This homemade monkey bread recipe is the best treat to make for breakfast, lunch, or dessert! Monkey bread is a super delicious sweet baked treat that tastes just like cinnamon rolls but in pull-apart form – perfect for sharing and guaranteed to be a huge hit with everyone!

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Why this recipe works

This recipe has all the elements of delicious cinnamon rolls, including homemade sweet dough, melted butter, and plenty of sugar and cinnamon. With a sweet glaze to finish it off, it makes this Monkey Bread even more decadent and delicious.

Unlike other monkey bread recipes that use canned biscuit dough and a bundt pan to bake it in, this recipe is made using homemade fresh dough that contains honey and vanilla extract to add sweetness and flavor – and is baked in a skillet to help caramelize the cinnamon sugar and give a crispy texture to the soft pull-apart bread balls.

The best part about this recipe is that it’s super easy and requires minimal effort. All you need to do is mix up the dough, roll it into balls and then coat them in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

The result is a sweet, buttery, and fluffy monkey bread that everyone will love. It’s perfect for family gatherings, parties, or a weekend camping treat. 

And if you’re looking for other tasty bread recipes to try, check out our sweet cranberry zucchini bread with walnuts, chocolate chunk zucchini bread, blueberry buttermilk banana bread, peanut butter bread or our fried dough recipe.

Key Ingredients

The key to making this monkey bread recipe is the fresh dough and buttery brown sugar sauce that adds a delicious finishing touch that takes the taste of this bread over the top.

For the dough:

Milk, butter, and honey – These ingredients when combined to make homemade dough produce a soft fluffy texture with a sweet flavor, perfect for this monkey bread recipe.

Dry yeast – A packet of dry yeast will help the dough rise and double in size and give the dough balls a chewy texture.

All-purpose flour – All-purpose flour is used to give the dough a nice structure and texture.

Sugar, salt, and vanilla – These ingredients add flavor and sweetness to the dough.

Water, egg – A splash of water and 1 egg will help to bind the dough and give it moisture.

For the coating:

Cinnamon and sugar – This combination of cinnamon and sugar is what gives this monkey bread its classic flavor, just like cinnamon rolls.

Brown sugar – dark brown sugar adds a hint of molasses sweetness to the coating.

Butter – Melted butter gives the monkey bread a nice golden color and helps to caramelize the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Sweetened condensed milk – This ingredient is used to make the glaze that coats the monkey bread for an extra sweet and sticky finish.

Substitutions

Honey

If you don’t have any honey, maple syrup can be used as a substitute.

How to make monkey bread

With a few ingredients to make the soft dough and a simple mixture of sugar and cinnamon to coat the bread balls, this monkey bread recipe can be quickly prepared in no time.

Cooking instructions

Step 1
Heat the butter and milk together in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave) until the butter is melted – then allow it to cool to a lukewarm temperature.

Step 2
Mix melted butter mixture with the honey and the yeast and set aside for 10-15 minutes until foam has formed on top.

Step 3
Mix granulated sugar with 2 ¼ cups of flour and salt in a large bowl.

Step 4
Add the vanilla, water, egg, and cooled milk and mix well with an electric mixer. Use a wooden spoon and stir in the remaining cup of flour bit by bit until the dough comes together without sticking to the bowl.

Step 5
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth.

Step 6
Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until it has doubled in size.

Step 7
When the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide it into golf ball-sized pieces.

Step 8
To make the brown sugar mixture, combine the brown and white sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow bowl.

Step 9
Place the butter in another bowl and use a tablespoon of it to grease a cast iron skillet.

Step 10
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and cinnamon mix into the skillet.

Step 11
Dip each ball into the melted butter, then roll in the sugar/cinnamon mixture and place in the skillet. Pour any remaining butter and brown sugar over the top, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and allow to rise again for about 30 – 40 minutes.

Step 12
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and bake for about 25 – 30 minutes until golden brown.

Step 13
Remove it from the oven and drizzle the condensed milk over the top of the warm monkey bread.

Step 14
Allow it to cool for about 30 minutes to absorb the condensed milk, then serve warm.

Cooking tips

Making it ahead

The dough can be made in advance and kept covered in the fridge overnight.

Greasing the skillet

If you don’t have enough butter to grease the skillet, you can use nonstick cooking spray.

Recipe Variations

If you’re looking to add some festive flavors to your monkey bread, like pumpkin spice, apple, or nutmeg, we have some tasty variations of this recipe for you to try.

Pumpkin spice monkey bread

To make monkey bread even more festive, combine 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 1 cup of packed brown sugar, 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl. Melt this in the microwave for 30 seconds and pour this mixture over the dough coated in cinnamon sugar before baking.

Nutty monkey bread

Roll each dough ball in the melted butter, then in a mixture of ¼ cup chopped walnuts, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. The chopped nuts add a lovely crunchy texture to the baked monkey bread.

Apple pie monkey bread

For an apple twist, combine ¼ cup applesauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon melted butter in a bowl. Pour this mixture over the coated dough balls before baking.

What to serve with

Most of the time, monkey bread is enjoyed on its own, but for a special treat, you can serve it with some ice cream, whipped cream, and a caramel sauce dip.

In case you’re serving this irresistible monkey bread for dessert during the festive season and want other delicious festive treats to pair with it on your table, we have a huge selection of dessert recipes for you to try.

From the best sandwich cookies, reese’s pie to apple dumplings and creamy peppermint fudge, the recipe collection has something for everyone!

Frequently asked questions

Storing and reheating

If you have any leftover monkey bread, you can easily store it at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen.

Room temperature – The best way to store monkey bread is by wrapping it in foil and keeping it at room temperature in a cupboard away from sunlight for 2 days.

Fridge – Leftovers will also keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator stored in an airtight container.

Freezer – Monkey bread can also be frozen for up to a month. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Reheating – Leftover monkey bread can be enjoyed at room temperature or straight from the fridge, but if you want to reheat them, you can do it in the microwave for 30 seconds. It’s much quicker using the microwave, and the dough balls become soft again.

An oven is also an option if you don’t have a microwave. Preheat the oven to (350 F) and bake for 8-10 minutes until warm.

If you love eating sweet monkey bread for breakfast or lunch, take a look at our 35 best sweet breakfast ideas and 37 fun things to bake.

Or, if you’re looking for something less sweet, try our savory pizza monkey bread with marinara sauce, which is the perfect pull-apart pizza for sharing.

Serving size

This best monkey bread recipe yields 5 to 6 servings. If you have a larger skillet, you could double the recipe.

Overall, this easy monkey bread is sure to please the whole family. It’s quick and easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and the end result is a sweet treat that everyone will love. So give it a try and let us know how you like it!

Love this breakfast recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.

Try one of my comfort breakfast recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I’m here to help!

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