The best easy monkey bread recipe! Tender biscuit dough is tossed in cinnamon sugar, drenched in a buttery brown sugar sauce, and baked to golden brown perfection. Perfect for breakfast or dessert (or both!).
Sweet, sticky, pull-apart breakfast goodness.
I like to make monkey bread as a special, fun-to-eat breakfast treat on weekends. The whole family loves it and whenever I serve it up to guests they ask for a copy of the recipe.
The pull-apart bread is also a must-have for special occasions and on holiday mornings. Especially Christmas morning.
Just look at all that gooey sauce–so yummy!
If you are a fan of sweet breakfast treats like my family, be sure to give my blueberry french toast casserole and breakfast cookies a try. They are both frequently requested and enjoyed in our house.
Why is this the best monkey bread recipe?
- Easy recipe with only 5 simple ingredients
- Can be made ahead
- Perfectly sweet and gooey
- So much fun to pull-apart and eat!
Ingredients
This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
With only 5 ingredients, this pull-apart sticky bread is super easy to make!
Here is what you will need:
- Biscuits– You will need about 30 ounces of refrigerated biscuit dough (the non-flakey kind). I used four 7.5 oz. cans of generic store brand buttermilk biscuits, but Pillsbury biscuits are great too (regular or Pillsbury Grands)!
- Sugar– both granulated and brown sugar
- Cinnamon– Feel free to swap ground cinnamon for pumpkin spice or apple pie spice for some Fall flavor.
- Butter– One stick of butter, melted in the microwave or on the stovetop. Either salted butter or unsalted butter is fine for this recipe.
Helpful Kitchen Supplies
- 9-inch bundt pan
- gallon-size sealable baggie
- nonstick spray
- mixing bowls
How to Make Monkey Bread with Biscuits
This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Cut each biscuit into quarters, toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and place in a greased bundt pan.
Step 2: Combine melted butter and brown sugar. Pour the butter mixture over the biscuit pieces in the pan. It will look like way too much sauce but don’t worry, it’s going to be amazing.
Step 3: Bake to golden brown as directed in the recipe card below. Cool for 10 minutes then turn onto a plate and enjoy!
Storage
Countertop: Monkey bread can be stored for a couple of days at room temperature. Reheat in the microwave for a few seconds and enjoy.
Freezer: For longer storage, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Overnight Monkey Bread
To make monkey bread ahead, prep it up to the point that you would bake it, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day, allow it to come to room temperature before baking or add a few minutes to the bake time.
Additions and Variations
- Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts make a great addition.
- Chocolate: Fill each piece of biscuit with a Hershy Kiss to make a Chocolate-Stuffed Monkey Bread.
- Cinnamon Rolls: Use canned cinnamon rolls instead of biscuits for an extra sweet treat.
- Sprinkles: Top with rainbow sprinkles for a fun birthday breakfast.
Recipe Tips
- Use a pizza cutter to make easy work of cutting the biscuits.
- Place your bundt pan on a baking sheet just in case any caramel sauce bubbles up and leaks over the side of the pan.
- If the top is getting too browned but the center is still doughy, tent with foil.
Easy Monkey Bread Recipe: FAQ
It isn’t known for certain how monkey bread got its name. It has been suggested that the name could have been given because the bread resembles a barrel of monkeys or because of how it is pulled apart and eaten, similar to how monkeys’ groom one another.
Use your fingers to pull apart pieces to eat. Yes, it will be sticky and messy, but it is so worth it.
Allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, place a large plate on top of the bundt pan and turn it over to release it from the pan and transfer it onto a plate or serving platter.
More breakfast favorites
- Brioche French Toast
- Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnuts
- Best Ever Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Maple Walnut Coffee Cake
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Chocolate Glazed Biscuit Donuts
- Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
Monkey Bread
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Print Pin Save RateIngredients
- 30 ounce refrigerated biscuit dough*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup butter, 1 stick, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Coat a bundt pan with a layer of non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cut each biscuit into quarters. Add cinnamon, granulated sugar, and half the biscuit quarters to a large zip-top bag and toss to coat. Remove biscuits from the bag and place them into the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining biscuits.
- In a small bowl, stir to combine the melted butter and brown sugar, then pour evenly over the biscuits in the Bundt pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center is cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning over onto a plate.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by a third party and intended to serve as an estimate only. The accuracy of nutritional information is not guaranteed.
how many cinnamon roll can would need to make this
Use the same amount as you would biscuit dough– so about 30 ounces of cinnamon roll dough. Mmmm it will be delicious!
I made this as directed & the center wasn’t done after 40 minutes 😔
Sounds like it needed a little extra bake time. I would try 45 minutes next time.
I had the same issue. Mine is still in after 42 minutes and the center is basically raw still. It’s covered now and I’ll try another 5 minutes.
I had the opposite issue. I baked this for 35 minutes (so to not overcook them) and they aren’t overcooked but they are SO dry and the “sauce” hardened. They aren’t sticky at all. I’m so disappointed.
Hmmm 35 minutes at 325 degrees F shouldn’t dry it out that much. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe or make any substitutions?
Hi there! Could this be made in one of those cool Christmas tree pans?
I haven’t tried making monkey bread in a shaped pan like that myself but I don’t think it would be a problem. It just might take less time in the oven so I would watch it closely and pull it out when it is cooked through.Enjoy!
This was an amazing recipe. I made it this week to see if it was something I wanted to bring to a Christmas brunch. I will definitely be making it. Thanks for sharing this recipe! Happy Holidays!
my Grandson and I made this recipe and it was fantastic.The only comment I have is I would cook it closer to 45 minutes.
so easy and so good.love this recipe
Made this recipe just this morning. I used a cupcake tin instead of a Bundt pan. I only had one PKG of biscuits so I adjusted the rest of the ingredients and we have baking perfection. oh and I added a healthy spoonful of honey
and it’s in the recipe from now on.. Thanks Jacklyn.
can you freeze this after baking
Yes! This monkey bread recipe freezes well.
A few years ago My daughter in law had made this for us and it was just amazing , So I thought I would give it a try for the seniors, they loved it , added some cream cheese and it’s amazing , Thank you for sharing , Next we are going to try it with Chocolate and cream cheese and maybe some strawberries 😊 Teresa Bryson