Got a few cans of biscuit dough sitting in the fridge? Then you just have to make this monkey bread with biscuits!
You’ll start with biscuit dough, some sugar, and butter, and you’ll end up with an indulgent, gooey, cinnamon sugar delight.
It’s a fun, pull-apart treat the whole family will love. And the kids can even help with the prep work!
Seriously, the hardest part is waiting for it to cool.
What Is Monkey Bread?
Monkey bread is a sweet, sticky pastry made from small pieces of dough rolled in cinnamon sugar.
They’re then stacked in a bundt pan and baked to create a fun, sticky, pull-apart treat.
Popular for breakfast or dessert, monkey bread is easy to make and great for sharing.
Why Is It Called Monkey Bread?
Monkey bread gets its name from the way it is eaten.
The small, sticky pieces of dough are meant to be pulled apart with your fingers, similar to how a monkey might pick at food.
This fun, interactive eating style is thought to have inspired the name.
And it’s often served in a communal setting, encouraging people to gather around and pull apart the soft, sweet bread.
Why You’ll Love Monkey Bread with Biscuits
Easy Preparation: Using canned biscuit dough means no yeast, kneading, or fuss. Just toss it in sugar, pour over the sauce, and bake!
Wonderful Taste: Cinnamon-spiced biscuits and buttery brown sugar glaze. That pretty much tells you everything you need to know about how these taste.
Versatile Serving Options: Pull-apart monkey bread is great for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Make it on a lazy Saturday morning or for more special occasions.
Ingredients
- Refrigerated Biscuit Dough: You can, of course, make the dough yourself. But since you don’t need them flaky and fluffy, just grab your go-to brand from the store.
- Granulated Sugar: For sweetness and a fine, slightly crunchy texture in the coating.
- Ground Cinnamon: Mix it with the sugar to add a warm, slightly spiced flavor to the coating.
- Unsalted Butter: You’ll melt and mix it with brown sugar to create a gooey, caramel-like sauce for coating the bread.
- Light Brown Sugar: For a double dose of sweetness. It transforms regular melted butter into a sweet, molasses-y syrup.
How to Make Monkey Bread with Biscuits
Each morsel of this sugary dessert is a bite-sized explosion of warmth and sweetness.
You’ll love the satisfying contrast between the crispy exterior and soft, pillowy interior.
Whether you’re serving it for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, monkey bread is sure to bring smiles and sticky fingers to your table.
Here’s how it’s made:
1. PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9- or 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. MIX the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a large, resealable plastic bag. Seal and shake well to thoroughly combine.
3. CUT the canned biscuits into quarters and toss half in the cinnamon sugar. Arrange the coated bites in the bundt pan, coat the rest, then add those to the pan, too.
4. MELT the butter and mix with the brown sugar before drizzling over the biscuit pieces.
5. BAKE for 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the biscuits are fully cooked.
6. COOL for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate. Serve warm, and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Monkey Bread with Biscuits
With so few steps and ingredients, you might think this recipe is foolproof. And it is!
Still, I have a few tips to keep in mind:
- Use the best biscuits. Get a brand you know and enjoy. I like Pillsbury Grands! Southern Homestyle Buttermilk, but you do you.
- Generously grease the pan. Remember, you’ll eventually invert the pan, and you want the bread to slide out easily. So, grease it LIBERALLY.
- Use clean kitchen shears. The easiest way to cut the biscuits for this recipe is with clean kitchen shears. Just slice them into quarters. If you don’t have shears, use a very sharp knife for the tidiest cuts.
- Add mix-ins if you want. Most common dessert add-ins will work in this recipe if you chop them small enough. Try chopped pecans, walnuts, raisins, or even apple pieces. A little dash of nutmeg, allspice, or apple pie spice wouldn’t hurt, either.
- Make muffins! Fill jumbo muffin cups with enough biscuit pieces to reach the top, then drizzle them all with the sauce. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
How to Store
This bread is best when warm, fresh, and super sticky. That doesn’t mean your leftovers won’t still taste good, though.
To Store: Let the bread cool completely. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for a week.
To Freeze: Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To Reheat: Reheat a large amount of leftovers in the oven at 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm single-serve portions in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
To Make-Ahead: Prepare the dessert in advance, stopping short of baking it. Cover the unbaked bread tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as directed, adding a few minutes to the time if needed.
More Fun Treats to Share
Canned Biscuit Donuts
Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes
Sugar Cookie Truffles
Frozen Yogurt Bark
Monkey Bread with Biscuits
10
servings10
minutes40
minutes523
kcalSticky, sweet, and oh-so-irresistible, this monkey bread with biscuits is a fun, pull-apart treat the whole family will love.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 (8 count) cans refrigerated biscuit dough
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease a 9- or 10-inch Bundt pan and set aside.
- Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a large, resealable bag. Shake until well mixed and set aside.
- Open the biscuit cans, separate them, and cut them into quarters. Drop half into the cinnamon sugar, toss until well coated, then transfer to the bundt pan. Repeat with the remaining biscuits.
- Mix the melted butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl and pour evenly over the biscuit pieces.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the biscuits are cooked through.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the monkey bread cool for 10 minutes. Then, carefully invert the pan onto a serving plate.
- Serve the monkey bread warm with vanilla glaze if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Grease the pan generously to ensure the bread slides out easily when inverted.
- Kitchen shears are the best tool for cutting the biscuits.
- Experiment with other spices and add-ins as desired.
