With it being the time of year where there are plenty of get togethers, parties, holiday events, etc…. you probably need that one show stopping dish to impress everyone, even your cranky in-laws, right? Vegan or not, I can GUARANTEE that this dish is just that. You’ll have everyone going back for seconds & thirds, asking you for the recipe, and thinking you spent all day slaving over the stove to make something this decadent and delicious. Truly, what’s not to love about croissants, cranberries, & candied pecans all turned into a luscious bread pudding?!
I’m happy to be collaborating with PKN for this delicious recipe! Have you ever had pecan milk?! I’ll be honest I had it once by making it myself, but added far too many dates in so it was overly sweet to the point where it was more of a pecan caramel… oops! But PKN’s pecan milk is truly *chef’s kiss*, both the original & the chocolate flavor. For this recipe I used the original flavor, and it adds a beautiful pecan flavor to the dish (that gets amped up by the candied pecans and such throughout), and makes this bread pudding insanely creamy. Like a move over cashews type of creamy.
Did you know the pecan is the only native nut to the US? I honestly had no clue until I came across PKN! It’s pretty crazy that out of all the nut milks in existence, pecan milk is truly the only native/most eco-friendly one of them all! What does all this mean exactly? That they use minimal water and natural resources to grow, are drought resistant & climate resilient, and can be sourced from regenerative farmers! Not to mention the crazy health benefits pecans provide. All around, pecan milk gets a stamp of approval from me, and if you’re looking to lower your carbon footprint, you definitely just found your new favorite dairy-alternative to do so!
You can purchase PKN milk on amazon, as well as thispkn.com, and can find them on instagram @thispkn if you’re wanting to try their pecan milks, or learn more about the sustainability of pecans!
This recipe is a lot easier to make than you may think when looking at the photos, and we’re not only making this insane bread pudding, but some bonus gingerbread candied pecans as well! Great for topping this, or just snacking on in general. If you have a pretty stocked vegan pantry/spice rack, you’ll probably have a lot of these already on hand which makes this recipe even easier!
To make your bread pudding, you really just have to do 2 main things. Toast up your vegan croissants with vegan butter & make your custard. Besides that it’s just layering in a baking dish & popping her in the oven! And for the candied pecans, they’re done right on the stovetop and take about 10 minutes total. Truly this recipe couldn’t get any easier!
I just wanted to thank PKN again for collaborating with me to bring this delicious recipe to life, and I hope that you all enjoy it this holiday season (or any season)! And remember, you can totally customize this if you don’t like cranberries or if they’re out of season! Using really any fresh fruit here would be delicious… blueberries, blackberries, apples, peaches, etc. Make sure to check out @thispkn on instagram, and grab some of their milks for the holidays! They’re great in coffee, cocktails/mocktails, for hot cocoa, and in so many recipes (which stay tuned for more coming from me soon!). I hope y’all have a safe & happy holiday season, especially eating this incredible bread pudding. Cheers, friends!
Cranberry Pecan Croissant Bread Pudding
This VEGAN Cranberry Pecan Croissant Bread Pudding using PKN Original Pecan Milk will truly impress anyone this holiday season! Plus some bonus gingerbread candied pecans for the topping? You don't want to miss this recipe!
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 6 vegan croissants sliced into 1 inch thick pieces
- 4 tbsp melted vegan butter
- 4 flax eggs 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water = 1 flax egg
- 2 cups PKN Original Pecan Milk
- 1/3 cup unsalted pecans
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- Fresh cranberries & pecans to your liking
- Powdered sugar & extra maple syrup for garnish
Gingerbread Candied Pecans
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp each ground ginger nutmeg, allspice, cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup filtered water
- 2 cups pecans
- Turbinado or raw cane sugar for topping
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350F.
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Slice your croissants in half lengthwise and then into 1 inch cubes. Drizzle them with your melted vegan butter and bake for about 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown.
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While those are toasting, blend 1 cup of your PKN milk with 1/3 cup unsalted pecans to make “pecan heavy cream”. Add that to a bowl with your remaining PKN milk, flax eggs, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until well combined.
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Get a baking/casserole dish & spread half of your croissant pieces out in a single layer, then add fresh cranberries and pecans to your liking. Top with your remaining croissant pieces and press down slightly. Pour your custard overtop, then top with extra cranberries.
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Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover & bake an additional 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.
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For the candied pecans, add your brown sugar, salt, spices, and water to a pan over medium heat. Stir until it starts to bubble & the sugar is dissolved, then add in your pecans and continue stirring until all of the liquid has evaporated and the nuts start to stick together.
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Transfer the candied nuts to a parchment paper lined baking tray in a flat, even layer and sprinkle with turbinado or raw cane sugar to garnish. Set aside to cool.
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Top your bread pudding with the candied pecans, and plate it up topping with more maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar if desired! Cheers!
Recipe Notes
- If cranberries are out of season, or if you don’t like them- you can substitute pretty much any fruit here! Blueberries, blackberries, apples, peaches, etc. would all be amazing
- The vegan croissants I get are from Whole Foods! They have them in their baked goods section, and you can also buy them frozen to bake at home as well!
- You can find PKN on amazon or http://thispkn.com to order their amazing pecan milks!
