This classic Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread is a delightful, pull-apart treat that’s perfect for holiday mornings or special occasions! It’s a homemade version baked with a buttery cinnamon brown sugar coating, creating an irresistible golden brown, caramelized crust!
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I don’t know a soul who can resist pulling off a chunk of gooey, sweet monkey bread. It’s one of the best breakfast treats ever!
Monkey bread is the perfect dessert and breakfast treat rolled into one. The rich dough, coated in cinnamon sugar and drenched in a buttery brown sugar mixture, bakes into bite-sized pieces that are fun to pull apart. This recipe’s delightful, caramelized crust and soft interior make it a favorite for both kids and adults!
I have a cheater version that I have made for years that uses frozen roll dough, a butterscotch pudding mix, and pecans, and another holiday version made with orange zest and cranberries. But it’s high-time that I shared the classic version made with an easy homemade yeast dough and a simple butter, cinnamon, and sugar coating with a simple vanilla glaze on top for good measure.
For more easy-sharing bread recipes, check out my Cranberry Orange Monkey Pull-Apart Bread, TikTok Cinnamon Rolls, Cheesy Garlic Bread, Hot Cross Sticky Buns, and Easy Pecan & Caramel Sauce Pull-Apart Monkey Bread!
Why We Love This Recipe
- You can prepare it the night before and let it rise in the fridge, making the morning baking quick and stress-free.
- This recipe is also great for involving little helpers in the kitchen, turning baking into a fun family activity!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Milk – helps activate the yeast and thins the glaze.
- Water – additional liquid for dough consistency.
- Salted Butter – adds richness to the dough and helps the cinnamon sugar stick to the dough balls.
- All-Purpose Flour – forms the base of the dough.
- Granulated Sugar – feeds the yeast and sweetens the dough.
- Instant Yeast – helps the dough rise.
- Salt – enhances the flavors.
- Light Brown Sugar – adds sweetness and caramelization.
- Ground Cinnamon – gives a warm, spicy flavor to the brown sugar mixture.
- Powdered Sugar – for a sweet finishing touch.
- Vanilla Extract – adds flavor to the glaze.
How to Make Homemade Monkey Bread
- Combine dough dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Add milk mixture. Warm the milk, water, and butter until the liquid is between 105 to 110 degrees F. Add the warm milk mixture to the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed.
- Knead dough. Increase to medium speed and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth. If the dough sticks to the bowl, add extra flour a tablespoon at a time until manageable.
- First rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Grease the pan. Grease a bundt cake pan using salted butter and a pastry brush.
- Flatten and slice into small pieces of dough. Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly greased surface. Pat it into an 8- to 9-inch square. Cut the dough into 64 bite-size pieces of dough.
- Roll dough pieces. Roll each of the bite-sized pieces of dough into a ball.
- Coat dough balls. Combine the 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon with the cup of brown sugar in another bowl or shallow dish. Dip in melted butter, and then coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Transfer dough balls to pan. Place the coated dough balls into a greased bundt pan, layering them to offset each piece.
- Second rise. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise until puffy and doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Bake bread. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the monkey bread uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Check for doneness by ensuring the internal temperature reaches 190 to 200 degrees F. Let cool for no more than 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
- Make glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Glaze bread. Drizzle over the warm monkey bread and serve.
Recipe FAQ’s
Absolutely! Homemade dough can add a richer flavor and texture.
A tube pan or loaf pans can work as substitutes.
Check the internal temperature; it should be 190 to 200 degrees F.
Yes, you can prepare it up to the second rise, then refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
Place leftover monkey bread in an airtight container. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to a week. To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. For larger quantities, cover with foil and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
Yes, monkey bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as directed above.
Tips for Success
- Ensure your dough is soft but not too sticky. Add flour gradually during kneading if necessary.
- Make sure each dough ball is thoroughly coated in butter and cinnamon sugar so they are sticky and gooey throughout and you don’t end up with dry spots. No skimping on the butter and sugar!
- Allow the dough to rise fully during both rises to ensure a light and fluffy texture.
What to Serve with Monkey Bread
Serve monkey bread with a variety of breakfast items such as scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, cold milk or orange juice, and fresh fruit for a complete meal.
Include monkey bread as part of a festive holiday brunch alongside a breakfast casserole (our favorites are this green chile egg casserole or this hashbrown breakfast casserole) and quiches.
Substitutions and Variations
- Try sprinkling in some chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, raisins, or chocolate chips while adding the balls of dough to the pan for a little extra pizzazz.
- Mix in finely chopped apples, peaches, strawberries, or blueberries with the dough balls for a fruity addition.
Pull-Apart Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For greasing the pan
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk (around 105 to 110 degrees F)
- ⅓ cup warm water (around 105 to 110 degrees F)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (458g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar (200g)
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm the milk, water, and butter until the liquid is between around 105 to 110 degrees F. This can be done on the stovetop or in the microwave for about 30 to 60 seconds.2 tablespoons salted butter,, 1 cup warm milk, ⅓ cup warm water
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Turn the mixer on to low speed and add the warm milk mixture while mixing. Increase the speed to medium and continue to knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes until nice and smooth. If the dough is sticking to the bowl a lot, you may need to add a little extra flour, a couple tablespoons at a time. The dough should be soft and only slightly sticky but manageable once you are done kneading.3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 2 teaspoons salt
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let rise for 1 to 2 hours in a warm spot until doubled in size.
- Prepare the bundt pan by using a pastry brush to spread 2-3 Tablespoons of softened butter evenly into the crevices and curves of a standard 12-cup bundt pan. Set aside.2 tablespoons salted butter,
- Lightly punch down the down and turn it out onto a lightly greased surface. Pat the dough into a thick, roughly 8 to 9-inch square. Use a bench scraper or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 64 small pieces by cutting 8 vertical lines, then 8 horizontal lines. It's okay if they aren't perfectly uniform, but they should be roughly the same size.
- Roll each chunk of dough into a ball. Melt remaining ½ cup butter in a medium bowl or shallow dish. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl or shallow dish.1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar, ½ cup salted butter,, 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Dip each ball of dough into the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Transfer the sugared dough balls to the prepared bundt pan, off-setting them so they aren't stacked directly on top of each other.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise until puffy and almost doubled in size again, another 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until golden-brown on top and cooked through. It can be helpful to check the temperature of the monkey bread by inserting an instant read digital thermometer into it and looking for a temperature of 190 to 200 degrees F.
- Once removed from the oven, don't let the monkey bread cool for more than 5 minutes before placing your serving plate on top of the bundt pan and inverting the pan to turn the monkey bread out before the sugar starts to harden and stick to the pan.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the warm monkey bread and enjoy!1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
- Store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as directed.
- Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. For larger quantities, cover with foil and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Make Ahead: Prepare dough up to the second rise, then refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
Nutrition
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Recipe Source: Lightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.
