Monkey Bread

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 06/11/21
Monkey Bread

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
756 Calories
33g Fat
105g Carbs
11g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 756
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g 43%
Saturated Fat 12g 61%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 899mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 105g 38%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 41g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 367mg 28%
Iron 5mg 25%
Potassium 214mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Monkey bread is also known as pull-apart bread, bubble bread, or even pinch-me cake. It is made from pieces of soft dough coated with cinnamon and sugar and baked in a tube pan or bundt pan with a sweet and sticky sauce to hold it all together.

The bread is great when served as a sweet weekend breakfast indulgence or even as a dessert. It is traditionally served warm from the oven so that the individual pieces can be easily torn away with the fingers and eaten by hand.

There are a few reasons why monkey bread remains a popular treat to this day. First, kids can get involved in the preparation of this recipe. They love to shake the plastic bag to coat the bread pieces with the cinnamon and sugar. Second, this basic recipe for monkey bread is like a blank slate for a wide variety of flavor variations. Nuts or dried fruit can be added by sprinkling them throughout the dough rounds. Also, the final product could be topped with a flavorful drizzle, such as melted chocolate. The creative possibilities are endless! Finally, as the name implies, this recipe is interactive and fun to eat. Make this monkey bread the centerpiece of the table at brunch or dessert time, and everyone can reach in and pinch off a few pieces.

Ingredients

  • 3 cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Coat a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 F. 

    Monkey Bread ingredients
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Open each can of biscuits and cut into quarters.

    Cut the biscuits into quarters
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Place granulated white sugar and cinnamon in a large zip top bag. 

    cinnamon and sugar
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Add some of the quartered biscuits to the bag and shake to coat. Repeat to coat all of the biscuit pieces.

    coat the biscuits in cinnamon sugar
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Layer coated biscuits into prepared pan.

    add to bundt pan
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar and butter over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. 

    melt brown sugar and butter
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Pour the sauce over the biscuits. 

    pour sauce over the biscuits
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. 

    bake Monkey Bread
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  9. Let stand 10 minutes before turning upside down onto serving plate.

    Monkey Bread
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  10. If after inverting, some of the bread sticks, simply replace any remaining pieces and caramel from the pan. 

    Monkey Bread
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  11. To serve, just pinch off a piece and eat. 

Tips

  • Kitchen shears work well for snipping the refrigerated biscuits into quarters. This is another way kids can get involved in the cooking process since using kitchen shears is much safer than using a sharp knife.

Recipe Variations

  • Sprinkle nuts or dried fruit (or both) through the biscuit pieces
  • Top with a drizzle of chocolate sauce (dark, milk, or white chocolate)