Monkey bread is the breakfast my kids ask for the minute the holidays are on the calendar. It’s a Bundt pan full of little cinnamon sugar dough balls glued together with buttery brown sugar caramel, and you eat it by pulling off one sticky piece at a time. Nobody needs a knife, a fork or a plate, really. It’s the kind of nostalgic recipe that showed up at every church brunch and Christmas morning when I was growing up, and it’s still a hit.
My version starts with canned buttermilk biscuits, so there’s no yeast and no rising time. You cut the biscuits into quarters, shake them in cinnamon sugar, layer them in the pan, and pour a quick brown sugar butter sauce over the top. It bakes at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, rests 10 minutes, then flips out onto a plate in a glossy, caramel-coated ring. I’ve included the small fixes that keep the center from being doughy, plus a pumpkin spice version for fall.
Why You’ll Love It
- No yeast, no rising. Two cans of refrigerated biscuits do all the work.
- Real caramel. Butter and brown sugar boil together into a glossy sauce, not just melted butter.
- Fun to eat. Everyone pulls off their own piece, which makes it perfect for holiday mornings.
- Make-ahead option. Assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning.
- Kid-friendly job. Little hands love shaking the biscuit pieces in cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Full amounts are in the recipe card below. Here’s what each ingredient does and the swaps that work.
For the dough balls
- Refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (two 16.3-ounce cans, 8 biscuits each): Grands-style biscuits are the classic. Use the regular kind, not the flaky layers type, which can separate and bake unevenly.
- Granulated sugar (¾ cup) and ground cinnamon (2 teaspoons): The coating that gives every piece its crunchy cinnamon sugar crust. Add ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg for a holiday twist.
- Chopped pecans (½ cup, optional): Sprinkled in the bottom of the pan, they become a candied pecan topping once you flip it. Walnuts work too.
For the caramel sauce
- Unsalted butter (½ cup, 1 stick): Melts with the brown sugar into the sauce. If you only have salted butter, skip the pinch of salt.
- Light brown sugar (¾ cup, packed): Makes the caramel. Dark brown sugar gives a deeper, molasses-y flavor.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and a pinch of salt: Stirred in off the heat so the caramel tastes like more than just sugar.
How to Make Monkey Bread
- Heat the oven and prep the pan. Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with butter or baking spray, getting into every groove. Sprinkle the pecans in the bottom, if using.
- Make the cinnamon sugar. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a gallon zip-top bag and shake to mix.
- Cut and coat the biscuits. Open the cans and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Drop about 8 pieces at a time into the bag, seal and shake until coated. Layer the coated pieces in the pan. Save any leftover cinnamon sugar.
- Make the caramel. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar and any leftover cinnamon sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring, until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
- Pour and bake. Pour the hot caramel evenly over the biscuit pieces. Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden brown and the pieces in the center look cooked, not glossy and raw. An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part should read about 190°F.
- Rest and flip. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Set a large plate on top, flip, and lift off the pan. Scrape any caramel left in the pan over the top. Serve warm.
Tips for Success
Don’t crowd the dough
Toss the pieces loosely into the pan instead of packing them down. The dough needs room to puff, and tightly packed centers are where raw, doughy spots come from.
Watch the color, not just the clock
Ovens and Bundt pans vary. Dark pans bake faster, so start checking at 30 minutes. If the top gets too dark before the center is done, tent loosely with foil.
Flip at 10 minutes
Flip too soon and the caramel runs everywhere. Wait too long and it hardens and glues the bread to the pan. Ten minutes is the sweet spot. If it sticks, set the pan back in a warm oven for a minute to loosen the caramel.
Storage and Make-Ahead
- Room temperature: Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the cooled bread in plastic and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Make ahead: Assemble the coated biscuit pieces in the pan, cover and refrigerate overnight. Make the caramel in the morning, pour it over and bake, adding about 5 minutes.
- Reheating: Microwave pieces for 10 to 15 seconds, or warm the whole ring loosely covered in foil at 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Variations
- Pumpkin spice monkey bread: Use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon, and whisk 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree into the caramel.
- Cream cheese glaze: Beat 2 ounces of softened cream cheese with ½ cup of powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and drizzle over the warm bread.
- Apple cinnamon: Tuck 1 cup of finely diced apple between the layers.
- Chocolate chip: Scatter ½ cup of mini chocolate chips between the layers.
- Savory garlic version: Skip the sugar and toss the pieces in garlic butter, parmesan and parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called monkey bread?
Nobody knows for sure. The most popular story is that you pick at it with your fingers the way a monkey would. Either way, it’s been an American favorite since the 1950s.
Why is my monkey bread doughy in the middle?
It needs more time, or the pieces were packed too tightly. Bake until the center pieces look dry and golden and register about 190°F.
Can I make it without a Bundt pan?
Yes. Use a 9×13-inch pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or two 9×5 loaf pans for about 30 minutes. Serve it straight from the pan.
Can I use flaky layers biscuits?
You can, but the layers tend to peel apart. Regular homestyle or buttermilk biscuits hold their shape better.
How many people does monkey bread serve?
About 10 as part of a brunch spread with eggs and fruit, or 6 to 8 if it’s the main event. Every can of biscuits makes 32 pieces, so there are 64 bites in the ring, and in my house they go fast.
Can I make it the night before?
Yes, and it’s my favorite way to do Christmas morning. Layer the coated pieces in the greased pan, cover tightly and refrigerate up to 12 hours. Make the caramel fresh in the morning, pour it over the cold dough and bake about 5 minutes longer.
Can I use homemade dough?
Yes. About 2 pounds of homemade sweet roll or bread dough works. Let the shaped pieces rise in the pan until puffy before baking.
Easy Monkey Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan well and sprinkle the pecans in the bottom, if using.
- Shake the sugar and cinnamon together in a gallon zip-top bag.
- Quarter each biscuit, shake the pieces in the cinnamon sugar in batches and layer loosely in the pan.
- Melt the butter, brown sugar and leftover cinnamon sugar over medium heat. Boil 1 minute, then stir in the vanilla and salt.
- Pour over the biscuits. Bake on a rimmed sheet 35–40 minutes, until deep golden and the center is cooked (about 190°F).
- Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate and serve warm.
Save this recipe: Pin this monkey bread to your holiday breakfast board so it’s ready for Christmas morning.
