Monkey Bread
Fresh out of the oven, this monkey bread will have you drooling. The smell alone is an indicator of how delectable this treat is. Monkey bread is a sweet, sticky, cinnamon bread and it’s downright delicious. It is a perfect “something sweet” to join your breakfast and keep everyone satisfied.
Full transparency, I am not sure why it is called Monkey bread because there definitely are no monkeys in the recipe. What I do know is that all the hype about this sinful treat is valid. Like I said before it is a perfect sugary addition to breakfast due to the fact it is very simple to make and easy to eat. The bread is made so that pieces can easily be pulled apart with your hands, no utensils are needed.
Ingredients You Will Need:
The ingredients you will need for this monkey bread are extremely simple. To make it better, these are ingredients that you should already have at home. The first thing you will need to make is a simple biscuit dough that consists of flour, a little bit of baking powder, butter, and the secret ingredient of buttermilk. The buttermilk adds moisture to the dough and the perfect amount of tanginess that you need to balance the sweetness. Buttermilk is a staple in the majority of my recipes, so I highly recommend always keeping it on hand. The other component of this recipe is the cinnamon sugar mixture which is just ground cinnamon from the brand that gives the best flavor, McCormick, and sugar. Yes, it is that simple!
Make The Dough:
The first step is to create the dough. For the dough you are going to mix all the ingredients in one bowl, you’ll thank me later. If short on time, feel free to use your favorite pre-made biscuit dough. I suggest using the Pillsbury one. Once the ingredients have come together into a smooth dough, you are going to want to portion it out into small dough balls as you see above.
The Sauce:
My favorite part of the whole dish is how sweet it is. I am very much of a sweet tooth. Monkey bread gets the sweetness from its “sauce”. The sauce is even more simple than the dough. All you have to do is melt together butter and brown sugar. At this point, I am sure you are well aware this treat is not healthy at all. But if we are being honest, isn’t that what makes it the perfect guilty pleasure? Pour about half of the completed sauce into a greased bundt pan. On top of this sauce are going to be the dough balls that you have rolled generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Once all the dough has been used, pour the remaining goodness all over it.
At The Finish Line:
With all the preparation done, it is time to bake! Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remember, every oven is different. Your time to bake may vary. Before you flip your creation, let it cool for about 10 minutes. Flipping a pan is always scary even for me and that’s saying a lot as I have done it more times than I can count. I mean I even flip cakes and I still get nervous. The best thing to do to avoid sticking or a imperfect monkey bread is to ensure the bundt pan is greased up all over. I like to use cooking spray and be sure to be generous with it. However, even with all of that there is still going to be times where it gives you trouble and honestly who cares. It is still going to taste amazing and that’s all we care about!
Everyone should experience the taste of this monkey bread at least once in their life. If baking is not your thing, do not be discouraged, this is a perfect beginner recipe. Now let’s dive into the recipe!
Monkey Bread Recipe
What you will need:
Cinnamon Mixture
3/4 Cup of butter
1 1/2 Cups of brown sugar
1/2 Cup of granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
Bread Dough
4 Cups of flour
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
3/4 Cup of salted butter
1 1/4 Cups of buttermilk
Making the Cinnamon Sugar Mix:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a bundt pan with non-stick spray.
Melt together 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar and butter on the stove until it creates a smooth, thick paste. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together cinnamon and 1/2 cup of granulated white sugar. Set aside for later use. We will be using this mixture to roll the dough in.
Preparing the dough:
In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add 3/4 cup of melted butter and buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Knead the mixture until it forms a smooth dough.
Assemble:
Pour 1/2 of the brown sugar and butter paste mixture that was prepared in “Step 2” at the bottom of the greased bundt pan.
Tear apart 1-inch chunks of dough and roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place in the bundt pan.
Pour the remaining butter/brown sugar mixture over the dough balls.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling and the knife inserted comes out clean
Let cool for about 10 minutes and flip the Monkey Bread out of the pan.
Enjoy and share with your loved ones!