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Flaky croissants soaked in a tangy key lime custard, topped with a buttery graham cracker streusel, and drizzled in a decadent cloak of key lime cream cheese icing!

Key Lime Pie Bread Pudding

Flaky croissants soaked in a tangy key lime custard, topped with a buttery graham cracker streusel, and drizzled in a decadent cloak of key lime cream cheese icing!
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Prep Time 1 hour
Resting Time 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients
  

  • 14 ounces croissants, torn

Custard:

  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup key lime juice
  • 2 Tablespoons key lime zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk

Graham Cracker Streusel Topping:

  • 4 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing:

  • 4 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 Tablespoon key lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Scatter the torn croissants evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until dry and toasted, about 8-10 minutes.* Allow croissants to cool while you prepare the custard.

Make the Custard:

  • In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, the egg yolks, egg, lime juice, zest, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and milk until combined. Gently fold in the croissants.
  • Pour mixture into a greased 8-inch square baking dish, 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 two hours**.

Make the Streusel Topping:

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl, stir the butter, flour, brown sugar, crushed graham crackers, and cinnamon together until combined. Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the bread pudding, squeezing it in your hands to create larger hunks of streusel.
  • Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and toasty. Allow to cool slightly for 20 minutes.

Make the Icing:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar. Add the heavy cream, lime juice, and vanilla and continue beating until combined.
  • To serve, slice/scoop bread pudding into bowls. Top with icing***, and enjoy!

Notes

*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.
***Since the icing is rather thick, you might want to heat it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to thin it out and make it more pourable.