Gooey, warm, and absolutely coated in caramelized cinnamon sugar, learning how to make monkey bread from scratch is a weekend project that is guaranteed to fill your kitchen with the most incredible bakery aromas. By ditching the canned biscuits for a simple, from-scratch sweet dough, you achieve a soft, cloud-like texture that makes this pull-apart treat a staple in the best holiday breakfast traditions.
Origin Homemade Monkey Bread
While it is closely associated with American mid-century home baking, monkey bread actually traces its roots back to the Hungarian dessert aranygaluska, or “golden dumplings.” It was popularized in the United States in the 1950s when it became a staple of community cookbooks, quickly earning its playful name because people would pick it apart with their fingers like monkeys, cementing its place in the history of classic American comfort baking.
Why I Love This Recipe
I love how interactive and delightfully messy this recipe is to put together, especially if you have little helpers in the kitchen to roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar. The homemade yeast dough is incredibly forgiving and yields a vastly superior, melt-in-your-mouth texture compared to store-bought shortcuts, making it the ultimate centerpiece for lazy weekend family brunches.
Also Read : Cabbage Boil
Homemade Monkey Bread (aka Cinnamon Roll Bites)
14
servings2
hours2
minutes40
minutes420
kcalIngredients
Homemade Dough:
1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed (110°F)
2 1/4 tsp Platinum Yeast (1 packet)
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
2 l arge eggs
1/3 cup (71g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tsp salt
5 cups (625g) all-purpose flour
C oating & Sauce:
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, divided
1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup (130g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Icing:
1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
3 tbsp whole milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Activate Yeast: Whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar in a mixer bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Mix Dough: Add eggs, butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Beat, then add remaining flour until dough pulls away from the sides. Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours until doubled.
- Shape: Punch down dough. Divide into 40-45 small balls (1.25 inches). Dip each in melted butter, then roll in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place in a greased 10-12 cup Bundt pan. Let rest for 20 minutes.
- Sauce: Whisk remaining butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the dough balls.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35-45 minutes. Cover with foil if the top browns too quickly. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate. Drizzle with whisked icing ingredients.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the dough through step 3 and refrigerate for up to 15 hours. Let it rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours before shaping. Alternatively, you can assemble the entire pan and refrigerate overnight; let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats before baking.
- Preventing Mess: Because the brown sugar sauce bubbles significantly, it is highly recommended to place your Bundt pan on a larger baking sheet to catch any potential drips and keep your oven clean.
- Yeast Type: Using an instant yeast like Red Star Platinum helps the dough rise reliably; if using active dry yeast, expect a slightly longer rise time.
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