Monkey Bread – a classic pull-apart sweet dough bread generously rolled in a cinnamon sugar, baked in a bundt pan and topped with a vanilla glaze. Soft, sweet and sticky treat!

You know how much I love bread in all forms! This blog here has a long list of bread recipes that is on weekly rotation here at home. And so I am so excited to share with you one of our favorite holiday and party bread (aside from French Toast Bake) – the Monkey Bread.

Why is it called monkey bread?

Dating back in 1880s, Hungarian immigrants brought this dish with them as they migrated in America as published in a Hungarian literature. It was then called as arany galuska or also referred to as the  “Hungarian Coffee Cake”.

As it became popular in America, arany galuska is often confused with the other “Monkey Bread” in which the dough balls aren’t dipped in cinnamon and sugar but only in butter. And soon, “Monkey Bread” became the more common name for this sticky sweet treat Hungarian Coffee Cake.

What is monkey bread?

Also known as sticky bread, monkey puzzle bread, cinnamon bites, Hungarian coffee cake, pinch-me cake and pluck-it cake, monkey bread is a sweet dough bread comprised of soft baked dough balls rolled in cinnamon sugar and usually topped with vanilla or caramel glaze.

It makes a great finger food as its eaters would pull apart the bread to take a piece of each dough ball like monkeys would do with their food. Thus, the name.

Easy Monkey Bread Recipe

What makes even lovable about this bread, is that you can make it easier by buying store-bought biscuit cans and just form them into balls sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

However, if opening biscuit cans scares the life out of you, you can make ahead the dough. Once the dough ball is all smooth, coat it in a vegetable oil, cover with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake it, just place it in a warm area and let it rise for several hours before you cut and shape them into little balls.

And do you know that you can also add different fruits in this bread to get it more exciting? Oh yesss. You can mix each little dough balls with fruits like raspberries, blueberry, and raisins. OR add slices of bananas or crushed pecans in the bundt pan before you start assembling them.

But if you like it the old-fashion way, this vanilla glaze will be good enough for you. You’d definitely won’t stop with your first pull apart ball of bread.

Enjoy!

Tips and Notes

1. Only let the monkey bread rest in the bundt pan for a maximum of 5 minutes after baking or else it’ll stick to the bottom of the pan.
2. If the top pieces of the bread are getting too dark while baking, cover the top part loosely with a tin foil.
3. Add fruits or nuts, if desired. You can go for sliced bananas, blueberries, raspberries or pecans.

Print

Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread - a classic pull-apart sweet dough bread generously rolled in a cinnamon sugar, baked in a bundt pan and topped with a vanilla glaze. Soft, sweet and sticky treat!

Course: Bread

Servings: 4 - 5 people

Calories: 763 kcal

Author: Immaculate Bites

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon warm water
• 1 package (or 2 ¼ teaspoon) Active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk (at 105F -115F)
• 5 tablespoons butter , cut into pieces
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 3 ½ -3 /3/4 cup flour

Cinnamon Sugar

• 1 cup (198 grams) light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , melted

Glaze

• 1 3/4 cup powdered or confectioners sugar
• 3 tablespoon heavy cream or milk for desired thickness
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. If using a stand mixer, use the the dough hook. Start by combining water and yeast in the stand mixer bowl. Use a large bowl , if making this by hand. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes.
   

2. Meanwhile in a microwave safe medium bowl, combine milk, with the butter pieces,sugar, salt and microwave for about a minute. Stir until everything is melted.
   

3. Pour butter mixture into the large bowl or stand mixer. Thoroughly mix – mixture should be lukewarm. If not, let it sit for a few minutes. Whisk in egg.
   

4. Gradually add about 3 ½ cups of flour and continue mixing dough.
   

5. If mixing by hand, remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 6-8 minutes.
   

6. Add in enough additional flour (if needed) to make soft dough. Err on the side of caution ; less flour, rather than more.
   

7. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled. Punch the dough down.
   

8. Prepare bundt pan by spraying every inch with baking spray or grease with softened butter. Set aside.
   

9. Also prepare cinnamon sugar by combining brown sugar and cinnamon coating. Set aside.
   

10. Remove dough from the bowl or mixer and place on a board.
    

11. Shape dough into a rough square. Using a knife, cut the dough into about 45-50 pieces. Then start rolling dough into a ball , until all the pieces have been shaped into a ball.
    

12. Next dip the balls in melted butter then quickly place into the brown sugar mixture. Roll it around until covered in sugar.
    

13. Place the balls in the prepared bundt pan, staggering the seams to randomly to build layers.
    

14. Cover the bundt with plastic wrap or clean kitchen cloth. Let it rise in a warm place before baking – a crucial step. It might take about 45 minutes or more . It all depends on the temperature – during summer this rises faster, within 30 minutes.
    

15. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before carefully inverting onto a plate.   
    

Glaze

1. While the bread cools down, make the glaze if desired it’s optional.

2. Whisk together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm monkey bread. Serve warm.

How to Make Monkey Bread

If using a stand mixer, use the the dough hook. Start by combining water and yeast in the stand mixer bowl. Use a large bowl, if making this by hand. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile in a microwave safe medium bowl, combine milk, with the butter pieces, sugar, salt and microwave for about a minute. Stir until everything is melted. Pour butter mixture into the large bowl or stand mixer. Thoroughly mix – mixture should be lukewarm. If not, let it sit for a few minutes. Whisk in egg.

Gradually add about 3 ½ cups of flour and continue mixing dough. If mixing by hand, remove dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 6-8 minutes. 

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled. Punch the dough down. Prepare bundt pan by spraying every inch with baking spray or grease with softened butter. Set aside.

Remove dough from the bowl or mixer and place on a board. Shape dough into a rough square. Using a knife, cut the dough into about 45-50 pieces. 

Prepare cinnamon sugar by combining brown sugar and cinnamon coating. Then start rolling dough into a ball , until all the pieces have been shaped into a ball.

Next dip the balls in melted butter then quickly place into the brown sugar mixture. Roll it around until covered in sugar. Place the balls in the prepared bundt pan, staggering the seams to randomly to build layers.

Cover the bundt with plastic wrap or clean kitchen cloth. Let it rise in a warm place before baking – a crucial step. It might take about 45 minutes or more. It all depends on the temperature. During summer this rises faster , within 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before carefully inverting onto a plate.  

(See recipe box for the glaze instructions)