Have you ever had homemade monkey bread? Gooey dough pieces are baked with a buttery, sugar-cinnamon glaze, and the best part of all is that it only needs four simple ingredients.
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our Best Monkey Bread Recipe, a beloved classic that promises to delight everyone at your breakfast or brunch table. Here at Spaceships and Laser Beams, we’ve dedicated ourselves to perfecting this recipe, drawing from years of culinary experience and a genuine passion for creating delicious dishes.
Our seasoned kitchen team has meticulously tested and refined this monkey bread recipe in over a dozen kitchens to ensure it achieves the ideal balance of sweetness, gooeyness, and buttery goodness. We emphasize providing straightforward instructions and practical tips to make your baking experience enjoyable and foolproof.
Spaceships and Laser Beams has built a reputation as a trusted source for innovative and dependable recipes. Our commitment to culinary excellence has earned us a loyal audience of millions. By choosing our monkey bread recipe, you’re tapping into our extensive experience and dedication to quality.
Join the many homebakers and food lovers who have made this monkey bread a cherished part of their culinary repertoire. Rely on our expertise and authority to guide you in creating the perfect monkey bread every time.
Why You’ll Love this Monkey Bread Easy Recipe
Simple ingredients like a buttery cinnamon sugar mixture add that irresistible homemade touch to this quick and easy monkey bread recipe. With Grands Biscuits cutting prep time, this easy recipe is quick enough to fix for a special treat, brunch, or breakfast — even for those sleepy-heads that prefer to lounge under the covers until the last possible minute.
Easy Monkey Bread Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 (16.3-ounce) cans of Southern-style buttermilk biscuits
- 1 cup of butter
How to make Monkey Bread with Biscuits
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray the bottom of a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray really thoroughly.
PRO TIP:
It is really important that you spray the bottom of the bundt pan really, really well so that none of the deliciousness sticks to the pan.
STEP TWO: Pour cinnamon and sugar into a Ziploc plastic bag.
STEP THREE: Remove biscuit dough from the package and cut each one into quarters.
STEP FOUR: Place the biscuit pieces, 6 to 7 at a time, into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and shake until well-coated.
STEP FIVE: Place the dough pieces into the prepared pan.
STEP SIX: In a large measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave. Once melted and warm, pour the remainder of the cinnamon and sugar mixture into the melted butter and stir for 30 seconds until the sugar starts to melt.
PRO TIP:
You can even do the prep the night before. Do all the steps except the baking and then cover the pan of goodness with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to put it in the oven.
STEP SEVEN: Pour butter mixture over the biscuits. Shake the pan to make sure the butter gets down in between all of the biscuits.
PRO TIP:
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your monkey bread as the suggested baking time approaches.
STEP EIGHT: Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven. Let sit on the counter for 10 minutes before flipping over onto a serving platter.
PRO TIP:
Place foil or a cookie sheet at the bottom of your oven to catch any boil over of the sugar/cinnamon mixture so you don’t end up with a mess at the bottom of your oven.
Easy Monkey Bread Recipe Substitutions
ADD-INS: When you arrange the layers of the balls of dough in the greased bundt pan, you can add a sprinkle of raisins, currants, sweetened dried cranberries, blueberries, or butterscotch chips. And don’t forget the nuts: pecans and walnuts seem to be the favorites!
TOPPING: After flipping the just-baked monkey bread ring over onto a plate, some like to top off the ring with a glaze of one cup of powdered sugar and two tablespoons of milk. It makes everything extra-sweet, but it does add an enticing shine and sparkle.
SUGAR: Brown sugar would also work instead of the white sugar in this delightful recipe.
How to serve this Monkey Bread Easy Recipe
This yummy monkey bread is a total game-changer for a breakfast treat. Serve it for a delicious brunch spread along with our sheet pan breakfast. Add coffee, tea, or a latte to drink. This fun recipe would be a great Christmas morning tradition to start. Or you could make it any old Saturday morning for a treat too!
MORE BREAD RECIPES
How To Store Homemade Monkey Bread
IN THE FRIDGE: This easy monkey bread tastes best served on the same day but can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 1 day and in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: This sweet treat can also be frozen for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating and serving.
Monkey Bread Recipe with Biscuits FAQs
Monkey bread, sometimes also called bubble bread, is a soft, sweet, sticky pastry that you can serve for breakfast, brunch, or dessert — or really anytime in between is a great time for this treat! It’s small pieces of soft dough balls sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, then baked in a bundt pan. There are lots of possibilities for flavor combinations and glazes, making it a delightful and versatile goody.
You could make this pull-apart bread recipe in a cake pan, loaf pan, ramekins, or muffin tins. Just make sure to adjust your baking time depending on the size of the pan.
This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. You can prepare the recipe up to the baking stage the night before and then pop it in the oven the next morning when you are ready to serve it.
A standard-size, 12-cup bundt pan is what we used for this monkey bread.
Monkey bread is coated with cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter and tastes like the gooey center of a cinnamon roll.
Monkey Bread Easy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 2 containers Southern style buttermilk biscuits (16 biscuits in total) (two 16.3-ounce containers)
- 1 cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray really thoroughly.
- Pour cinnamon and sugar into a plastic storage bag.
- Remove biscuits from the package and cut each one into quarters.
- Place the biscuits pieces, 6 to 7 at a time, into the cinnamon and sugar and shake until well coated.
- Place biscuit pieces into a well greased bundt pan.
- In a large measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave. Once melted and warm, pour the remainder of the sugar mixture into the butter and stir for 30 seconds until the sugar starts to melt.
- Pour over the biscuits. Shake the pan to make sure the butter gets down in between all of the biscuits.
- Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Let sit on the counter for 10 minutes before flipping over onto a serving plate.
Video
Notes
- It is really important that you spray the bottom of the bundt pan really, really well so that none of the deliciousness sticks to the pan.
- You can even do the prep the night before. Do all the steps except the baking and then cover the pan of goodness with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to put it in the oven.
- Place foil or a cookie sheet at the bottom of your oven to catch any boilover of the sugar/cinnamon mixture, so you don’t end up with a mess at the bottom of your oven.
Nutrition
Comments
Ann Smith says
Have you ever added raisins to this recipe? Seems like it would be a good addition.
Lois Greene says
I have added raisins and another time chopped up dates. Both were excellent.
Hannah Griffin says
I made this monkey bread for dessert, but was thinking it would probably be just as yummy for a breakfast!
Stephanie Keeping says
This monkey bread is one of my absolutely favorites. I love it with pecans too!
Tina says
Any refrigerator biscuits will work, I have even used refrigerator French Bread dough. The “Southern” part of the biscuits are literally just flecks of butter in the biscuit, and you are already putting butter on the monkey bread so you won’t miss it if it isn’t there. ENJOY!
Tin Lopez says
This is my favorite breakfast!
Lg says
Any brand of can biscuit will work. Just use your favorite.
Jennifer says
Southern biscuits are just made with buttermilk and have come of butter in the dough. I make my dough from scratch. No one ever can tell the difference. For that matter, buttermilk is pricey so I often use 1% milk with lemon juice to get the buttermilk flavor.
Rosalind says
Made this for the first time and my family loved it! Thanks for the recipe.
Melissa says
Make a scone dough it is similar
Jimmie Colemsn says
Be sure to use two cans of the larger Grands type biscuits.
Would love this recipe! says
Love this!
Christy Spurlock says
Can’t wait to make these soon. I’m going to try and make individual servings in my cupcake pan. Come on Saturday morning!!!
Tammy Hendrick says
I use 4 small cans of cheap biscuits.i believe 8 per can. Aalso use brown sugar with butter to pour over top before baking. Make them almost every Sunday.
Kukam says
Have you ever tried using butterscotch pudding mix instead? It comes out like caramel! AMAZING!!!
Daisyduex2 says
By adding Apples,Raisins and Walnuts it makes this just Yummylish !
Lila says
when would you add the apples and nuts?
pegg says
drop them in mixed with biscuits … some toward the bottom. some around the middle. a few at the top.
Joann says
Melt butter and brown sugar and pour over the top and then bake turns out much better
geneva rabalais says
i want to make one. it looks delicious.
Donna m Laurimore says
Thank you, this is delicious a childhood memory my mother would make. So good.
april says
this is my kids favorite! we make it every christmas morning 😀
Milisa says
Monkey Bread is one of my all- time favorites. I love how simple this recipe comes together!
Beth Pierce says
So incredibly delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
Gabe says
What most people know as monkey bread today in the United States is actually the Hungarian dessert arany galuska (“golden dumpling”). 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.
In 1972, a cookbook published by Betty Crocker included a recipe for arany galuska, which they referred to as “Hungarian Coffee Cake”. As it became more popular in America, arany galuska came to be confused with monkey bread in which the balls of dough are not dipped in cinnamon and sugar but only in butter. “Monkey bread” soon became the more common name for this Hungarian Jewish dessert.
treena says
Super simple recipe and ingredients and so yummy!
Sheila says
Can u use brown sugar?
Layne Kangas says
Yes, hope you enjoy!
Julie says
What size bundt pan did you use?
Layne Kangas says
A standard size, which I believe is 12 cups. Enjoy 🙂
Kathy says
Canyon make the night before and bake next morning?
Layne Kangas says
I would make it fresh so that the butter mix doesn’t just settle in the bottom.
Mary Rainey says
Super easy to make and even more delicious than I remember it being from my childhood
Claire Deal says
Super easy, super yummy.
Karen says
We love this – so yummy and fun!
CHARLETNEWTON says
ON BEHALF OF MONKEY BREAD, IT’S THE BEST MONKEY BREAD I HAVE TASTED, FULL OF YUM, STRAIGHT DELICIOUS, W, THANK YOU, SINCERELY YOUR’S CHARLETNEWTON
CHARLETNEWTON says
THANK YOU
Elena says
What size biscuits?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Elena – it’s two 8-count cans, for a total of 16 biscuits. Enjoy!
Sara says
I have never made monkey bread before, but thought this looked easy enough. I was right it was super easy to make I followed the recipe and it came out of the pan without a problem when I flipped it. It looked beautiful and it tasted even better this will be the one I make every time!
Elena says
How many Serving?
Layne Kangas says
There are ten servings for this recipe. Enjoy!
Elena says
Can be put monkey bread in refrigerator and how long?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Elena: This easy monkey bread tastes best served on the same day but can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 1 day and in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Elena says
Can you use 16.3 Oz Pillsbury Southern Homestyle Biscuits?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Elena – yes, I think you’ll only need one can then… a total of 16 biscuits. Enjoy!
Elena says
Can Monkey bread be reheat in microwave?
Layne Kangas says
Yes! Enjoy!
Christy Thomas says
I followed the instructions completely and when I went to flip it onto a plate, I had juice splatter. Once I took the pan off the whole bottom row of biscuits are soggy. Have no idea what happened.
Christy Thomas says
I followed the instructions completely and when I went to flip it onto a plate, I had juice splatter. Once I took the pan off the whole bottom row of biscuits are soggy. Have no idea what happened.
Elena says
What kind of butter salted or unsalted?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Elena – we used salted. Enjoy!
Elena says
Can you use unsalted butter?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Elena – that would be fine, enjoy!
Kittie says
Excellent! Added chopped pecans to the butter/sugar mix. So good.
Elena says
What is the TOTAL TIME to bake?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Elena – you’ll bake for 35 minutes, enjoy!
Elena says
35 minutes to what?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Elena – you will bake for 35 minutes at 350°F and then allow to sit for ten minutes before flipping it out of the baking pan. Enjoy!