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I’ve been making this easy monkey bread for years, and it’s still one of my favorite shortcuts for brunch. It starts with refrigerated biscuit dough coated in cinnamon sugar and bakes into the softest, gooey pull-apart bread with buttery brown sugar in every bite.
There’s no yeast, kneading, or waiting for dough to rise, and it’s especially fun for weekend breakfasts and holiday brunches. For individual servings, try my monkey bread muffins, too!
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This was absolutely delicious! Such a fun breakfast bread—easier than cinnamon rolls but just as tasty! We’ll definitely be making this one again!
– Lisalia
Why This Easy Monkey Bread Works
Made with biscuit dough: Refrigerated biscuits mean there’s no yeast, kneading, or waiting for dough to rise.
Soft and gooey: Cinnamon sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter bake between all those little pieces of dough.
Made for sharing: Put it in the middle of the table and let everyone pull off a warm piece. It’s one of my favorite things to make for a cozy brunch.
Monkey Bread Ingredients
You only need five ingredients for the monkey bread, plus powdered sugar and milk if you want to add the glaze.
Refrigerated biscuit dough: I use two 6.3-ounce cans for this recipe. Flaky refrigerated biscuits work great.
Butter: Melted butter works its way between the dough pieces and creates that gooey brown sugar coating. I use unsalted butter.
Brown sugar: Adds a deeper caramel flavor as it melts into the butter and cinnamon.
Ground cinnamon: The flavor that makes monkey bread taste so warm and cozy.
Granulated sugar: Mix this with the cinnamon to coat every piece of biscuit dough.
How to Make Monkey Bread with Biscuits
1. Prepare the biscuits. Separate 2 (6.3-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits and break each biscuit into smaller pieces. Gently roll the pieces into balls.
2. Prepare the pan. Generously grease a deep loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.
3. Make the cinnamon sugar. Stir together ¼ cup granulated sugar and ⅛ cup ground cinnamon. Roll each piece of biscuit dough in the mixture until well coated.
4. Layer the dough. Add half of the coated biscuit pieces to the pan and sprinkle with ⅛ cup brown sugar. Add the remaining dough and sprinkle with the remaining ⅛ cup brown sugar.
5. Add the butter. Pour ½ cup melted unsalted butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle any leftover cinnamon sugar over the top.
6. Bake. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and the biscuit dough in the center is fully baked.
Simple Monkey Bread Glaze
The glaze is optional, but I love the way it melts into the warm cinnamon bread.
Mix ¼ cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon milk until smooth, then drizzle it over the monkey bread after baking.
For an even richer version, skip the glaze and drizzle my easy caramel sauce over the top.
Eden’s Monkey Bread Tips
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Give the pieces a little room to expand as they bake. If you have a little dough left over, that’s okay.
Really grease the pan. The butter and brown sugar get deliciously sticky, so make sure you get the bottom, corners, and sides.
Check the center. The top can look beautifully golden while the middle is still doughy. Pull two pieces apart near the center and make sure the biscuit dough is completely baked.
Serve it warm. This is when monkey bread is SO good. The middle is soft, the edges are sticky, and everyone can pull pieces right off.
My favorite twist: Add fresh orange zest and a pinch of cardamom to the cinnamon sugar. I love this version around the holidays.
Can You Make Monkey Bread Without a Bundt Pan?
Yes! I usually make this monkey bread in a deep loaf pan, which is what you see in these photos. You don’t need a Bundt pan to make it, and I actually love the way the pieces stack together in a loaf pan.
Just make sure you’re using a deep loaf pan and check the center carefully before taking it out of the oven.
How to Store Monkey Bread
Store leftover monkey bread covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Warm individual pieces briefly in the microwave before serving to soften the bread again.
Monkey Bread FAQs
Monkey bread is a sweet pull-apart bread made from small pieces of dough coated in cinnamon sugar and baked together. My easy version uses refrigerated biscuit dough instead of homemade dough. You can read more about what monkey bread is here.
Yes, and that’s exactly how I make this recipe. Refrigerated canned biscuits eliminate the need to make yeast dough from scratch, which is what makes this such an easy monkey bread recipe.
The top should be a deep golden brown and the biscuit dough in the center should be fully baked. If the top is browned but the center still looks doughy, give it a few more minutes.
Usually, the center simply needs more baking time, or the dough was packed too tightly into the pan. Pan size and oven temperature can also affect how quickly the center cooks.
Monkey bread is best freshly baked and served warm. You can prepare the cinnamon-sugar mixture and glaze ahead of time, but I prefer assembling and baking the bread just before serving.
The top should be deep golden brown, but always check the center too. Pull two pieces apart near the middle and make sure there’s no raw biscuit dough. If the top is browned but the center is still doughy, bake it for a few more minutes. Packing the dough too tightly into the pan can also make the center take longer to bake.
More Brunch Recipes
If you’re planning brunch, serve this with a fresh fruit platter, or try my easy cinnamon rolls, banana bread, and monkey bread muffins.
This easy monkey bread has been one of my favorite brunch recipes for years. If you make it, leave a star rating and comment below. I love hearing from you!
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Easy Monkey Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Monkey Bread Recipe
- 2 6.3-ounce cans refrigerated biscuit dough, refrigerated
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 cup ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (use ¼ cup for a less buttery version)
Simple Glaze
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a deep loaf pan or Bundt pan with butter or cooking spray.
- Prepare the biscuit dough. Break 2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough into smaller pieces and roll each piece into a ball, about 3 tablespoons of dough per ball.
- Make the cinnamon sugar. In a medium bowl, stir together ¼ cup granulated sugar and ⅛ cup ground cinnamon.
- Coat the dough. Roll each ball of biscuit dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until completely coated.
- Layer the dough. Arrange half of the coated dough balls in the prepared pan. Sprinkle ⅛ cup brown sugar over the first layer. Add the remaining dough balls and sprinkle with the remaining ⅛ cup brown sugar.
- Add the butter. Pour ½ cup melted butter evenly over the dough. For a less buttery version, use ¼ cup melted butter. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar over the top.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and the biscuit dough in the center is fully baked. If the center still looks doughy, bake for a few more minutes.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together ¼ cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth.
- Finish and serve. Let the monkey bread cool for a few minutes, then drizzle the glaze over the top. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Check the center: The top can look perfectly golden before the middle is done. Check between the center pieces to make sure there’s no raw biscuit dough.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Give the biscuit pieces room to expand. If you have a little dough left over, that’s okay.
- Pan: I use a deep loaf pan for this recipe. A Bundt pan also works, but the baking time may vary depending on the size and material.
- Serve warm: Monkey bread is best shortly after baking, while the center is still soft and gooey.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm individual pieces briefly before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely the best monkey bread!! Thank you!! My family loved this recipe!!!
I love making this with the boys. Always fun and always good!
Hi. I have a loaf of bread dough that I thawed. Can I use that instead of the biscuits???
In the “how long will is last” section, it should say not long once your family gets their hands on it, haha! I’m making it again this afternoon because it’s already gone.
I love this monkey bread! So glad I have monkeys of my own to share it with, this is too big of a temptation to have on my own!
We are obsessed with monkey bread over here. So yummy! the perfect treat for chilly nights
This recipe was so easy and totally delicious. Perfect treat!!
Thank you, Laura!
This was SO delicious! What a fun breakfast bread. Easier than cinnamon rolls and JUST as yummy! We’ll definitely make this one again!
Glad you liked it Lisalia!!
This is actually something really fun to prep with my son and it’s nice that it doesn’t have to turn out “pretty”. Definitely kid friendly and approved!
I LOVE monkey bread, it is so fun to pull apart and it is super easy to make. 🙂 🙂