Monkey Bread
This monkey bread recipe is a sweet stack of small buttery dough balls rolled in cinnamon and sugar, baked to a golden delight, and topped with a buttery glaze. Have fun pulling this delicious mass of gooey cinnamon rolls apart with your fingers. And it’s super easy to make; just slap it together any way you want in a Bundt pan.
You know how much I love bread in all forms! Add brown sugar and cinnamon to a fun-to-eat holiday bread, and I’m in seventh heaven.
One day, I took a popular shortcut by opening a can of ready-made biscuits. And if that’s what you need to do, no judgment because we do what we gotta do. However, I love the flavor and therapy of kneading homemade bread.
What Makes Monkey Bread So Good?
Do you know anyone who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls? If you’ve ever made them, you know they can get complicated. Enter monkey bread! Knead the dough, roll it into balls, dip them in butter, and roll them in cinnamon sugar for a faster alternative to Cinnabon.
How to Make Homemade Monkey Bread from Scratch
The Dough
- Activate yeast – Combine the warm water and yeast in a large bowl (or your stand mixer bowl). Let the yeast dissolve for about 5 minutes. (Photo 1)
- Melt – Meanwhile, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Zap it in the microwave for about 1 minute. Stir until everything melts. Let it cool to lukewarm (105-115℉/40-45℃), so it doesn’t kill the yeast. (Photo 2)
- Pour the cooled butter mixture into the yeast mixture and mix well. Whisk in the egg. (Photo 3)
- Mix – Gradually add 3½ cups of flour and continue mixing the dough. If mixing by hand, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes. Add just enough flour to make a soft dough. (Photos 4-6)
- Rise – Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat it in the oil. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm, draft-free area for 1½-2 hours or until doubled in size. Then, punch the dough down. (Photos 7-8)
The Bread
- Roll the dough out into a rough square. Then, cut the dough into 45-50 pieces with a sharp knife. Roll all the pieces of dough into balls. (Photos 9-10)
- Dip the balls in melted butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar until completely covered. Place the balls in the prepared tube pan, staggering them to randomly build layers. (Photo 11-12)
- Final Rise – Cover the Bundt pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen cloth. Let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. The duration depends on external influences, so keep a close eye on it and be patient. (Photo 13)
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350℉ (180℃) for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a serving plate.
- Serve – While the bread cools, make the optional glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm monkey bread and serve. (Photos 14-16)
Recipe Twists and Tips
- As I mentioned at the beginning, some people prefer using premade biscuit dough. Just cut each biscuit into quarters and roll them into a ball. Then dip them in the melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Assemble and bake as you would normally.
- Add just enough flour to make a soft dough. You can always add more, but you can’t take it back out.
- Add a sprinkle of chopped walnuts in between the layers for extra decadence.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
I love making yeast-based doughs ahead of time and storing them in the fridge for 2-3 days (or up to a week). The cold in the fridge doesn’t stop it from fermenting, and after a couple of days, the wonderful yeastiness is even better. Warm the dough to room temperature, and proceed with the instructions.
Since homemade bread doesn’t have the same preservatives as store-bought bread, I wouldn’t keep it at room temperature for more than a day. It should last in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for 3-4 months.
FAQs
If you reheat monkey bread too quickly, the sugar can burn. Wrap it in foil and heat it at a lower temperature, 180-200℉ (82-93℃). Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave in 15-second bursts until it reaches the desired temperature.
Even though you usually see it in a Bundt form, it is NOT necessary to use a Bundt cake pan. You can use a cookie sheet, muffin pan, loaf pan, or whatever else you have available. More importantly, it fits in the pan with room to rise and cook evenly.
Absolutely. I would make the balls small enough to fit three in a muffin well and reduce the baking time. You may want to start checking for doneness at around 20 minutes.
More Easy Bread Recipes
Watch How to Make It
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Monkey Bread
Ingredients
The Bread
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lukewarm water
- 1 package (2¼ teaspoons or 7g) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (237ml) warm milk (105-115℉/40-45℃)
- 5 tablespoons (70g) butter, cut into pieces
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- 1 large egg
- 3½-3¾ cup (420-450g) flour
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8-9g) ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
The Glaze
- 1¾ cup (210g) confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons (45g) heavy cream or milk to adjust to the desired thickness
- ½ teaspoon (3ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook. A large mixing bowl works fine if kneading by hand. Let it sit until dissolved for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk, butter pieces, sugar, and salt and microwave for about a minute. Stir until everything melts. Let it cool to lukewarm (105-115℉/40-45℃), so it doesn't kill the yeast.
- Pour the butter mixture into the yeast mixture and stir until well combined. Whisk in the egg.
- Gradually add 3½ cups of flour and continue mixing the dough.
- If mixing by hand, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes.
- Add in enough additional flour (if needed) to make a soft dough. Err on the side of caution with less flour rather than more.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, and turn once to coat it in the oil. Cover with a clean cloth loosely and let it rise in a warm, draft-free area for 1½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in size. Then, punch the dough down.
- Prepare the Bundt or tube pan by spraying it thoroughly with baking spray or greasing it with softened butter. Set aside.
- Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl for rolling the dough balls. Set aside.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a board.
- Roll the dough out into a rough square. Then, cut the dough into 45-50 pieces with a sharp knife. Roll all of the pieces of dough into balls.
- Next, dip the balls in melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon sugar until completely covered. Place the balls in the prepared Bundt pan, staggering them to randomly build layers.
- Cover the cake pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen cloth. Let it rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. The duration depends on external influences, so keep a close eye on it and be patient.
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a plate.
The Glaze
- While the bread cools, make the optional glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm monkey bread and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- How long it takes the monkey bread to rise depends on the weather and humidity. It may take 30 minutes to an hour, so please be patient and keep an eye on it.
- Remove the monkey bread from the Bundt pan as soon as the 5 minutes are up, or it could stick to the bottom of the pan.
- If the top of the bread is getting too dark while baking, cover the top part loosely with tin foil.
- Make sure to grease the pan thoroughly (get all the little nooks) so you can get the bread out without tearing it up before digging in.
- If you’re unsure whether the middle is cooked through, use an instant-read thermometer to check. As soon as it reads 190℉/88℃, it’s done.
- I use traditional cinnamon in my recipe, but you can also use apple pie spices. I like to sneak a little ground cardamon in sometimes, too. Nuts and raisins would be a delicious addition.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly depending on the products used in the recipe.
