Monkey Bread is a sweet and sticky bread that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, and dessert! Made with soft biscuit pieces coated in sugar and cinnamon and baked in a brown sugar butter sauce, this dessert is a treat worth getting your hands messy for.
Monkey Bread
Monkey bread is one of those desserts that’s so versatile it can be served for any occasion and any time. Need a quick but impressive breakfast option and don’t want to stand at the stove flipping pancakes? Heading to brunch and don’t want to show up as the third person to bring a tater tot casserole? Or how about when the family is gathered for the holidays and no one can stand the sight of yet another pie? The answer to all these scenarios: monkey bread! Warm, ooey gooey, and incredibly quick and easy to make, monkey bread is a dessert for the ages. With the bundt shape, a fun way to serve this monkey bread is to heat up some icing and place a bowl in the center, then guests can pull apart the bread and the dip is right there! The brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter really make this bread feel warm and cozy, perfect for all the fall and winter festivities coming up!
Check out some more cozy desserts like my Amazing Cranberry Bread or bake up a batch of Butterscotch Apple Blondies to warm your soul!
Why do they call it monkey bread?
Fun fact! No one actually knows where the term came from. It’s not like there’s any banana flavoring in the traditional recipe. The main theory is that the dessert got its name from the way it’s eaten, pulling it apart with our fingers similar to how monkeys eat their food. Another theory is that it came from 1940s slang for snack foods being “monkey food”.
How To Make Monkey Bread
- Mix. In a large ziploc bag, pour in the sugar and cinnamon. Shake to mix.
- Toss. Place the biscuit pieces into the bag and make sure the top is tightly sealed. Toss vigorously to coat the pieces completely.
- Layer. Layer the biscuit pieces evenly in the greased pan.
- Melt. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat.
- Stir. Stir until combined and smooth, careful not to burn the sugar or butter.
- Pour. Pour the caramelized sugar over the biscuits.
- Bake. Bake for 40-45 minutes. The brown sugar should be bubbly, the biscuits golden brown.
- Cool. Let the monkey bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully dumping over onto a serving plate.
Storing Monkey Bread
Store leftover monkey bread in an airtight container on the counter for 5 days. If you want to recreate that warm, melty sensation just pop a piece in the microwave for a few seconds!
Ingredients Notes for Monkey Bread
- Biscuit Dough – 2 cans of any brand of refrigerated biscuit dough (not the frozen kind). Cut each biscuit into fourths.
- Sugar – The sugar coats the biscuit dough to turn them sweet!
- Cinnamon – The cinnamon gives them that warm, spiced flavor.
- Brown Sugar – Combined with the butter, the brown sugar will create a caramel like glaze over the bread.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted can be used in this recipe. I like to use unsalted butter when it comes to baking recipes like this one.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 2 Cans Refrigerated Biscuit Dough each cut in fourths
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a large Ziploc bag.
- Toss the biscuit pieces in the bag and seal then toss to coat completely.
- Layer the coated biscuit pieces evenly in the prepared bundt pan.
- Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir the mixture until smooth and combined, then remove from heat.
- Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture evenly over the biscuits in the pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.
- Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate then dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with icing if desired before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
