Blackberry Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

by Jillian
An incredibly comforting dessert combining the deliciousness of warm cinnamon rolls and the juicy sweetness of fresh blackberries!

An incredibly comforting dessert combining the deliciousness of warm cinnamon rolls and the juicy sweetness of fresh blackberries!

During these cold winter months, there’s nothing I crave more than a warm bowl of bread pudding. Of course, you also can’t beat a warm and ooey gooey cinnamon roll this time of year either! 

With that being said, I decided to combine two of my favorites into one HEAVENLY dessert…

Ok, full disclosure. This does bread pudding doesn’t contain actual cinnamon rolls. However, if you’re looking for a “true” cinnamon roll bread pudding, head on over to this ooey gooeylicious recipe

So why did I call this bread pudding Blackberry CINNAMON ROLL Bread Pudding? Well, allow me to explain…

You see, these flaky croissants are filled with the same exact brown sugary cinnamon filling that you see spiraled throughout those luscious cinnamon rolls. ALSO, this bread pudding is drizzled with the always iconic cream cheese icing that classic cinnamon rolls are enrobed in. So basically, this bread pudding includes the most CRUCIAL elements of a delicious cinnamon roll.

Oh, and as the title suggests, this bread pudding also contains juicy blackberries. Similar to how blueberries add a wonderful burst of flavor in muffins, these blackberries add the most delectable sweetness throughout this bread pudding as their juices mingle with the brown sugar-cinnamon filling. Although it’s not quite blackberry season, the good news is that frozen blackberries work fantastically well in this recipe. In fact, I used frozen blackberries that I had flash-frozen this past summer!

So let’s discuss how this bread pudding beauty comes together…

First, you’ll make the brown sugar-cinnamon filling. Just combine some softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until it forms a smooth paste.

Now that you’ve got your filling done, it’s time to make the custard that these buttery croissants are soaked in. You’ll start by whisking some granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, a few egg yolks, and one whole egg together. The reason why I remove most of the egg whites is to prevent that not-so-appetizing sulfuric taste. Gross!!

The last two ingredients to be incorporated into the custard are heavy cream and milk. I’ve found that an equal ratio of milk and cream provides just the perfect amount of creaminess to my bread puddings. Not too rich, yet not too light.

Once you’ve got your filling and custard made up, it’s time to assemble the bread pudding. First, take your stale/dry croissants, cut them each in half, and slather that beautiful filling evenly over half of the croissants.

Next, place the other half of the croissants on top, making a sandwich, and cut each sandwich into 4-5 pieces. 

Place the croissant pieces into a greased 8-inch square baking dish, ensuring that there are no holes or open spaces. It’s a lot like putting a puzzle together.

A DELICIOUS puzzle that is…

Once you’ve crammed every single croissant into the baking dish, use your fingers to insert the blackberries evenly throughout the bread pudding. Try to push them in-between the croissants, if you can. As I mentioned earlier, frozen blackberries work best since you don’t risk smashing the blackberries.

Drizzle that creamy custard evenly over the bread. Make sure that EVERY single croissant gets completely doused with the custard so that they can soak up all of that wonderful flavor.

When it comes to bread puddings, the more time they have to soak, the better. That’s why I typically make them up the night before and bake them up the next morning or afternoon. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can let bread pudding soak for days and days. I wouldn’t go past 18 hours. Also, if you choose the overnight method, allow the bread pudding to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking it in the oven.

Oh! And BEFORE placing the bread pudding into the oven, sprinkle on a mixture of cinnamon-sugar. Not only does it add a little extra sweetness to this bread pudding (not that it’s lacking any), but it also creates a delicately thin crust on top as it bakes in the oven.

While the bread pudding is baking, you can make the cream cheese icing. Just beat some butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a splash of vanilla together until smooth and lusciously creamy.

Once the bread pudding is out of the oven, I like to let it sit for at least 30 minutes before scooping into it. Not only will it prevent you from burning the bejeezus out of your tongue (and all-important taste buds), but it’ll also allow the bread pudding to set properly as the croissants absorb most of the hot liquid that bubbles up along the edges of the pan as it’s baking. Don’t worry, the bread pudding will still be PLENTY warm after 30 minutes.

When you’re ready to serve the bread pudding, slather that cream cheese icing evenly on top. Once the icing hits the warm bread pudding, it melts throughout every deliciously crisp croissant crevice. And once you get that first bite…oh my Lord…you’ll be in bread pudding heaven!

An incredibly comforting dessert combining the deliciousness of warm cinnamon rolls and the juicy sweetness of fresh blackberries!

Blackberry Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

An incredibly comforting dessert combining the deliciousness of warm cinnamon rolls and the fresh sweetness of blackberries!
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Soaking Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients
  

  • 13 ounces croissants (about 5 croissants)
  • 1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen*

Brown Sugar Filling:

  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Custard:

  • cup granulated sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk

Cinnamon-Sugar

  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing:

  • 4 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF degrees. Slice each croissant in half, as you would for a sandwich. Lay each half flat on a baking sheet. Bake until dry and toasted, about 8-10 minutes.** Allow croissants to cool while you prepare the filling and custard.

Make the Brown Sugar Filling:

  • In a medium bowl combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth; set aside.

Make the Custard:

  • In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, egg yolks, whole egg, vanilla, and salt together until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and milk until combined.

To Assemble:

  • Spread brown sugar filling onto half of the croissant halves. Top each filling-topped half with a bare half, making a sandwich. Cut each croissant sandwich into 4-5 pieces.
  • Place croissant pieces into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Scatter the blackberries throughout, using your fingers to push them in-between croissants. Pour the custard evenly over the croissants, gently pressing down on the bread to ensure that all of the pieces are completely saturated in the custard. Allow to sit and soak for at least an hour***.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the bread pudding. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and toasty.

Make the Icing:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until combined. Spread evenly on top of the warm bread pudding. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Frozen blackberries work best in this recipe since you'll be pressing the berries in-between the croissants. Fresh berries tend to get smashed. If all you have is fresh, spread the berries evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet and chill in the freezer until hard.
**If your croissants are already dry/stale, you can skip this baking step.
***You can also prepare this bread pudding the night before, allow it to soak overnight, then bake it in the oven the next day.
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