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Cheese Danish Bread Pudding

Cheese Danish Bread Pudding

This Cheese Danish Bread Pudding blends buttery croissants, silky custard, and tangy cream cheese with a glossy ribbon of warm preserves. It’s effortless yet impressive—perfect for brunch, holidays, or anytime you want a cozy, bakery-style treat without the fuss.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Custard Base
  • Softened butter for greasing the pan
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 24 oz evaporated milk (or 3 cups whole milk)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal recommended
  • 0.5 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 9 cups day-old butter croissants, cut into 1/2-inch cubes about 1 lb
For the Cream Cheese Filling
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 0.5 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping
  • 0.25 cup fruit preserves blueberry, raspberry, or apricot
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons heavy cream (or any milk)

Method
 

  1. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving overhang for easy lifting.
  2. Whisk brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Add evaporated milk, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest. Fold in croissant cubes and let sit to absorb. Transfer to pan and create a 2-inch trench in the center.
  3. Whisk cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Spoon into the center trench. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake uncovered for about 50 minutes, until golden and set.
  5. Cool at least 1 hour. Lift out using parchment and transfer to a serving platter.
  6. Warm preserves in 15-second microwave bursts and spoon along the cream cheese center.
  7. Whisk powdered sugar with heavy cream to form a pourable glaze. Drizzle over the loaf.
  8. Slice with a serrated knife into 10–12 servings. Serve with extra preserves.

Notes

Day-old croissants absorb custard best. Cooling fully helps the loaf slice neatly. Swap preserves by season—strawberry, apricot, blackberry, or your favorite flavor.