Name: Sticky Monkey Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 32 oz refrigerated biscuit dough (2 cans); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional); 1 cup packed light brown sugar; 3/4 cup butter, melted

The kitchen timer ticked against the metal fridge door on Sunday morning while I tried to remember why I bought two cans of biscuit dough in the first place. This classic monkey bread brings sticky caramel pulls to our table faster than almost anything else I bake.

It is messy and sweet, and the pull-apart ring disappears long before the plate cools down. Two cans of refrigerated biscuit dough, a bundt pan, and about 55 minutes is all you need.

Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 35 minutes · Total: about 55 minutes · Serves: 16

How do you keep monkey bread from sticking to the bundt pan? Grease the bundt pan thoroughly, reaching every ridge and corner, before adding the dough pieces.

Neither of the recipes I worked from mentions an exact pan size or release agent type, so in my own kitchen I use a generous smear of softened butter and a light dusting of flour. That ensures the caramel releases cleanly when you invert the warm pan.

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Grab These Ingredients

32 oz refrigerated biscuit dough (2 cans)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted

Picking the Right Ingredients

The refrigerated biscuit dough forms the entire foundation of this bake, and standard canned dough from any normal grocery store works best. I’ve found that separating the biscuits while they are still chilled helps them hold their shape when you cut them into quarters.

The brown sugar and melted butter combine to create the sticky glaze that thickens as it bakes in the oven. Since none of the classic sources specify a single brand of butter, I just use regular salted or unsalted sticks from my fridge and it turns out fine.

The optional chopped pecans add a nice crunch if you want to break up the soft texture of the bread. You can easily leave them out if you have picky eaters at the table, and the recipe still comes out sweet and sticky.

Step-by-Step Directions

Grease the pan. Grease the bundt pan thoroughly, sides included, because every ridge is a place for caramel to weld.
Mix the coating. Whisk the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together in a medium bowl until fully combined.
Cut the dough. Cut each refrigerated biscuit into quarters using a dull kitchen knife or clean kitchen shears.
Coat the pieces. Toss the dough pieces in the cinnamon sugar and shake off the excess so loose sugar doesn’t pool at the bottom.
Layer the bundt. Drop the coated dough pieces into the greased bundt pan, scattering the chopped pecans between the layers if you are using them.
Melt the glaze. Stir the packed light brown sugar into the melted butter until it forms a thick and glossy liquid.
Pour the glaze. Pour the brown sugar and butter glaze over the layered dough, not underneath it, so it runs down through the pieces as it bakes.
Bake the bread. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes, until golden and no longer doughy in the middle.
Invert the pan. Cool 3 to 5 minutes, then invert while still warm so the caramel doesn’t set in the pan and tear the bread.

How to Store It

Leftovers keep in a covered container at room temperature for a couple of days, though the crust loses its crispness by morning. You can warm individual portions in the microwave for ten seconds to get the caramel soft again.

None of the classic sources give official storage rules, so I just go by what tastes good the next day. Freezing the baked bread isn’t something I recommend because the soft dough turns dense and spongy once it thaws out.

It is best eaten warm on the morning you bake it.

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