Monkey Bread from scratch
Monkey Bread from scratch is a sweet, sticky pull-apart bread made by coating dough pieces in a caramelized butter and brown sugar mixture, then rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. The recipe uses a yeast-leavened dough that rises until doubled, ensuring a soft and fluffy interior. The brown sugar and butter topping creates a rich, gooey crust. This bread is ideal when served warm, perfect for sharing as a breakfast treat or dessert.
Ingredients
Topping
- 1/2 cup butter cubed, salted
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
Bread
- 3/4 cup water 110°, warm
- 1 tablespoon yeast dry
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup butter cubed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar divided, 1 teaspoon
- 5 1/4 cups bread flour divided
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Bread
- In a small bowl, add in the yeast, warm water, and the 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a medium saucepan, add in the butter and milk. Place over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan and the butter is completely melted.
- Add the yeast mixture and milk mixture into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.
- Add the remaining sugar and whisk to combine.
- Add in 5 cups of bread flour and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a smooth ball of dough.
- Drizzle the vegetable oil on top of the dough. Roll the dough in the bowl until it’s completely coated with vegetable oil.
- Cover with a tea towel and place into a warm place to rise. I like to set my oven to 200 degrees and sit the bowl in the back center of the stovetop.
- Once the dough has doubled, punch it down.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray your bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside and make the topping to go into the bundt pan.
Topping
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add in the butter and brown sugar. Let the butter melt while stirring occasionally.
- Once the butter is melted, pour the topping into the prepared bundt pan.
Coating
- In a medium bowl, add the sugar and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Assemble
- Dust a clean work surface with 1/4 cup of flour.
- Roll the dough out to a 1-inch thickness.
- Cut the dough into 1-inch squares. They don’t need to be perfect!
- Roll the 1-inch squares in the cinnamon and sugar. I usually do about 15 pieces at a time.
- Add the cinnamon and sugar-coated dough into the bundt pan.
- Once the dough is all coated and placed into the bundt pan, cover with a tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes. If the dough gets too brown on top, loosely place a piece of tin foil on top of the dough.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for no longer than 5 minutes.
- Place a platter with a lifted edge on top of the bundt pan and flip it so the platter is sitting on the counter.
- Work the monkey bread out of the pan by first lifting one side of the pan and then the other side.
- Let cool and serve up!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 10 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 611
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 611kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 93g | 31% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Cholesterol | 56mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 198mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 176mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 44g | 88% |
| Vitamin A | 628IU | 13% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 108mg | 11% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.