Ham & Cheese Savory Croissant Bread Pudding

This Ham and Cheese Savory Croissant Bread Pudding is golden brown and crunchy on top, with gooey cheese and salty ham goodness underneath. It's unbelievably delicious! Savory bread pudding made with crispy French pastries baked in an egg and cheese custard base with flecks of ham hock. And, what's more, it is ridiculously easy to make.

This ham and cheese savory croissant bread pudding is an elegant lunch recipe to serve to friends with a simple salad and a crisp white wine. It is reminiscent of a Croque Monsieur in terms of taste and texture but fancier and works for a crowd.

Jump to:

• ❓Why this is the best recipe
• 📖 Ingredients List
• 👩🏼‍🍳 How To Make Savory Bread Pudding
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Chef's Tips & Serving suggestions
• 🍷 Wine Pairing For Cheese Croissant Bread Pudding
• ❄️ Storage & Freezing
• 🥣 Equipment
• ❓Recipe FAQ
• 🍽 Related recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

❓Why this is the best recipe

1. It's so easy - All you need to do is slice up the croissants, chuck them in an oven dish, pour over the easy ham and cheese custard filling, and bake. What's not to love? It's a great way to use up leftover croissants.
2. It has the best texture - It's a bit like a croissant quiche but so much more elevated. The cheesy, creamy milk egg mixture create almost a souffle texture at the bottom of the dish. And the crunchy croissants on top are divine.
3. It's unusual - Croissants are a sweet breakfast item, so making a savory lunch recipe with stale croissants instead will always spark interest.
4. It's versatile - You can really play with this savory croissant bread pudding recipe. Add a spoonful of Dijon mustard to the eggy custard. Sprinkle over some cayenne pepper. Use truffle cheese instead. I love how easy it is to adapt.

📖 Ingredients List

All the ingredients for this savory croissant bread pudding recipe are super simple. You probably already have most of them in the fridge.

1. Croissants - Day-old croissants are ideal for this savory croissant bread pudding recipe, as they will crisp up better in the oven. Bread and butter pudding recipes were traditionally made with stale bread, and this savory bread pudding recipe with croissants is better if they aren't super fresh. Get large croissants rather than mini ones.
2. Cheese - I like to use truffle cheddar in this easy recipe, which is a strong, mature cheddar cheese flecked with real black truffles. But you can use regular cheddar or any other hard cheese you like, for example, a tasty Gouda, Gruyère cheese, or a nutty Comte. Don't buy ready-grated cheese; it is coated with anticoagulants that make it behave weirdly when cooked.
3. Ham Hock - Using pre-bought packages of shredded ham hock is the easiest and tastiest addition to this savory croissant bread pudding recipe, but you can also slice up your own ham. Or you could even fry up some lardons or pancetta; it's up to you.
4. Eggs - Normally I always say to use room temperature eggs for proper emulsification in the custard, but as we will be putting it in the fridge anyway, it really doesn't matter in this case if they are chilled eggs.
5. Cream - Use double cream, heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream for the best bread pudding savory custard filling.
6. Milk - Whole milk (sometimes known as half and half) is best.
7. Parsley - I love to garnish with fresh parsley, but this is optional.
8. Salt and pepper - Season the custard with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bear in mind that ham is salty meat, so you may need less than you think.

👩🏼‍🍳 How To Make Savory Bread Pudding

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef's Tips & Serving suggestions

If you use Gruyere cheese or other alpine cheese in this savory croissant bread pudding recipe, it can almost taste a bit like fondue. Lean into this and add a splash of dry white wine to the custard mix.

I love ham, cheese, and mustard together. So, a salad with Dijon mustard dressing is delicious when served alongside this dish. But why not go further and add mustard to the custard? I also love chili spice with cheese, so I will often add some cayenne pepper to the mix and dust some on top, too.

I use the tips of the croissants to make my favorite rosemary, parmesan & garlic croissant croutons. They're a great recipe for topping soups and salads or to serve as an easy party snack with a nice crunch.

I also make a dessert that is a cousin to this dish, so be sure to check it out. Everyone always loves my baked pain au chocolate bread pudding!

🍷 Wine Pairing For Cheese Croissant Bread Pudding

Serve your ham and cheese savory croissant bread and butter pudding with a fruity Pinot Noir or creamy, aged Chardonnay. The buttery croissants and cheesy egg custard with a salty ham kick need something a bit more robust. Read more basic food and wine pairing tips here.

❄️ Storage & Freezing

Store leftover ham and cheese croissant savory bread pudding in the fridge covered in plastic wrap and consume within 2-3 days. To reheat this ham and cheese croissant pudding, place the dish on an oven tray and bake for 15-20 minutes at 175C/345F. This dish does not freeze well. But it does taste good cold, I have definitely scoffed the leftovers with a fork straight from the fridge.

🥣 Equipment

I use a pair of scissors to cut up the croissants, as it doesn't squish them! 

Combine the savory egg custard ingredients in a large mixing bowl using a fork. Grate the cheese using the fine setting on a grater, or it can all clump together.

Bake the cheese croissant bread pudding in an ovenproof dish, casserole dish, or even a large skillet that is slightly deeper than the croissants. I use a baking dish that is roughly 10x7 inches. You need to allow a bit of space for the pastries and custard to souffle up slightly once the savory croissant bread pudding is baked.

Always bake in a preheated oven, and use a digital oven thermometer to make sure you are baking at the right temperature.

❓Recipe FAQ

🍽 Related recipes

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