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This Easy Monkey Bread is simple to make and the perfect treat when you want something warm, sweet, and indulgent for breakfast or brunch. I love serving it for holidays and family gatherings because it feels special without requiring a ton of effort. Using store-bought dough keeps the process quick and easy, so you can focus on the fun part — that buttery, cinnamon-sugar coating and gooey pull-apart texture everyone loves.
Easy Monkey Bread Recipe
I like to serve monkey bread on holiday mornings when the wonderful scent encourages everyone to get out of bed and come to the kitchen. This recipe couldn’t be easier to make. I use store-bought buttermilk biscuit dough to keep things simple, then coat each piece in a rich caramel cinnamon sauce. Once baked and drizzled with icing, it turns into the ultimate gooey breakfast treat my kids love.
I’ve chosen to use store-bought biscuit dough to make this monkey bread recipe as foolproof as possible. Not only does it save a ton of prep work, but after testing, I found the biscuit dough creates perfectly soft, fluffy layers with crisp caramelized edges. Using refrigerated dough also means this recipe comes together in about 40 minutes, making it ideal for busy mornings, holiday breakfasts, or last-minute brunch plans. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by homemade monkey bread, this easy shortcut proves just how simple it can be.
Tips for Beginners
- The best dough to use. I recommend using 2 cans of Pillsbury Grands! Southern Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits. Avoid the “flaky layers” option as the dough balls won’t stay intact while the bread bakes, and don’t use homemade dough.
- Make a half-batch. If you want to make a smaller amount, divide all the ingredients in half. Follow the recipe as written and bake in a 9×5-inch greased loaf pan. Bake for 25-25 minutes at 350°F. Keep an eye on it as it bakes.
- How to tell when it’s done. The top should be golden brown, the biscuits should no longer be doughy, and the internal temperature should be 190°F.
- Prevent sticking to the pan. Thoroughly grease the Bundt pan, and don’t wait more than 10 minutes to remove it once baked. As it cools, the caramel sauce hardens, making it very difficult to remove from the pan.
Easy Monkey Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the Bread
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon 3g
- 32.6 oz. Pillsbury Grands Southern Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits 2 cans
- ¾ cup unsalted butter 170g (1½ sticks)
- ¾ cup brown sugar 160g
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 4g
For the Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar 113g
- 2 tbsp milk 28g
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract 2g
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan with butter or oil. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together. Set aside.½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Open the cans of biscuits and transfer to a cutting board. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll each quarter into a ball.32.6 oz. Pillsbury Grands Southern Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits
- Coat each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place into the prepared pan. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar over the biscuit balls.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar. Cook until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the vanilla, and pour the mixture over the biscuits.¾ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the biscuits are no longer doughy.
- While the monkey bread bakes, make the icing. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Let the monkey bread cool for 5-10 minutes and invert onto a serving platter.
- Drizzle the icing over the monkey bread and serve warm.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 10-Cup Bundt Pan
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Monkey Bread Step by Step
Pepare the pan and oven and combine the sugar and cinnamon: Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a 10-cup Bundt pan with butter or oil. Set aside. Mix ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon in a bowl.
Prepare the dough: Remove the dough from the 2 cans of Pillsbury Grands and place it on a cutting board. Cut each biscuit into quarters.
Coat each ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place it into the prepared pan. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar over the biscuit balls.
Make the caramel sauce and bake: Melt ¾ cup unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in ¾ cup of brown sugar. Cook until well combined. This usually takes me about 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in 1 tsp vanilla, and pour the mixture over the biscuits.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the biscuits are no longer doughy.
Make the icing and frost: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, and ½ tsp vanilla. Whisk until thick and smooth. Set aside.
Let the monkey bread cool for 5-10 minutes, invert onto a serving platter, and drizzle with icing.
Serve: Serve warm and enjoy.
How to Store
If you want to get a head start, prep the recipe up until the dough goes in the oven, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, pop it into the oven and add 5-10 minutes to compensate for the cold pan.
Monkey bread is best enjoyed the day it’s made, but if you have leftovers, you can store them for up to 1 day in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing monkey bread.
Serving Suggestions
On holiday mornings, I like to serve this monkey bread with something savory like breakfast pizza. On the side, I’ll prepare crispy home fries and have a batch of sugared cranberry mimosas on hand for the adults.
More Monkey Bread Recipes We Love
- Butterscotch Monkey Bread: This Butterscotch Monkey Bread is an easy make-ahead breakfast made with frozen dough, buttery butterscotch sauce, and gooey pull-apart layers that bake up sweet, sticky, and perfect for sharing.
- Pumpkin Pie Monkey Bread: An easy pull-apart breakfast made with biscuit dough and warm pumpkin spice flavors, creating a gooey, delicious treat that tastes just like pumpkin pie.
- Apple Pie Monkey Bread; This 3-Ingredient Apple Pie Monkey Bread is an easy, crowd-pleasing breakfast made with simple ingredients and warm apple pie flavors, perfect for Christmas morning or a cozy weekend brunch.
more breakfast treats to enjoy
Trademark Note: In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that some of these ingredients are trademarked products. Pillsbury Grands!™ Southern Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits are a proprietary product that I want to acknowledge and give credit to.
I am maki g this as I speak
Let us know how it goes!