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This insanely delicious Monkey Bread is a sweet, gooey, sinful cinnamon sugar breakfast treat made with store-bought canned biscuit dough (in a tube) and lots of butter.
This recipe is incredibly easy to make and is seriously the best monkey bread recipe ever! Perfect for holiday mornings.
What Is Monkey Bread?
Although there are endless variations, monkey bread is basically bite-sized pieces of dough baked with other ingredients that tie all the flavors together. The most common variation is exactly what you see here, made with butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
It is believed that monkey bread got its name because it is eaten by people picking off pieces and putting them straight into their mouths. Much like you would picture how a monkey eats!
This delightful treat, also known as bubble bread or pull-apart bread, has been a staple in many households for generations.
Why I Love This Recipe
This is one of my most popular recipes and has been viewed more than 3 Million times! Homemade monkey bread has similar flavors to cinnamon rolls but is much easier to make. Here are just a few reasons why everyone loves this recipe.
Perfect for Holidays
We always looked forward to Granny making this monkey bread every summer when we had an extended family vacation. It was a highlight for everyone!
But it definitely makes a great treat on holiday mornings too. Especially on Christmas morning.
You can even make monkey bread in a Dutch Oven over a campfire.
Basically, I’m saying you should find any excuse to make it.
Make It Ahead of Time
This recipe can be prepared the night before so you can easily pop it in the oven in the morning. It’s an easy recipe that even the most novice bakers can master.
Canned Biscuit Dough
The heart of monkey bread lies in its dough. Using refrigerated biscuit dough, you’ll create small balls of dough that will transform into heavenly bites of goodness.
Not only does using canned biscuit dough make this recipe super quick and easy to make, but the butter in the dough melts during the baking process.
This is definitely a treat everyone should experience at least once. It is gooey, perfectly sweet, and everyone’s favorite.
Ingredients Needed:
- Canned biscuit dough
- Granulated sugar
- Golden brown sugar
- Melted butter
- Ground cinnamon
How To Make This Easy Monkey Bread Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
Separate the biscuits and cut each one into four equal bite-sized pieces. Clean kitchen scissors work better than a knife.
Combine the white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl or plastic bag. Drop each of the dough pieces in the sugar-cinnamon mixture and shake it around to coat. Gently arrange the cinnamon-sugar biscuit pieces into a greased Bundt pan.
Step 2: Make the Brown Sugar Mixture
In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and butter. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture to the butter mixture (you can discard the remaining sugar mixture or use it for another recipe).
Gently heat the mixture to melt the butter and bring it just to a boil. Then, immediately remove it from heat. Stir the mixture until the sugars have fully dissolved. Do not overcook the syrup; you simply want to help the sugar dissolve.
Step 3: Bake the Monkey Bread
Carefully drizzle the warm buttery brown sugar sauce over the rolled dough balls in the pan.
Arrange the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on the oven and the type of pan used.
Continue cooking until the tops are starting to crisp and turn golden brown.
Step 4: Serve
Once you take the monkey bread out of the oven, allow the pan to rest for about 5 minutes, then cover it with a large serving plate and invert.
To eat, pull the desired amount off with your fingers (like a monkey would) and enjoy the gooey sweet sinful treat.
Recipe Tip
To be entirely sure that the monkey bread is fully cooked and not doughy in the center, use a thermometer to verify that the middle has reached 190°F.
If the top is browning too much and the center is still not at 190°F, lower the monkey bread in your oven and/or cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.
FAQs
Yes, you can use homemade biscuit dough if you prefer. Ensure it’s cut into bite-sized pieces before proceeding with the recipe.
It is sometimes difficult to tell when the monkey bread has cooked through. Cooking times can always vary depending on the size of the pan, starting temperature of the dough, placement in the oven, etc.
For best results, place the pan in the center of the oven and cook roughly 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Most importantly, ensure the internal temperature has reached 190°F by using a digital thermometer.
Yes, you can assemble it ahead, refrigerate overnight, and bake when ready. Adjust the baking time if the dough is cold.
This recipe really is easy enough to make the morning of, though.
This monkey bread recipe is best enjoyed in a Bundt pan or a fluted tube pan because of the round shape with an open center. You can also use other variations of deep baking dishes. Just be sure they are at least a 12-cup capacity and greased well for an easy release.
I get asked this question all the time. Unless you have a baking dish with a 24-cup capacity, you cannot double the recipe. You can, however, make two batches and use two separate pans.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat briefly in the microwave for that fresh-from-the-oven feel.
Certainly! Customize your monkey bread by adding chopped nuts or raisins to the sugar-cinnamon mixture before coating the dough.
My loyalty will always lie with Granny’s old-fashioned monkey bread because it is overflowing with buttery cinnamon-sugar goodness.
If you want to get creative, though, you can certainly add fresh fruit or pie filling, nuts, chocolate chips, caramel sauce, or even marshmallows!
You can also try my Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread and Apple Fritter Monkey Bread which I made using homemade dough from scratch.
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Video
Equipment
- Instant-Read Thermometer to verify doneness
- kitchen scissors to cut dough pieces
Ingredients
- 24 ounces refrigerated biscuit dough I used 8-ounce packages of buttermilk biscuits
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon or you can use pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup butter salted or unsalted
- 1/2 cup golden brown sugar packed
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Heavily grease a Bundt or fluted tube pan with butter (12-cup capacity). Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the biscuit pieces: Separate 24 ounces refrigerated biscuit dough and cut each one into four equal, bite-sized pieces. In a bowl or plastic bag, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice). Drop and roll each piece of dough in the sugar-cinnamon mixture, ensuring each piece is coated. Gently arrange the cinnamon-sugar biscuit pieces into the prepared pan.
- Create the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup golden brown sugar and 1 cup butter. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture (discard the rest or use for another recipe). Gently heat the mixture until the butter melts and the mixture just begins to boil. Immediately remove from heat. Stir until the sugars have fully dissolved. Be cautious not to overcook the syrup; the goal is to help the sugar dissolve. Carefully drizzle the warm mixture over the rolled dough balls in the pan.
- Bake to perfection: Arrange the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it as baking times may vary (see note below).
- Let it Rest: Allow the pan to rest for about 5 minutes.
- Invert and Serve: Cover the pan with a large plate and invert it to release the monkey bread. To eat, pull the desired amount off with your fingers (like a monkey would!) and enjoy the gooey, sweet, sinful treat.
Notes
- To prepare the night before, follow all steps except the baking part. Cover and refrigerate. Bake as directed in the morning (may need a few extra minutes if its cold).
- Use the kids! Although the heating and melting of the butter should be handled by the adults, let the little ones cut the dough with kitchen scissors or a butter knife and dip each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture!
- Cooking time may vary depending on oven and pan used. Continue cooking until the top is starting to crisp and turn golden brown. To be entirely sure that the monkey bread is fully cooked and not doughy in the center, use an instant read thermometer to verify that the middle has reached 190°F. If the top is getting overly cooked and the center is still not at 190°F, lower the monkey bread in your oven and/or cover with foil to prevent over-browning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe has been viewed over 3 million times since it was originally posted in September 2014 and has been updated with more helpful tips based on reader questions. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!
This recipe was RIDICULOUS. SOOOO GOOD!! Will be making over and over again. Thank you Krissy!!
I have made this twice now and followed recipe exactly. I cooked the brown sugar, butter and half of remaining sugar/cinnamon mixture until it just boils and cannot get the sugar to dissolve. After baking, when I flip it, I have clumps of thick sugar. It is not gooey like it should be. I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. Do you think it is too much sugar?
I think I know where you went wrong. You said you added half of the remaining sugar/cinnamon mixture. The recipe says to add “1/2 cup” of the remaining sugar/cinnamon mixture. My guess is you added more than a half cup.
Is there any way to make this without a Bundt pan? Like maybe in a casserole dish or something?
Yep! Will work in a casserole dish too. You will most likely not cook as long because it is shallow, so I recommend testing the doneness of the dough with a thermometer.
This recipe worked perfectly for me! I previously tried a different recipe for monkey bread that didn’t turn out right, so I am happy to find one that worked perfectly. This is a huge hit with my family! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Best ever! I caught the syrup at just the right time, perfect Chinese cinnamon, chopped pecans….it was perfection. Thank you!
I made this today it turned out delicious
Thanks for some amazing ideas. Can’t wait to try the monkey bread. Keep em coming.
How come every time I make it lately, once I flip it over the butter and sugar mixture has hardened? I cannot figure out how to keep the glaze from hardening.
Hmmm… I haven’t heard of anyone having that problem. What kind of baking dish are you using? Have you tried raising the rack in your oven so it sits higher? I’m wondering if a lower heating element is overcooking that part.
I’ve had issues with other recipes…. I’m wondering if you cooked it maybe a little long? I brought mine up to temp slowly stirring constantly and I took it off at just the right time, just as it was evident the crystals had dissolved. It was honestly the best I’ve ever made. The extra that ran off was just thick, but not hard!
This is the best recipe ever! We have made it for Christmas morning and other special occasions. Everyone goes back for seconds (even with cutting the butter down by 2-3 tablespoons). Just delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Christmas morning sweetness! Leftovers warmed up nicely in the microwave! My Bundt pan wasn’t large so I adjusted to 2 cans…no big deal! Will def make again!!!
Followed the video except I placed several pieces in gallon ziploc bag with cinnamon and sugar and shook them up
Recipe SAYS ROLL INTO BALLS BUT VIDEO CLEARLY DOES NOT DO THIS?? 25 minutes and mine were ready. Big hit with everyone
Can you really make canned biscuit dough the night before?
I guess I took a shortcut when I made the video! The rolling into balls doesn’t effect the way it cooks or the taste – it just makes it a bit prettier. You can use canned biscuit dough and prepare it the night before.