Monkey Bread

With buttery brown sugar sauce poured over pillowy biscuit dough, my easy Monkey Bread recipe makes the ideal cinnamon rolls. The aroma will fill your kitchen. Family and friends will enjoy getting together to savor the pull-apart bread.

Try my Filipino Spanish Bread, Malunggay Whole Wheat Bread, and Chocolate Filled Bread recipes, too!

Jump to:

• What is Monkey Bread?
• Substitutions
• Recipe Variations
• Storage
• Ingredients
• ⭐ Top Tip
• FAQ
• Monkey Bread

What is Monkey Bread?

Monkey Bread is a sweet, pull-apart pastry popular in the United States, made by coating small dough balls in butter, sugar, and cinnamon before baking. Despite the best monkey bread recipes made with endless variations, this particular dish is distinctly American.

It gained popularity in mid-20th-century home baking. It's convenient for many because it's made with canned biscuit dough, a unique ingredient that’s not commonly used in Filipino cooking.

When is this Dish Typically Enjoyed?

Monkey Bread is enjoyed year-round in the United States, but it’s particularly popular for breakfast or brunch and often appears at holiday gatherings.

It's usually served during Christmas morning, Easter brunches, and other festive occasions. Its sweet pull-apart nature adds to the celebratory mood.

Substitutions

• Biscuit Dough – Try homemade yeast dough made with instant yeast for a similar texture, or use frozen bread dough for convenience; puff pastry gives a flakier twist
• Ground Cinnamon – Swap with pumpkin pie spice or a touch of nutmeg or allspice for similar warmth
• White Sugar – Replace with granulated sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or a sugar substitute like erythritol
• Chopped Walnuts – Pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds work well for different textures and flavors

Recipe Variations

• Apple Pie – Toss dough pieces with diced apples, cinnamon, and a bit of nutmeg. Use brown sugar and butter to create a caramel apple effect.
• Orange Cream Cheese – Add fresh orange zest to the sugar mix, and tuck small cubes of cream cheese inside each dough ball. Glaze with orange juice and powdered sugar.
• S’mores – Roll dough in graham cracker crumbs and sugar, layer chocolate chips between dough layers, and add mini marshmallows on top for the last few minutes of baking.
• Pumpkin Spice – Mix pumpkin puree with melted butter, coat dough balls in a pumpkin spice-sugar blend, then glaze with cinnamon icing.

Storage

• Room Temperature – Keep it in an airtight container (or covered tightly in plastic wrap) at room temperature for up to 2 days. This helps maintain its soft texture.
• Refrigeration – Store Monkey Bread in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Warm it in the microwave or oven to restore its softness before serving.
• Freezing – For extended storage (up to 2–3 months), wrap leftover Monkey Bread thoroughly in plastic wrap and place in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently in an oven preheated to 300°F (150°C) until warmed through.
• Reheating – If it starts to dry out, place a small dish of water in the microwave or oven to generate steam while warming, which helps preserve moisture. Alternatively, cover the bread with foil in the oven to prevent further browning or drying out.

Ingredients

Listed below are all the ingredients you will need (omitting quantities):

• biscuit dough
• ground cinnamon
• white sugar
• butter or margarine
• packed brown sugar
• raisins
• walnuts 

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

In a Ziplock bag, mix cinnamon and white sugar. Set aside.

Shake Ziploc bag to thoroughly mix.

Cut each biscuit dough into quarters like this.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a Bundt pan with butter or nonstick spray.

Put each coated piece into the Bundt pan and spread all over.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and sugar.

Then stir until fully dissolved.

Let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm and enjoy!

Hint: Want extra gooeyness? Drizzle caramel sauce or melted chocolate on top before serving.

⭐ Top Tip

Grease your pan well, roll each biscuit piece in cinnamon-sugar for flavor, and layer in raisins and walnuts. Melt butter with brown sugar to form a syrup, then pour it over the dough before baking until golden. Finally, invert the bread while warm and serve fresh - or reheat later for best texture.

FAQ

More Recipes

You might want some drink to go along with your Monkey Bread, so try any of these:

• Calamansi Juice
• Sweet Potato Juice
• Cantaloupe Melon Juice
• Avocado Milkshake
• Matcha Milkshake