This white chocolate cranberry bread pudding is the perfect cozy dessert for holidays or chilly evenings. It’s rich, creamy, perfectly sweet, and loaded with tart cranberries, buttery croissant bread, and melty white chocolate in every bite. Then it all gets topped with a silky homemade white chocolate sauce that takes this dessert completely over the top.
This recipe feels fancy enough for holiday dinners but is secretly super easy to make. If you love warm, comforting desserts like this, try our orange cranberry scones, blueberry sweet rolls, and strawberry tiramisu parfaits.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, custardy texture
- Sweet white chocolate paired with tart cranberries
- Perfect make-ahead holiday dessert
- Easy to prepare with simple ingredients
- Great for brunch, dessert, or holiday gatherings
- Incredible warm white chocolate sauce
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
- Croissant Loaf: This is what makes the bread pudding extra rich and buttery.
- Eggs: They create the custard base and help the bread pudding bake up soft, creamy, and sliceable.
- Milk & Heavy Cream: These make the texture rich and smooth while giving the pudding that cozy, melt-in-your-mouth feel.
- Orange Zest: Brightens up the richness and pairs perfectly with the cranberries and white chocolate.
- Ground Ginger & Allspice: Bring a subtle, warm spice flavor that makes the dessert feel extra comforting and holiday-ready.
- Dried Cranberries: Add chewy bites of tartness that balance all the creamy sweetness.
- White Chocolate Chips: Melt into little pockets of sweetness, making the dessert feel extra decadent.
Variations
- Add Nuts: Pecans or walnuts add great crunch
- Use Brioche Bread: Brioche bread has a rich, eggy texture and sweet flavor perfect for bread pudding.
- Swap Dried Fruit: Try using cherries or raisins.
- Add Cinnamon: Cinnamon gives the bread pudding an even warmer flavor.
- Extra Festive: Add a splash of orange liqueur to the sauce.
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Bread Pudding
Step 1: Cut the bread into ¼ to ½-inch chunks and set aside.
Step 2: Whisk the custard ingredients. Then, mix in the bread, cranberries, and white chocolate chips.
Step 3: Pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish and top with small cubes of butter.
Step 4: Bake until set, with the center slightly jiggly. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Step 5: Heat the heavy cream until just boiling. Then, pour it into a bowl with the white chocolate chips and vanilla.
Step 6: Cover for 5 minutes. Then, mix until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over the bread pudding and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Stale bread works better. Leave your cubed bread out for a few hours if possible.
- Use high-quality white chocolate for the best sauce flavor and texture.
- Don’t overcook the bread pudding. It’s supposed to be slightly jiggly in the center when removed from the oven.
- Let the bread pudding rest for a few minutes to finish cooking and firm up.
White Chocolate Cranberry Bread Pudding FAQs
Yes, you can. Just assemble, cover, and refrigerate it the night before. Then, bake it the next day when ready to serve.
Croissant loaves, challah, brioche, French, Italian, and sourdough bread are all excellent choices. Croissant, challah, and brioche lend the bread pudding a silkier texture, while French, Italian, and sourdough breads create a sturdier, more rustic vibe.
The bread pudding should be lightly golden on top with a slight jiggle in the center. It will continue to set as it cools.
You can refrigerate bread pudding for up to 4 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for longer storage.
Cool the pudding completely. Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the entire dish in the oven until heated through. Add extra white chocolate sauce before serving for the best flavor.
Enjoy This Bread Pudding with Main Dishes Like:
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White Chocolate Cranberry Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Bread Pudding Mixture
- 15 ounce croissant loaf, stale or left on the counter overnight (purchased from Kroger)
- 5 large eggs
- 3 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup butter
White Chocolate Sauce
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 baking dish or (3) 3 cup baking dishes, with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Bread Pudding Mixture
- Cut croissant bread into 1⁄4 – 1⁄2-inch chunks, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, orange zest, allspice, and ginger.
- Beat until mixture is thoroughly combined.
- Add bread chunks, white chocolate chips, and dried cranberries to the egg mixture. Fold until all of the bread has been coated.
- Place into the prepared baking dish or dishes.
- Slice butter into small cubes, and randomly place over the top of the bread pudding.
- Bake at 350° if using a 9×13 for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The bread pudding will still be slightly jiggly.
- Alternatively, if using smaller baking dishes, cook for 40-45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
White Chocolate Sauce
- While the bread pudding is cooling, in a small bowl add the vanilla and white chocolate chips.
- Heat heavy cream until just boiling then pour over the white chocolate chips, cover with a plate or plastic wrap for 5 minutes.
- Remove cover and stir until all the white chocolate has melted (if mixture does not melt chips all the way, return to microwave for 15 second intervals until melted, or use a double broiler method).
- Drizzle sauce over bread pudding and serve warm
Notes
- Stale bread works better. Leave your cubed bread out for a few hours if possible.
- Use high-quality white chocolate for the best sauce flavor and texture.
- Don’t overcook the bread pudding. It’s supposed to be slightly jiggly in the center when removed from the oven.
- Let the bread pudding rest for a few minutes to finish cooking and firm up.
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