Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe (Printable Recipe + Video) (2024)

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This insanely delicious Monkey Bread is a sweet, gooey, sinful cinnamon sugar breakfast treat made with store-bought canned biscuit dough (in a tube) and lots of butter.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make and is seriously the best monkey bread recipe ever! Perfect for holiday mornings.

Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe (Printable Recipe + Video) (1)

Table of Contents

  • What Is Monkey Bread?
  • Why I Love This Recipe
    • Perfect for Holidays
    • Make It Ahead of Time
    • Canned Biscuit Dough
  • Ingredients Needed:
  • How To Make This Easy Monkey Bread Recipe
    • Step 1: Prepare the Dough
    • Step 2: Make the Brown Sugar Mixture
    • Step 3: Bake the Monkey Bread
    • Step 4: Serve
  • Recipe Tip
  • FAQs
  • Granny’s Monkey Bread Recipe Recipe

What Is Monkey Bread?

Although there are endless variations, monkey bread is basically bite-sized pieces of dough baked with other ingredients that tie all the flavors together. The most common variation is exactly what you see here, made with butter, sugar, and cinnamon.


It is believed that monkey bread got its name because it is eaten by people picking off pieces and putting them straight into their mouths. Much like you would picture how a monkey eats!

This delightful treat, also known as bubble bread or pull-apart bread, has been a staple in many households for generations.

Why I Love This Recipe

This is one of my most popular recipes and has been viewed more than3 Milliontimes! Homemade monkey bread has similar flavors to cinnamon rolls but is much easier to make. Here are just a few reasons why everyone loves this recipe.

Perfect for Holidays

We always looked forward to Granny making this monkey bread every summer when we had an extended family vacation. It was a highlight for everyone!

But it definitely makes a great treat on holiday mornings too. Especially on Christmas morning.

You can even make monkey bread in a Dutch Oven over a campfire.

Basically, I’m saying you should find any excuse to make it.

Make It Ahead of Time

This recipe can be prepared the night before so you can easily pop it in the oven in the morning. It’s an easy recipe that even the most novice bakers can master.

Canned Biscuit Dough

The heart of monkey bread lies in its dough. Using refrigerated biscuit dough, you’ll create small balls of dough that will transform into heavenly bites of goodness.

Not only does using canned biscuit dough make this recipe super quick and easy to make, but the butter in the dough melts during the baking process.

This is definitely a treat everyone should experience at least once. It is gooey, perfectly sweet, and everyone’s favorite.

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Ingredients Needed:

  • Canned biscuit dough
  • Granulated sugar
  • Golden brown sugar
  • Melted butter
  • Ground cinnamon

How To Make This Easy Monkey Bread Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

Separate the biscuits and cut each one into four equal bite-sized pieces. Clean kitchen scissors work better than a knife.

Combine the white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl or plastic bag. Drop each of the dough piecesin the sugar-cinnamon mixture and shake it around to coat. Gently arrange the cinnamon-sugar biscuit pieces into a greased pan.

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Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe (Printable Recipe + Video) (4)

Step 2: Make the Brown Sugar Mixture

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and butter. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture to the butter mixture (you can discard the remaining sugar mixture or use it for another recipe).

Gently heat the mixture to melt the butter and bring it just to a boil. Then, immediately remove it from heat. Stir the mixture until the sugars have fully dissolved. Do not overcook the syrup; you simply want to help the sugar dissolve.

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Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe (Printable Recipe + Video) (6)

Step 3: Bake the Monkey Bread

Carefully drizzle the warm buttery brown sugar sauce over the rolled dough balls in the pan.

Arrange the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on the oven and the type of pan used.

Continue cooking until the tops are starting to crisp and turn golden brown.

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Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe (Printable Recipe + Video) (8)

Step 4: Serve

Once you take the monkey bread out of the oven, allow the pan to rest for about 5 minutes, then cover it with a large servingplate and invert.

To eat, pull the desired amount off with your fingers (like a monkey would) and enjoy the gooey sweet sinful treat.

Recipe Tip

To be entirely sure that the monkey bread is fully cooked and not doughy in the center, use a thermometer to verify that the middle has reached 190°F.

If the top is browning too much and the center is still not at 190°F, lower the monkey bread in your oven and/or cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.

FAQs

Can I use homemade biscuit dough instead of refrigerated dough?

Yes, you can use homemade biscuit dough if you prefer. Ensure it’s cut into bite-sized pieces before proceeding with the recipe.

How Can You Tell When It’s Done?

It is sometimes difficult to tell when the monkey bread has cooked through. Cooking times can always vary depending on the size of the pan, starting temperature of the dough, placement in the oven, etc.
For best results, place the pan in the center of the oven and cook roughly 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Most importantly, ensure the internal temperature has reached 190°F by using adigital thermometer.

Can You Make It Ahead Of Time?

Yes, you can assemble it ahead, refrigerate overnight, and bake when ready. Adjust the baking time if the dough is cold.
This recipe really is easy enough to make the morning of, though.

What Kind Of Pan Is Best?

This monkey bread recipe is best enjoyed in aBundt panor afluted tube panbecause of the round shape with an open center. You can also use other variations of deep baking dishes. Just be sure they are at least a 12-cup capacity and greased well for an easy release.

Can You Double The Recipe?

I get asked this question all the time. Unless you have a baking dish with a 24-cup capacity, you cannot double the recipe. You can, however, make two batches and use two separate pans.

How should I store leftover monkey bread?

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat briefly in the microwave for that fresh-from-the-oven feel.

Can I add nuts or raisins to the recipe?

Certainly! Customize your monkey bread by adding chopped nuts or raisins to the sugar-cinnamon mixture before coating the dough.

Any Monkey Bread Variations?

My loyalty will always lie with Granny’s old-fashioned monkey bread because it is overflowing with buttery cinnamon-sugar goodness.
If you want to get creative, though, you can certainly add fresh fruit or pie filling, nuts, chocolate chips, caramel sauce, or even marshmallows!
You can also try myPumpkin Spice Monkey BreadandApple Fritter Monkey Breadwhich I made using homemade dough from scratch.

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Granny’s Monkey Bread Recipe

Prep15 minutes mins

Cook30 minutes mins

Total45 minutes mins

Servings 12 servings

Author Krissy Allori

Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe (Printable Recipe + Video) (10)

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Granny’s Monkey Bread is a sweet, gooey, sinful cinnamon sugar treat that will be loved by young and old alike. Be careful, this recipe is dangerously addictive.

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Ingredients

  • 24 ounces refrigerated biscuit dough I used 8-ounce packages of buttermilk biscuits
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon or you can use pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup butter salted or unsalted
  • 1/2 cup golden brown sugar packed

Instructions

  • Prepare the pan: Heavily grease a Bundt or fluted tube pan with butter (12-cup capacity). Preheat oven to 350°F.

  • Prepare the biscuit pieces: Separate biscuits and cut each one into four equal, bite-sized pieces. In a bowl or plastic bag, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice). Drop and roll each piece of dough in the sugar-cinnamon mixture, ensuring each piece is coated. Gently arrange the cinnamon-sugar biscuit pieces into the prepared pan.

  • Create the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Add 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture (discard the rest or use for another recipe). Gently heat the mixture until the butter melts and the mixture just begins to boil. Immediately remove from heat. Stir until the sugars have fully dissolved. Be cautious not to overcook the syrup; the goal is to help the sugar dissolve. Carefully drizzle the warm mixture over the rolled dough balls in the pan.

  • Bake to perfection: Arrange the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it as baking times may vary (see note below).

  • Let it Rest: Allow the pan to rest for about 5 minutes.

  • Invert and Serve: Cover the pan with a large plate and invert it to release the monkey bread. To eat, pull the desired amount off with your fingers (like a monkey would!) and enjoy the gooey, sweet, sinful treat.

Notes

  • To prepare the night before, follow all steps except the baking part. Cover and refrigerate. Bake as directed in the morning (may need a few extra minutes if its cold).
  • Use the kids! Although the heating and melting of the butter should be handled by the adults, let the little ones cut the dough with kitchen scissors or a butter knife and dip each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture!
  • Cooking time may vary depending on oven and pan used. Continue cooking until the top is starting to crisp and turn golden brown. To be entirely sure that the monkey bread is fully cooked and not doughy in the center, use an instant read thermometer to verify that the middle has reached 190°F. If the top is getting overly cooked and the center is still not at 190°F, lower the monkey bread in your oven and/or cover with foil to prevent over-browning.

Nutrition

Serving: 12g, Calories: 260kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 201mg, Potassium: 31mg, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 475IU, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave me acomment below

This recipe has been viewed over 3 million times since it was originally posted in September 2014 and has been updated with more helpful tips based on reader questions. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!

Baked Goods Breakfast Christmas

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Hi! I’m Krissy.

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Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe (Printable Recipe + Video) (2024)

FAQs

How to know when monkey bread is done? ›

Bake the Monkey Bread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap the pan and bake until the top is deep brown and caramel begins to bubble around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes.

Can you save canned biscuit dough after opening? ›

Freeze and Store Separately

Open the can, separate the raw biscuits, and lay them out on a baking sheet (don't let them touch each other or they will stick together) and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the biscuits to air-tight freezer bags and store them in the freezer.

Why is monkey bread called monkey bread? ›

Some food historians suggest that it comes from the pastry being a finger food, and that those eating it pick apart the bread with their hands as a monkey might. Others suggest that it comes from the pastry's resemblance to the monkey puzzle tree Araucaria araucana.

What American president made monkey bread popular by serving the dessert at the White House during Christmas? ›

But it was Pitts' friend and fellow actress Nancy Reagan who, years later, as the wife of the fortieth president of the United States and hostess-in-chief, brought the dish into the White House for Christmas, thus sealing the deal. In a society that loves its sugar, monkey bread was suddenly a holiday dish.

Why is my monkey bread still doughy? ›

If the bottom of the pieces that haven't been exposed is still doughy, the bread needs to bake longer. If it's fully baked and no stretchy dough appears, it's ready.

How do I make sure my bread is done? ›

Bread is typically done when it has an internal temperature of 190°F. Testing your bread with a food thermometer a few minutes before the recipe suggests it will be done can help ensure that it is baked to your desired doneness and ready to be made into a delicious Pulled Pork Sandwich or dipped in a warm cup of soup.

Can I make biscuit dough the night before and refrigerate? ›

The dough is easy to make and can be made a day in advance. Wrap the dough discs tightly in food wrap and store in the fridge overnight. Remove the dough from the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to roll it and leave it on the worktop to soften slightly before you roll it out.

Why put biscuit dough in fridge? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

Can you eat raw Pillsbury biscuit dough? ›

No Raw Consumption: Despite some Pillsbury dough products being marketed as "safe to eat raw," biscuits dough might not fall into this category, and should therefore always be baked completely before consumption.

What is a fun fact about monkey bread? ›

Dating back to the 1880s in Hungarian literature, Hungarian immigrants brought this dish with them when they immigrated to America and began introducing it into the country's food landscape when Hungarian and Hungarian Jewish bakeries began selling it in the mid-twentieth century.

Who eats monkey bread? ›

Eating Jewish: Aranygaluska, or "Hungarian monkey bread"

Does monkey bread need to be refrigerated? ›

Does monkey bread need to be refrigerated? Most Monkey Bread recipes are best NOT refrigerated because the cold can harden the dough. This Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread, however needs to be refrigerated because it contains bacon.

Is monkey bread a southern thing? ›

to get right. Chef Thomas nailed it on the first try for.

What does monkey bread taste like? ›

Each bite tastes like the sticky delicious center of cinnamon rolls. Monkey bread is served pull apart style, similar to my cinnamon roll wreath, where everyone tears off a piece—just like how monkeys pick at their food. You can have monkey bread for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Where does the president eat in the White House? ›

The President's Dining Room is a dining room located in the northwest corner of the second floor of the White House. It is located directly above the Family Dining Room on the State Floor and looks out upon the North Lawn.

How do you know when stuffed bread is done? ›

To see if your bread is done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf. (If you go at an angle and through the side or bottom, you can minimize the visual evidence!) Most breads are finished baking at about 190°.

How do you know when bread is done rising? ›

If you're checking on shaped dough for the second rise/proof, then it should also be about double in size. Feel: Bread dough that has successfully risen/proofed will spring back slowly when poked and leave an indent. If it snaps back too quickly, it needs more time.

How do you know when bread is done mixing? ›

The Dough Passes the Windowpane Test

To do this, tear off a chunk of dough and stretch it between your fingers. If the dough tears, you haven't developed enough gluten and it needs more kneading. If it stretches without breaking, making a windowpane of sorts, you're done and you can let the dough rest.

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