sweet, and deeply indulgent base that ties all the flavors together beautifully.
That Warm And Gooey Baklava Filling: The warm and gooey baklava filling is swirled throughout and layered on top for pockets of rich, nutty, and perfectly sweet baklava flavor that practically melts into every single bite with the most satisfying crunch.
Perfectly Golden And Beautiful: This bread pudding bakes up to a gorgeous golden color with a slightly crisp top and a soft, custardy interior that is absolutely stunning straight from the oven.
That Honey Buttermilk Syrup: The silky honey buttermilk syrup is drizzled generously over the warm bread pudding for a sweet, tangy, and perfectly balanced finishing touch that takes every single bite completely over the top.
Served Warm With Vanilla Ice Cream: A scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the warm bread pudding creates the ultimate contrast of warm and cold that makes every single bite completely and utterly irresistible.
Perfect For Any Occasion: Whether it is a holiday gathering, a dinner party dessert, or any special occasion, this baklava croissant bread pudding is always the ultimate showstopper on the dessert table.
Tips for Making Baklava Croissant Bread Pudding (w/ Honey Buttermilk Syrup):
Dry Out The Croissants Overnight: For the best results, leave the croissant cubes out overnight to dry out before making the bread pudding — dried out croissants absorb the vanilla bean custard more evenly and give the bread pudding the best soft, tender, and custardy texture throughout.
Lightly Toast The Croissants If Needed: If you didn't dry the croissants out overnight, spread the cubes on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven at 350F for 7–10 minutes. Be careful not to fully bake the croissants — you just want a light toast on the outside to help them absorb the custard without becoming too soggy.
Spread The First Layer Of Baklava Mixture On The Bottom: Spreading a little over half of the baklava filling on the bottom of the pan before adding any croissants creates a beautiful caramelized and nutty base layer that soaks up into the bread pudding as it bakes — this is the secret to that incredible baklava flavor in every single bite.
Use Your Favorite Combination Of Nuts: Traditional baklava uses pistachios and walnuts but any combination of your favorite chopped nuts works beautifully — a mixture of pistachios, walnuts, and almonds gives the most classic and satisfying baklava flavor and crunch throughout.
Whisk The Custard Well: Make sure to whisk the vanilla bean custard until there are absolutely no ribbons of egg remaining — a well-combined custard soaks into the croissants evenly and gives the best creamy, custardy result.
Layer Everything Evenly: Build the bread pudding in three even layers of croissant cubes with two layers of the remaining baklava filling in between — this ensures the most consistent pockets of warm, gooey, and nutty baklava flavor throughout every single slice.
Press The Croissants Down: After each layer and after pouring the custard, gently press the croissant cubes down with the back of a wooden spoon to make sure every piece is well-soaked and there are no dry parts.
Let It Rest In The Refrigerator: After assembling, cover with foil and let the bread pudding rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking — this allows the croissants to fully absorb the vanilla bean custard for the best custardy texture throughout.
Make It Overnight: For the absolute best results, assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight — this gives the croissants maximum time to soak up every drop of the rich vanilla bean custard.
Make The Honey Buttermilk Syrup Towards The End Of Baking: Prepare the honey buttermilk syrup during the last few minutes of baking so it is warm and ready to drizzle the moment the bread pudding comes out of the oven.
Use A Tall Enough Saucepan For The Syrup: The baking soda causes the honey buttermilk syrup to bubble and foam significantly when added — make sure your saucepan is tall enough to handle it without overflowing.
Don't Let The Syrup Boil For Too Long: Once the honey buttermilk syrup reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer for only 2–3 minutes before removing from the heat — overcooking will cause the syrup to become too thick and affect the silky, pourable consistency.
Look For A Slight Wobble: The bread pudding is done when the top is golden and set but the middle still has a very slight wobble when shaken — it will continue to set as it rests out of the oven so do not overbake.
Let It Rest Before Inverting: Allow the bread pudding to rest for at least 10–15 minutes after baking before inverting onto a serving plate — this helps it set up properly and makes it much easier to invert cleanly without falling apart.
Invert For A Stunning Presentation: Inverting the bread pudding onto a serving plate reveals the beautiful caramelized baklava layer on top for the most stunning and impressive presentation — serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a generous drizzle of honey buttermilk syrup, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
How to Store Baklava Croissant Bread Pudding (w/ Honey Buttermilk Syrup):
Best Served Fresh: This baklava croissant bread pudding is at its absolute best served warm and fresh straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a generous drizzle of honey buttermilk syrup, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Make Ahead: This is a wonderful make-ahead dessert — assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover tightly with foil, and store in the refrigerator overnight. Bake the day of serving for the freshest, most delicious result.
Refrigerator: Store leftover bread pudding covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the honey buttermilk syrup separately in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezer: Freeze individual portions of the baked and cooled bread pudding in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for the best texture and flavor.
To Reheat Bread Pudding: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 30–45 seconds, or reheat in the oven at 325F for 10–15 minutes until warmed through for the best soft, custardy texture.
To Reheat The Honey Buttermilk Syrup: Gently reheat the honey buttermilk syrup in the microwave in 15–20 second intervals, stirring in between, or warm on the stovetop over low heat until smooth and pourable before drizzling over the warm bread pudding.
To Serve From Cold: Let refrigerated bread pudding sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before reheating for the most even warmth throughout and the best flavor.
FAQs:
Q: Can I make this baklava croissant bread pudding ahead of time? A: Yes. This is a wonderful make-ahead dessert — assemble the bread pudding the night before, cover tightly with foil, and store in the refrigerator overnight. Bake the day of serving for the freshest, most delicious result.
Q: Can I make the honey buttermilk syrup ahead of time? A: Yes. The honey buttermilk syrup can be made in advance and stored in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Gently reheat before drizzling over the warm bread pudding.
Q: Can I use a different type of bread instead of croissants? A: Croissants are strongly recommended for their buttery, flaky texture that soaks up the vanilla bean custard beautifully and pairs perfectly with the warm baklava filling. Brioche bread works well as a substitute if croissants are not available.
Q: What nuts work best for the baklava filling? A: Traditional baklava uses a combination of pistachios and walnuts which work beautifully in this recipe. A mixture of pistachios, walnuts, and almonds is recommended for the most classic and satisfying baklava flavor and crunch throughout.
Q: Can I substitute the buttermilk in the honey buttermilk syrup? A: Yes. A splash of lemon juice mixed with 1/2 cup of milk of choice works as a substitute. Buttermilk will give the best results for the most silky and flavorful syrup so it is recommended to use it if possible.
Q: Why do I need to dry out the croissants before making the bread pudding? A: Dried out croissants absorb the vanilla bean custard more evenly and give the bread pudding the best soft, tender, and custardy texture throughout. Fresh croissants can become too soggy and may not hold their structure as well during baking.
Q: How do I know when the bread pudding is done? A: The bread pudding is done when the top is golden and set but the middle still has a very slight wobble when shaken. It will continue to set as it rests out of the oven so do not overbake for the best custardy texture.
Q: Why do I invert the bread pudding before serving? A: Inverting the bread pudding onto a serving plate reveals the beautiful caramelized baklava layer on the bottom of the pan which becomes the stunning top layer — this creates the most impressive and gorgeous presentation when served.
Q: Can I freeze this bread pudding? A: Yes. Freeze individual portions of the baked and cooled bread pudding in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven at 325F before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Q: What size pan should I use? A: A 9" round pan or an 8" or 9" square baking pan all work well for this recipe. Make sure to line the pan with parchment paper that drapes over the edges for easy removal and a clean inversion when serving.
Love this? Check out my other bread pudding recipes:
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Bread Pudding with Bourbon Maple Syrup
Small Batch Classic Bread Pudding with Homemade Buttermilk Syrup
Make sure to tag me @wellmadebykiley on Instagram and leave a review or comment if you try this baklava croissant bread pudding (with honey buttermilk syrup). Happy baking!
