Whether you’re hosting a special breakfast or just want to impress your brunch-loving friends, this chocolate croissant breakfast bake, reminiscent of pain au chocolat and a French toast bake, is easy to make-ahead and will most definitely become a go-to brunch recipe
This chocolate croissant breakfast bake is similar to a French toast casserole, but with a twist on the classic French pastry Pain au Chocolat — it’s one brunch recipe you don’t want to miss.
About Pain au Chocolat Breakfast Bake
If you’ve never had Pain au Chocolat, stop what you’re doing and go to your nearest French bakery — you are in for a bite of heaven! Pain au Chocolat (literally, “bread with chocolate”) is hands-down my favorite pastry ever (chocoholics unite!). Filled with chocolate and shaped like a croissant, it’s a classic French treat that, when combined with the fluffy texture of French toast, is decadent and indulgent and delightful and all the things you’ve ever wanted in a brunch dish.
This chocolate croissant breakfast bake is perfect for a special occasion like Mother's Day or a family brunch. It's easy to make, but looks and tastes impressive. It’s perfect for serving with fresh fruit and topping with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or even an extra drizzle of chocolate sauce.
How to Make Pain au Chocolat Breakfast Bake
- Prep: Lightly grease your baking dish, gather your ingredients and tools, and tear pre-baked croissants into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Layer the croissants and chocolate: Cover the bottom of the greased baking dish with croissant pieces, then layer half of the chocolate chips over the croissants. Add another layer of croissants and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer for several minutes, until it is smooth and creamy, and no lumps are left. Then beat in the granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and cinnamon until well combined. Next, add the milk and mix until well-combined and creamy.
- Assemble the dish: Pour the filling mixture over the croissant and chocolate chip layers, making sure that everything is evenly coated.
- Let it soak up the goodness: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour, (or overnight, if making ahead). When you're ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- Bake and serve: Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and it’s no longer jiggly. When the center is set, remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before dusting it with powdered sugar and serving. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Frequently asked questions
Yep! You can use any kind of milk (almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk) that you have on hand.
I like to serve this dish with fresh fruit, cheese danishes, and savory brunch dishes like quiche or roasted sweet potatoes.
How to best store it, how long it keeps
While croissants on their own would freeze well, this recipe would not, since it has milk and cream cheese, which tend to separate when frozen.
Yes, simply follow the instructions up until step five, and then cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you're ready to bake, remove the foil and continue with the recipe as written.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave.
Substitutions + Tips
- If you don't have chocolate chips, you can substitute the same amount of white chocolate chips, blueberries, raspberries or bananas for a fun twist.
- When making the cream cheese mixture, whip it to high heaven until there are no lumps left.
- Make sure to use pre-baked croissants — these can be found from your local bakery, or in the bakery section of your grocery store.
- If you can’t find croissants, you can also use refrigerated croissant rolls, just bake them according to the package directions before the first step.
Special diets
If you have a special diet you're adhering to, here are some ways you can adjust this recipe.
- Gluten free: Sub in gluten-free croissants for regular croissants.
- Dairy free: Use dairy-free chocolate chips and a dairy-free cream cheese (I like Kite Hill).
More brunch recipes
In the mood for brunching? Here are a few ideas:
- Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
- Sunday Morning Crepes
- Sourdough Browned Butter Cinnamon Sugar Popovers
Before you go...
If you make this chocolate croissant breakfast bake and love it, please leave me a comment and rate this recipe! I love to hear from you do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram — seeing your delicious creations is my favorite!
Print
Pain au Chocolat Breakfast Bake
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Decadent and indulgent, this chocolate croissant breakfast bake is the perfect combo of pain au chocolat and French toast — a chocolate lover’s dream!
Ingredients
- 5 large croissants, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 15 ounces)
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cover the bottom of the dish with croissant pieces, then layer 1 cup of the chocolate chips over the croissants. Add another layer of croissants and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Using a stand mixer or a large bowl and an electric hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese for several minutes until it is smooth and creamy and there are no lumps left.
- Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon and beat until well-combined.
- Add the milk and beat until incorporated. Pour the mixture over the croissants.
- Cover and refrigerate for one hour, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer jiggly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (if desired) and serve warm.
Notes
- When making the cream cheese mixture, make sure you use softened cream cheese and whip it up until it’s smooth and there are no lumps left.
- Make sure to use pre-baked croissants — these can be found from your local bakery, or in the bakery section of your grocery store.
One more thing!
This recipe is a part of my Breakfast + Brunch collection — check it out!
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