Sweet, sticky, and totally irresistible, Monkey Bread is the perfect shareable dessert or brunch centerpiece. With buttery biscuit dough coated in cinnamon sugar and topped with a gooey caramel glaze, this nostalgic classic is easy to make and even easier to devour.
Homemade dough vs. Store-bought
Making your own biscuit dough is easier than you might think and doesn’t take much time. But I totally get that sometimes you want an easier option, whether you’re new to baking or just don’t have all the ingredients on hand. That’s why this version of Monkey Bread uses Pillsbury Grands Butter Tastin’ Biscuits©—it’s quick and simple! For those feeling adventurous, I’ll also share a “from scratch” version so you can try making homemade biscuits for your Monkey Bread.
What equipment do you need?
- Bundt pan
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Oven mitts or potholders
- These are a little pricey, but they are literally the best quality I’ve ever seen, plus they are so silly: https://amzn.to/3BTCPmY
- Cooling rack
Let’s talk about the main ingredients
Pillsbury Grands Butter Tastin’ Biscuits©
You can find these at almost any grocery store. If you can’t track down this exact brand or flavor, no worries—just grab any premade biscuit dough or give homemade biscuit dough a try!
Cinnamon Sugar
It’s literally just cinnamon and sugar mixed together, but it’s the star of the show and absolutely delicious!.
Unsalted Butter
Only have salted butter? No problem! It’ll give your monkey bread a slight salted caramel vibe, and honestly, who’s mad about that?
Brown Sugar
I love the deep, rich flavor of dark brown sugar, but if you only have light brown sugar, it’ll work just as well!
Equipment
Bundt Pan
Guess what? My bundt pan is MIA, so in my video, you’ll see my makeshift version worked perfectly. I used a small Dutch oven with a ramekin in the center. Don’t have a Dutch oven? Try a large oven-safe pot. No ramekin? An oven-safe coffee mug works too! You’re really just aiming for that classic circular shape with the center cut out. Honestly, you could even use a cake pan—just don’t layer it too deep, and you’re good to go!
So, how do you make this Monkey Bread, you ask?
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Step 2: Prep your bundt pan (or makeshift bundt pan). Spray it generously with non-stick spray and set it aside.
Step 3: Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl, or toss them into a baggie for an easy shake-and-coat method.
Step 4: Cut your biscuit dough into eighths. First, halve it, then halve each piece again, and finally halve those pieces one more time. If you prefer larger or smaller pieces, feel free to adjust to your liking.
Step 5: Roll the dough pieces into small balls, then roll them in your cinnamon-sugar mix (or shake them in your baggie) until fully coated.
Step 6: Place the coated dough balls into your prepared pan.
Step 7: Add thin pats of butter between the layers of dough balls as you go. Once all the dough is layered in, set the pan aside and get started on the glaze.
Step 8: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir until the butter is fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glaze-like.
Step 9: Pour the glaze evenly over the dough balls in the pan. Bake for 40–45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Step 10: Let the monkey bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Trust me, it’s tempting to dig in right away, but it’ll be lava-hot!
Step 11: Flip the pan onto a serving plate and let the monkey bread release. Dig in! You could add extra glaze if you’re feeling wild, but honestly, it’s already perfectly sweet.
Watch the video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/yiFjMEWXG0w
Monkey Bread: The Ultimate Pull-Apart Treat
Description
Sweet, sticky, and totally irresistible, Monkey Bread is the perfect shareable dessert or brunch centerpiece. With buttery biscuit dough coated in cinnamon sugar and topped with a gooey caramel glaze, this nostalgic classic is easy to make and even easier to devour.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep Your Pan:
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
Coat the Dough:
-
Mix cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Cut each biscuit into quarters (or eighths, for smaller pieces). Roll the pieces into loose balls, then toss them in the cinnamon-sugar mix.
Layer the Dough:
-
Layer the coated biscuit pieces in the bundt pan. If you want extra buttery goodness, add thin slices of butter between the layers of dough.
Make the Glaze:
-
Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until fully combined and smooth. Pour the hot glaze over the dough in the pan.
Bake and Cool:
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Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Note
Double up on cinnamon sugar: Make extra! It’s a versatile topping for oatmeal, your popcorn, or even dusting over toast for a cozy flavor boost.
Try browning your butter first: Take your butter game to the next level in step 4. Melt the butter alone first, letting it brown until it smells nutty and toasty. Then, stir in the sugar. This small step adds a ton of rich, caramelized flavor. Look for my video on how to make browned butter.
Get creative with mix-ins: Jazz up your monkey bread with fresh berries, chocolate chips, toasted nuts, or even bits of candied fruit. You can also spice things up by adding cardamom, allspice, ginger, or a fall favorite like pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon sugar mix. The possibilities are endless—have fun experimenting!
