Description
This Easy Monkey Bread Recipe features tender, cinnamon-sugar coated biscuit dough balls baked in a rich caramel sauce with pecans. It's a delightful, pull-apart treat perfect for breakfast or dessert that requires minimal prep and bakes in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 2 16 oz. packages refrigerated biscuit dough (Pillsbury Grand's Buttermilk Biscuits)
For Coating
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
For Sauce and Greasing
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter for greasing
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grease the Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heavily grease a 12-cup capacity Bundt pan with softened butter using a pastry brush or crumpled wax/parchment paper to cover all areas completely. Sprinkle ½ cup of pecans on the bottom and set aside.
- Prep the Biscuits: Cut each biscuit into 4 quarters using a pizza wheel or knife. Roll each quarter into a ball to create fluffy and visually appealing pieces.
- Coating and Layering: Whisk granulated sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large plastic bag. Add about 12 dough balls at a time into the bag and shake to coat evenly. Arrange coated dough balls evenly in the Bundt pan, layering pecans between them and offsetting so pieces do not stack directly on top of each other. Reserve leftover cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Make Caramel-Like Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine half a cup of the cinnamon-sugar mixture, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Stir occasionally until butter melts and mixture reaches a boil. Remove from heat immediately and stir in vanilla extract until sugars dissolve fully.
- Drizzle the Sauce: Pour the caramel sauce evenly over the dough balls, shaking and tilting the pan occasionally to ensure sauce reaches all areas and the bottom of the pan.
- Bake: Place the Bundt pan in the center of the oven and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until the dough is cooked through. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the biscuits should read between 190°F and 200°F.
- Cool and Invert: Let the monkey bread cool for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a large plate to remove from the pan. Brush any remaining caramel sauce from the pan over the top of the bread. Serve warm for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use Pillsbury Grand's traditional buttermilk biscuits labeled "fluffy" and avoid flaky layers biscuits as they do not hold together well in this recipe.
- The recipe yields 8 servings, making it perfect for a family brunch or small gathering.
- Chopping pecans is optional but adds a nice crunch and flavor contrast to the soft bread.
- If you don’t have a pastry brush, use crumpled wax or parchment paper to grease the pan thoroughly.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the biscuits are fully cooked for the best texture and safety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
