Home > Breakfast > Monkey Bread Monkey Bread July 2, 2019 | 9 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Monkey Bread is a sweet and sticky pastry served as an indulgent breakfast or delicious dessert. This treat has cinnamon-sugar coated pieces of dough baked with a sticky sweet syrup. We love adding pecans to Monkey Bread, but you can also enjoy it nut-free or with different add-ins. Read on for how-tos and plenty of variation ideas! If you’ve ever wondered about the odd name for this sugared biscuit cake, I’ve been there too. Why do they call it Monkey Bread? The name “Monkey Bread” comes from this dessert being a finger food. Monkey Bread requires you to pull it apart to get pieces, similar to how a monkey eats. Ha! What biscuits to use I recommend using Pillsbury Grands® Flaky Layers Biscuits (not sponsored). They’re the perfect size to use in Monkey Bread and they rise nicely. Beyond getting the right biscuits, the most important tip for this cake: generously grease and flour the pan! Below is a quick break down. How to grease a Bundt pan First, make sure you’re using a high-quality Bundt pan; don’t use a springform pan or pan with a removable bottom (the sugary sauce will leak through, creating a disaster. (If you don’t have a Bundt pan, see my instructions for baking this in a 9×13-inch pan!) Spray the Bundt pan with cooking spray or brush an even layer of softened butter all over. Make sure every part of the inside of the pan is covered, so none of the biscuits stick. Once sprayed, immediately sprinkle flour over the spray and then tap and turn the pan to evenly coat with a light dusting of flour. Tap the pan upside down (over the sink) to remove any excess flour. And now the pan is ready to be filled with Monkey Bread dough pieces! How to make Monkey Bread Grease and flour the Bundt pan. See the directions above. Make brown sugar mixture. Melt butter and allow it to cool a bit. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, and pecans into the melted butter and mix. Cut the biscuits. Slice the biscuits into quarters and cover them with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Layer in the Bundt pan. Pour a bit of the brown sugar and pecan mixture in the bottom of the pan. Then layer on the cut biscuits. Pour the remaining brown sugar/pecan mixture over the top of the biscuits. Bake. Bake the Monkey Bread at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes and remove from cake pan. QUICK TIP When melting the butter for the sauce, make sure to let the butter come back to room temperature. If the butter is too hot when you add in the sugar, it will melt the sugar and become excessively greasy How to know when Monkey Bread is done When Monkey Bread is fully cooked it should be puffy and slightly crisp on top. A skewer, when inserted into the thickest part, should come out clean. You can also move a few pieces in the center to see if they are at all doughy. If you see doughy pieces, leave it in for longer; if not, it’s good to go! Monkey Bread storage Does monkey bread need to be refrigerated? No! In fact, it’s better to not refrigerate Monkey Bread. Refrigerating will make the cake stale and hard. Room temperature storage is the best option. Monkey Bread is best stored in an airtight container on a counter and out of direct sunlight. I recommend a plastic bag as it minimizes moisture loss and keeps the bread soft for up to two days. How to make it ahead of time Quarter the biscuits and then place them in a well-greased Bundt pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. When you are ready to bake the Monkey Bread, remove the pan from the fridge and allow the cinnamon roll pieces to come to room temperature (this should take no more than 30 minutes). Make the brown sugar mixture, pour it over the dough in the Bundt pan, and bake for 2o minutes at 400 degrees F. Freezing Monkey Bread Tightly wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and then in an airtight container; freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge but note that freezing and thawing Monkey Bread will cause a loss in texture and flavor. (Never freeze the uncooked dough, as it will render the yeast inactive.) Monkey Bread variations Monkey Bread from scratch: To make this from scratch, you’ll start by making your own biscuits. I’d recommend Sally’s Baking Addiction for a from-scratch recipe. Add ins: You can add finely chopped and peeled apples, raisins, and/or nuts to Monkey Bread. Add half the biscuit pieces and then sprinkle add-ins in the middle and then a few more on top. Monkey Bread in a loaf pan: Make sure you grease two light-colored (don’t use dark coated) loaf pans well and follow the directions below. Divide biscuits evenly between the two pans and then bake at 400 degrees F for 19-25 minutes. Removing the bread from the loaf pan will be similar to removing it from a Bundt pan. More details here. Monkey Bread with cinnamon rolls: I’ve created this fun variation here: cinnamon roll monkey bread. Alternatively, you can use this recipe and add a cream cheese frosting or glaze on top. Monkey Bread muffins: Follow the instructions in this recipe and grease each individual muffin tin. Add 4 cinnamon roll pieces to each muffin tin and drizzle the brown sugar sauce on top of each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. More details here. Monkey Bread with butterscotch pudding: My neighbor is famous for her butterscotch pudding Monkey Bread recipe How to make Monkey Bread without a Bundt pan Monkey Bread in a 9×13 pan: This recipe works great in a casserole or 9×13-inch baking dish. To do so, follow the same steps as we do on this recipe below (place cut up sugared biscuit pieces in a greased pan and drizzle sauce over top.) Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. QUICK TIP Don’t let the monkey cake cool for too long in the pan. Let it cool for 10 minutes max, otherwise, it will harden and stick to the pan. Savory side dishes Balance the sweet with these savory breakfast dishes Sausage and Veggie Hash Ham and Cheese Quiche Country Breakfast Egg Skillet Quiche Lorraine reader favorite! One Pan Breakfast Potatoes and Bacon FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Monkey Bread 5 from 5 votes - Review this recipe Monkey Bread is a sweet and sticky pastry served as an indulgent breakfast or delicious dessert. Essentially it's cinnamon-sugar coated pieces of dough baked with a sticky-sweet syrup. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Monkey Bread 5 from 5 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Monkey Bread is a sweet and sticky pastry served as an indulgent breakfast or delicious dessert. Essentially it's cinnamon-sugar coated pieces of dough baked with a sticky-sweet syrup. Course Breakfast, Dessert, Vegetarian Cuisine American Keyword monkey bread Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 35 minutes Total Time 50 minutes Servings 4 -6 servings (a little goes a long way, it's sweet!) Calories 758kcal Author Chelsea Lords Ingredients▢ 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted▢ 1/2 cup white granulated sugar▢ 1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon▢ 2 (16.3 ounces EACH) cans Pillsbury Grands Flaky layers refrigerated biscuits (8 biscuits per can, 16 total needed for this recipe)▢ 1 cup packed dark (or light) brown sugar▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract▢ 3/4 cup chopped pecansUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsPREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease (with cooking spray) and then lightly flour a large (12 cup) Bundt pan.BUTTER: Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt. Set aside to allow the butter to return to room temperature. Melted butter must be at room temperature before adding other ingredients so it doesn't melt the sugar and make it greasy/grainy.BISCUIT PREP: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the white sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Separate the biscuits then cut each biscuit into four equal pieces. Add the biscuit pieces to the cinnamon-sugar mixture, tossing the biscuits gently until all of the biscuits are well coated.BUTTER CONT.: Add in the brown sugar, vanilla, and pecans to the melted butter. Stir until combined.ASSEMBLE: Add a few spoonfuls of the butter-pecan mixture to the bottom of the Bundt pan and then add the biscuit pieces on top. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of the biscuits. Pour the remaining butter-pecan mixture over the biscuits and then bake for 30-40 minutes or until it is cooked through. To test: insert a skewer into the inside (middle) of the bread; if it comes out clean, it should be done. If it starts browning too quickly on top, tent some foil over the bread.SERVE: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the Monkey Bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a cake pan or serving plate. Nutrition FactsCalories: 758kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 79g | Vitamin A: 1064IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Sorry I’ve never tried this recipe in a cake pan; I have in a muffin tin though (just make miniature monkey breads) Reply
