Description
Orange croissant breakfast bake turns buttery croissants into a citrus-custard casserole that bakes up golden and soft. Brunch-worthy with almost no effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 croissants
- 2 cups orange segments
- 4 eggs
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Fire up your oven to a toasty 350F and grab a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Generously coat the dish with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Roughly tear 4 croissants into rustic chunks, scattering them across the bottom of the dish.
- Distribute 2 cups of bright orange segments evenly between the croissant pieces.
- Crack 4 eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk them until smooth and slightly frothy.
- Pour 1 cup milk and ½ cup heavy cream into the eggs, creating a rich custard base.
- Add ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the liquid mixture.
- Whisk all ingredients together until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Gently cascade the custard over the croissant and orange layers, ensuring even coverage.
- Allow the dish to rest for 15 minutes, letting the croissants soak up the creamy mixture.
- Slide the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for exactly 30-35 minutes.
- Check for a golden top and a set center before removing from the oven.
- Let the bake cool for 5 minutes, then serve warm and enjoy your breakfast.
Notes
- Let the croissants sit out for a day to become slightly stale, which helps them absorb the custard mixture better and creates a richer texture.
- Swap dairy milk with almond or oat milk for a lactose-free version that maintains the creamy consistency.
- Sprinkle some sliced almonds or a light dusting of powdered sugar on top before serving for extra crunch and visual appeal.
- For a more intense orange flavor, add some orange zest to the custard mixture or drizzle a quick orange marmalade glaze over the finished dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Pastries
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 to 6
- Calories: 470 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg