
Remember those magical mornings, maybe at Grandma’s house, when the smell of something sweet and cinnamon-y would drift from the kitchen, pulling you out of bed? For me, that’s the feeling blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes used to evoke, but now, this Easy Monkey Bread has taken its place as a new family favorite! There’s just something so wonderfully nostalgic about pulling apart those sticky, sweet pieces of bread, each one bursting with buttery, cinnamon-sugar goodness. And guess what? It’s ridiculously simple to make. We’re talking minimal effort for maximum deliciousness – perfect for a lazy weekend brunch or a quick weeknight treat when that sweet craving hits. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can whip up this crowd-pleasing, pull-apart delight!
Why You’ll Love Easy Monkey Bread
- Fast: Ready in under an hour, with minimal prep!
- Easy: Uses canned biscuits as a shortcut – no fancy baking skills required.
- Giftable: Makes a wonderful homemade gift for neighbors or friends.
- Crowd-pleasing: Who can resist warm, sticky, cinnamon goodness? It’s perfect for sharing!
Ingredients
Gathering your ingredients for Easy Monkey Bread is a breeze! You only need a few pantry staples to create this amazing treat.
- 1¼ cups sugar: This forms the delightful, sweet coating for our biscuit pieces and the foundation of our gooey sauce.
- 1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon: The star spice! Cinnamon adds that warm, comforting aroma and flavor that makes Monkey Bread so irresistible.
- 1 cup butter: We’re talking real butter here, folks. It melts down to create that rich, buttery, caramel-like sauce that seeps into every nook and cranny.
- 2 cans (16 biscuits total) southern style buttermilk biscuits: This is our secret weapon! Using canned biscuits makes this recipe incredibly fast and fuss-free. Southern style buttermilk biscuits tend to be a little richer and flakier, perfect for soaking up all that sweet sauce.
How to Make Easy Monkey Bread
Get ready to create some kitchen magic! This recipe is so straightforward, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made it every weekend.
- First things first, let’s get that oven ready. Preheat your oven to a cozy 350°F. Now, grab your bundt pan. This is super important: you need to thoroughly spray it with cooking spray. And I mean thoroughly! Make sure you get into all those little crevices. Trust me, future you will thank present you when it’s time to invert this beauty.
- Next, let’s make our magic dust! In a large plastic storage bag (a gallon-sized one works perfectly), combine your sugar and that heaping tablespoon of cinnamon. Give it a good shake to mix them up really well. This is where the sweet, spicy goodness begins!
- Now, for our biscuit transformation! Carefully remove the biscuits from their packaging. You’ll take each individual biscuit and cut it into four pieces. Don’t worry about perfection here, rustic is part of the charm!
- Time for the coating! Place about 6-7 biscuit pieces at a time into your plastic storage bag with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Seal the bag (leaving a little air helps) and shake, shake, shake until those biscuit pieces are beautifully coated. Repeat this process with the remaining biscuit pieces, making sure every last one gets some love. It’s a bit like making peach pie cinnamon rolls, but instead of rolling, we’re shaking!
- Once all your biscuit pieces are coated, arrange them evenly in your prepared bundt pan. Don’t press them down too much; we want some air in there for that lovely pull-apart texture.
- In a large, microwave-safe measuring cup (or a small saucepan), melt your 1 cup of butter in the microwave. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too hot and sputter.
- Any leftover cinnamon-sugar mixture from your plastic bag? Don’t let it go to waste! Pour it right into the melted butter. Give it a good stir for about 30 seconds, or until the sugar starts to dissolve. This creates the most incredible, rich, sticky sauce that’s going to make your Monkey Bread legendary. It’s similar to creating the luscious glaze you might find on blueberry cheesecake swirl rolls – utterly essential!
- Now, for the pour! Evenly pour that warm butter-sugar mixture over the biscuits in the bundt pan. Once it’s all in, gently shake the pan a bit. This helps ensure that the gooey mixture seeps down and coats every single biscuit piece.
- Pop that pan into your preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes. Keep an eye on it – you want it golden brown and bubbly, but not burnt.
- The hardest part: waiting! Once it’s out of the oven, let the monkey bread cool in the pan on the counter for about 10 minutes. This allows the sauce to set a bit and makes it much easier to invert. Then, place a large serving plate over the top of the bundt pan, and in one swift motion, flip it over! Tap the bottom of the pan gently if needed, and watch that glorious Monkey Bread slide out. Serve warm and enjoy pulling apart those delicious, sticky bites!
Substitutions & Additions
This Easy Monkey Bread recipe is fantastic on its own, but it’s also a wonderful canvas for your creativity! Feel free to play around with these ideas:
- Nutty Crunch: Add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the cinnamon-sugar mixture, or sprinkle them into the pan with the biscuits for extra texture.
- Chocolate Dreams: Stir in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips with the biscuit pieces. They’ll melt into pockets of chocolatey goodness.
- Citrus Zest: For a brighter, fresher flavor, add 1-2 teaspoons of orange or lemon zest to the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: If you love an extra drizzle, whisk together 4 oz softened cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract for a simple, tangy topping.
- Different Spices: A pinch of nutmeg or a dash of apple pie spice can add another layer of warm flavor.
Tips for Success
Making Monkey Bread is pretty forgiving, but a few little tricks can elevate it from good to absolutely amazing!
- Don’t Skimp on the Spray: I can’t stress this enough! The generous coating of cooking spray is your best friend for an easy release from the bundt pan.
- Even Coating is Key: Make sure each biscuit piece gets a good shake in that cinnamon-sugar. This ensures every bite is flavorful.
- Watch Your Bake Time: Ovens vary! Start checking around 30 minutes. You want it golden brown, but not overly dark or dry. If it browns too quickly on top but isn’t done, you can loosely tent it with foil for the last few minutes.
- Patience for the Inversion: That 10-minute cooling period is crucial. It allows the hot, liquidy caramel sauce to thicken slightly and adhere to the bread, making the flip much smoother and preventing a sticky mess.
- Prep Ahead: Want to wake up to warm Monkey Bread? You can assemble the entire pan (biscuits, cinnamon-sugar, and butter mixture) the night before. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. In the morning, let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to come closer to room temperature before baking as directed.
How to Store Easy Monkey Bread
While Easy Monkey Bread is best enjoyed warm and fresh from the oven, sometimes you have leftovers (or you’re just really good at planning!).
Store any remaining Monkey Bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. If you need it to last longer, you can pop it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, you can gently warm individual pieces in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or place the whole thing back in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through and gooey again.
FAQs
Here are a few common questions I get about making this delightful Monkey Bread!
Q: Can I use different types of canned biscuits?
A: Absolutely! While I prefer southern style buttermilk biscuits for their richness and flakiness, any standard refrigerated biscuit will work. Just make sure it’s the larger, flaky kind, not the small, thin ones.
Q: Can I prepare Monkey Bread the night before?
A: Yes, you totally can! Assemble everything as per the instructions, cover the bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, take it out about 30 minutes before baking to let it come closer to room temperature, then bake as directed.
Q: How do I ensure it comes out of the pan easily?
A: Two main things: first, that super thorough coating of cooking spray on every surface of the bundt pan. Second, allowing it to cool in the pan for the full 10 minutes after baking. The sauce needs that time to set up just enough. If it’s still a bit stubborn, you can run a butter knife gently around the edges before inverting.
Q: Is Monkey Bread considered a breakfast food or a dessert?
A: Both! It’s perfectly acceptable for a special breakfast or brunch, especially with coffee. But it also makes a fantastic dessert, particularly when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream!
For more delicious recipes and baking inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest!
Warm, Gooey, and Absolutely Irresistible: Your Go-To Easy Monkey Bread Recipe!
Remember those magical mornings, maybe at Grandma’s house, when the smell of something sweet and cinnamon-y would drift from the kitchen, pulling you out of bed? For me, that’s the feeling blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes used to evoke, but now, this Easy Monkey Bread has taken its place as a new family favorite! There’s just something so wonderfully nostalgic about pulling apart those sticky, sweet pieces of bread, each one bursting with buttery, cinnamon-sugar goodness. And guess what? It’s ridiculously simple to make. We’re talking minimal effort for maximum deliciousness – perfect for a lazy weekend brunch or a quick weeknight treat when that sweet craving hits.
Why You’ll Love Easy Monkey Bread
- Fast
- Easy
- Giftable
- Crowd-pleasing
Ingredients
Gathering your ingredients for Easy Monkey Bread is a breeze! You only need a few pantry staples to create this amazing treat.
- 1¼ cups sugar: This forms the delightful, sweet coating for our biscuit pieces and the foundation of our gooey sauce.
- 1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon: The star spice! Cinnamon adds that warm, comforting aroma and flavor that makes Monkey Bread so irresistible.
- 1 cup butter: We’re talking real butter here, folks. It melts down to create that rich, buttery, caramel-like sauce that seeps into every nook and cranny.
- 2 cans (16 biscuits total) southern style buttermilk biscuits: This is our secret weapon! Using canned biscuits makes this recipe incredibly fast and fuss-free. Southern style buttermilk biscuits tend to be a little richer and flakier, perfect for soaking up all that sweet sauce.
How to Make Easy Monkey Bread
Get ready to create some kitchen magic! This recipe is so straightforward, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made it every weekend.
- First things first, let’s get that oven ready. Preheat your oven to a cozy 350°F. Now, grab your bundt pan. This is super important: you need to thoroughly spray it with cooking spray. And I mean thoroughly! Make sure you get into all those little crevices. Trust me, future you will thank present you when it’s time to invert this beauty.
- Next, let’s make our magic dust! In a large plastic storage bag (a gallon-sized one works perfectly), combine your sugar and that heaping tablespoon of cinnamon. Give it a good shake to mix them up really well. This is where the sweet, spicy goodness begins!
- Now, for our biscuit transformation! Carefully remove the biscuits from their packaging. You’ll take each individual biscuit and cut it into four pieces. Don’t worry about perfection here, rustic is part of the charm!
- Time for the coating! Place about 6-7 biscuit pieces at a time into your plastic storage bag with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Seal the bag (leaving a little air helps) and shake, shake, shake until those biscuit pieces are beautifully coated. Repeat this process with the remaining biscuit pieces, making sure every last one gets some love. It’s a bit like making peach pie cinnamon rolls, but instead of rolling, we’re shaking!
- Once all your biscuit pieces are coated, arrange them evenly in your prepared bundt pan. Don’t press them down too much; we want some air in there for that lovely pull-apart texture.
- In a large, microwave-safe measuring cup (or a small saucepan), melt your 1 cup of butter in the microwave. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too hot and sputter.
- Any leftover cinnamon-sugar mixture from your plastic bag? Don’t let it go to waste! Pour it right into the melted butter. Give it a good stir for about 30 seconds, or until the sugar starts to dissolve. This creates the most incredible, rich, sticky sauce that’s going to make your Monkey Bread legendary. It’s similar to creating the luscious glaze you might find on blueberry cheesecake swirl rolls – utterly essential!
- Now, for the pour! Evenly pour that warm butter-sugar mixture over the biscuits in the bundt pan. Once it’s all in, gently shake the pan a bit. This helps ensure that the gooey mixture seeps down and coats every single biscuit piece.
- Pop that pan into your preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes. Keep an eye on it – you want it golden brown and bubbly, but not burnt.
- The hardest part: waiting! Once it’s out of the oven, let the monkey bread cool in the pan on the counter for about 10 minutes. This allows the sauce to set a bit and makes it much easier to invert. Then, place a large serving plate over the top of the bundt pan, and in one swift motion, flip it over! Tap the bottom of the pan gently if needed, and watch that glorious Monkey Bread slide out. Serve warm and enjoy pulling apart those delicious, sticky bites!
Substitutions & Additions
This Easy Monkey Bread recipe is fantastic on its own, but it’s also a wonderful canvas for your creativity! Feel free to play around with these ideas:
- Nutty Crunch: Add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the cinnamon-sugar mixture, or sprinkle them into the pan with the biscuits for extra texture.
- Chocolate Dreams: Stir in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips with the biscuit pieces. They’ll melt into pockets of chocolatey goodness.
- Citrus Zest: For a brighter, fresher flavor, add 1-2 teaspoons of orange or lemon zest to the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: If you love an extra drizzle, whisk together 4 oz softened cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract for a simple, tangy topping.
- Different Spices: A pinch of nutmeg or a dash of apple pie spice can add another layer of warm flavor.
Tips for Success
Making Monkey Bread is pretty forgiving, but a few little tricks can elevate it from good to absolutely amazing!
- Don’t Skimp on the Spray: I can’t stress this enough! The generous coating of cooking spray is your best friend for an easy release from the bundt pan.
- Even Coating is Key: Make sure each biscuit piece gets a good shake in that cinnamon-sugar. This ensures every bite is flavorful.
- Watch Your Bake Time: Ovens vary! Start checking around 30 minutes. You want it golden brown, but not overly dark or dry. If it browns too quickly on top but isn’t done, you can loosely tent it with foil for the last few minutes.
- Patience for the Inversion: That 10-minute cooling period is crucial. It allows the hot, liquidy caramel sauce to thicken slightly and adhere to the bread, making the flip much smoother and preventing a sticky mess.
- Prep Ahead: Want to wake up to warm Monkey Bread? You can assemble the entire pan (biscuits, cinnamon-sugar, and butter mixture) the night before. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. In the morning, let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to come closer to room temperature before baking as directed.
How to Store Easy Monkey Bread
While Easy Monkey Bread is best enjoyed warm and fresh from the oven, sometimes you have leftovers (or you’re just really good at planning!).
Store any remaining Monkey Bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. If you need it to last longer, you can pop it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, you can gently warm individual pieces in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or place the whole thing back in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through and gooey again.
FAQs
Here are a few common questions I get about making this delightful Monkey Bread!
Q: Can I use different types of canned biscuits?
A: Absolutely! While I prefer southern style buttermilk biscuits for their richness and flakiness, any standard refrigerated biscuit will work. Just make sure it’s the larger, flaky kind, not the small, thin ones.
Q: Can I prepare Monkey Bread the night before?
A: Yes, you totally can! Assemble everything as per the instructions, cover the bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, take it out about 30 minutes before baking to let it come closer to room temperature, then bake as directed.
Q: How do I ensure it comes out of the pan easily?
A: Two main things: first, that super thorough coating of cooking spray on every surface of the bundt pan. Second, allowing it to cool in the pan for the full 10 minutes after baking. The sauce needs that time to set up just enough. If it’s still a bit stubborn, you can run a butter knife gently around the edges before inverting.
Q: Is Monkey Bread considered a breakfast food or a dessert?
A: Both! It’s perfectly acceptable for a special breakfast or brunch, especially with coffee. But it also makes a fantastic dessert, particularly when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream!
For more delicious recipes and baking inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest!

Easy Monkey Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Bundt pan
- Large Plastic Storage Bag (gallon-sized)
- Large, Microwave-Safe Measuring Cup
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon heaping
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cans southern style buttermilk biscuits 16 biscuits total
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Thoroughly spray your bundt pan with cooking spray, ensuring all crevices are coated.
- Step 2: In a large plastic storage bag (gallon-sized), combine 1¼ cups sugar and 1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon. Shake well to mix.
- Step 3: Remove biscuits from packaging. Cut each individual biscuit into four pieces.
- Step 4: Place about 6-7 biscuit pieces at a time into the plastic storage bag with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Seal the bag (leaving a little air) and shake until the biscuit pieces are beautifully coated. Repeat with remaining biscuit pieces.
- Step 5: Arrange all coated biscuit pieces evenly in your prepared bundt pan. Do not press them down too much.
- Step 6: In a large, microwave-safe measuring cup (or a small saucepan), melt 1 cup of butter in the microwave. Watch it so it doesn’t sputter.
- Step 7: Pour any leftover cinnamon-sugar mixture from the plastic bag into the melted butter. Stir for about 30 seconds, or until the sugar starts to dissolve. This creates a rich, sticky sauce.
- Step 8: Evenly pour the warm butter-sugar mixture over the biscuits in the bundt pan. Gently shake the pan to help the gooey mixture seep down and coat every biscuit piece.
- Step 9: Pop the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. If it browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
- Step 10: Once out of the oven, let the monkey bread cool in the pan on the counter for about 10 minutes. This allows the sauce to set. Place a large serving plate over the top of the bundt pan and, in one swift motion, flip it over. Tap the bottom gently if needed. Serve warm and enjoy pulling apart the sticky bites!
