Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Monkey Bread

Dessert That’s Ready For Any Occasion Without The Fuss

Making this simple Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Monkey Bread was a joint effort and a recipe that I know you’ll love.

I was first introduced to the monkey bread recipe from my sister-in-law who says she makes it often.

“Monkey Bread is a simple recipe that I can make when guests are coming over or for the holidays”, she says.

She makes certain variations of this sweet bread depending on the holiday or time of year.

For example, during Thanksgiving, she rolls the cinnamon bits into a pumpkin sugar rather than cinnamon sugar.

There are only 6 monkey bread ingredients that you’ll need to have on hand to make this delicious recipe.

The great thing about this monkey bread recipe is how versatile it is to accommodate different flavour and texture portfolios.

My First Monkey Bread

While visiting after Covid-19 restrictions allowed for up to 5 family members to be together we made monkey bread.

This was the first time I had been exposed to this recipe although I had heard of it before.

What is Monkey Bread?

That’s exactly what I had asked her and she graced me with a simple explanation.

This is a cinnamon roll based pull-apart bread that is drenched in glaze and a buttery caramel throughout.

The picture says it all and trust me I know because I ate half of it.

I kid you not, I could not stop pulling apart cinnamon roll bits from the monkey bread and before I knew it, half was gone.

The texture was moist like you’d expect from a Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Roll but it was the extras that stood out.

While cinnamon rolls are delicious adding extra cinnamon sugar and buttery, caramel sauce marries the flavours perfectly.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Can you make monkey bread from scratch?

Of course, you can if you have the time to make homemade cinnamon rolls and then follow the next steps in the monkey bread recipe.

Not everyone has access to pre-made cinnamon rolls at the grocery store but homemade cinnamon rolls are easy to make.

However, I’m going to bet if you can make homemade cinnamon rolls you’ll love this monkey bread recipe even more.

Cost To Make

At $3-$4 for one Pillsbury Grand cinnamon roll tube(You’ll need two), this monkey bread recipe will cost around $10-$12 to make.

By the time you add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and pure vanilla extract it’s still an inexpensive holiday recipe.

“I typically make the monkey bread recipe for Christmas morning to serve with coffee while we open gifts”, she said.

Nothing smells better than cinnamon roll smells during the morning hours in the house. Nothing.

Well, maybe apple cinnamon rolls or apple pecan cinnamon rolls.

Pull-Apart Monkey Bread Variations

To switch up the monkey bread recipe you could add;

• Small chunks of granny smith apple (or your favourite baking apple)
  
• Add raisins for apples and raisins
• Chocolate chips, Butterscotch Chips, White Chocolate Chips, etc.
  
• Chopped pecans, or walnuts
• Granulated Maple Sugar instead of white granulated sugar
• Maple extract, Butter-rum extract, almond extract

Related: The Best Homemade Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Add even more flavour with blueberries for a cinnamon roll blueberry monkey bread.

Or, consider adding toppings to dip using your favourite homemade jams.

See, this is the type of recipe that everyone should stash away because you can always add to it.

Keto Monkey Bread Recipe

I’m also betting that if you make a gluten-free, keto cinnamon roll recipe that you could do the same thing using keto-approved ingredients.

Even pouring hot keto cinnamon condensed milk over the top instead of the icing would work great.

If you make the condensed milk recipe and continue to cook it you’ll find it turns to a golden caramel sauce.

Monkey Bread Muffins

“Another one of our favourites is making monkey bread muffins for Sunday morning breakfast”, she says while gobbling another piece with me.

Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups and add 3 or 4 cinnamon roll balls and drizzle with the caramel and bake.

I suppose you could also use a 9×13 baking pan and line the bottom of it with the cinnamon rolls and drizzle with the cinnamon sauce.

Again, this monkey bread is a recipe that you can go wild with and make it your signature classic.

Storage Of Monkey Bread

How Long Does Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Last?

Serve- How do you serve monkey bread? Typically I set the monkey bread in the middle of the table. Everyone has dishes and forks and pulls out pieces of the bread. You can also pull it and serve it with ice-cream or other sauces such as caramel sauce or chocolate sauce.

Store- How do you store monkey bread? We typically store the monkey bread on the counter in an airtight container or on a dome serving platter.

Freeze – Can you freeze monkey bread? No, I would not freeze monkey bread. The reason being is that it’s one of those recipes you should eat the day of or the next day.

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread Ingredients

• 2 Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Monkey Bread Step By Step

1. Using butter grease a bundt pan generously
2. Pop open two packages of Grands Cinnamon Rolls or use homemade cinnamon roll dough
3. Cut the cinnamon rolls according to the package followed by quartering them
4. In a medium-sized bowl add granulated sugar and cinnamon then mix
5. Roll your cinnamon roll quarters into balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture
6. Place the cinnamon roll balls around the base of the bundt pan for the first layer
7. Sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon sugar
8. Add a second layer of cinnamon roll balls until they are completed
9. In a small pot on medium heat add butter, pure vanilla extract, brown sugar (or yellow sugar)
10. Continue to mix until it forms a bubbly caramel sauce that is runny, about 5 minutes
11. Pour the caramel sauce mixture all over the top of the bundt pan to cover the cinnamon balls
12. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon-sugar that you have over the top
13. Bake in a 400-degree oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes
14. Using the frosting that came with your cinnamon rolls or homemade cinnamon vanilla frosting drizzle over when cooled or if you want to eat it hot from the oven drizzle on top right away.

See how easy that was?

To sum up, I hope you enjoyed this Monkey Bread recipe and check out my Free Recipe Index for more family favourites.

Discussion: What other extras would you like to add to this recipe to customize it?

Leave me your ideas below as I’d love to hear what flavours or textures you’d add.

Thanks to my sister-in-law for making her recipe with me for this blog post.

Mr.CBB