Decadent Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake
The Decadent Chocolate Croissant Breakfast Bake is a rich, indulgent breakfast casserole featuring flaky croissants soaked in a creamy custard and interspersed with melted dark chocolate chunks. This warm, comforting dish is easy to prepare, customizable, and perfect for serving a crowd or treating yourself to a luxurious morning meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Total Time: 55-60 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-inspired
- Diet: Contains gluten and dairy
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 6 buttery croissants, day-old if possible, torn into bite-sized pieces
Chocolate
- 1 cup rich dark chocolate chunks (can substitute with milk or white chocolate)
Custard
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Croissants: Roughly tear the croissants into bite-sized pieces and spread them evenly in a buttered baking dish to create a base that will soak up the custard perfectly.
- Add the Chocolate: Generously scatter chopped dark chocolate chunks over the torn croissants, ensuring that every bite will have a luscious chocolate surprise.
- Whisk the Custard: In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine and Soak: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the croissants and chocolate, pressing down gently so the bread absorbs the creamy liquid fully.
- Bake to Perfection: Allow the bake to rest for about 15 minutes to absorb the custard. Then bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is fully set.
Notes
- Use day-old croissants for better custard absorption without becoming mushy.
- Chop the chocolate into larger chunks to create melty, gooey pockets throughout.
- Do not skip the 15-minute rest time before baking to maximize richness.
- Watch closely during baking to prevent over-browning or drying out.
- Let cool slightly before serving to allow the custard to set perfectly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/8th of the recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 165mg
Keywords: chocolate croissant bake, breakfast casserole, custard bake, indulgent breakfast, brunch recipes