Aman

A collection of tiny balls of cinnamon-sugar goodness made from chewy, fluffy cinnamon.

Sweets are my favorite breakfast food. Although I love savories first, I always prefer to end with something sweet after a good breakfast. Monkey bread, perhaps?

These little balls of cinnamon-sugar goodness are so easy to pull apart. Monkey bread is a must-try if this is the first time you have tried it. It’s a cross between a cinnamon roll and a pull-apart bread. Eating with your hands makes it much more enjoyable than using a knife or fork. You can use your hands to get those sweet little clouds of sweetness. Monkey bread should be enjoyed warm with those you love.

What is monkey bread?

Although it is called monkey bread, its name has nothing to do with bananas or monkeys. Monkey bread is a cinnamon sugar, pull-apart bread baked inside a bundt tray. It is made from soft, crumbly pieces of sweet dough that have been dipped into cinnamon sugar and baked until they are lovely and gooey.

How to make monkey bread

1. Make the dough. Use your stand mixer to do the heavy lifting. You only need to knead the dough with a dough hook.
2. Allow it to rest. Once your dough is done, it’s time to let it rest so that it can puff up. It’s time for a cup of tea or coffee.
3. Form the dough into balls. Now it’s time for you to shape the dough into small balls.
4. Dip the balls. Once the balls have been shaped, dip them into brown butter with cinnamon and sugar. Place everything in a bundt pan.
5. Bake. Cook until golden and gooey.
6. Sprinkle. Add vanilla icing to the top while it’s still warm, so it melts into every crevice.
7. Enjoy it! Take it out while it’s still warm!

Monkey bread ingredients

Yeast This recipe uses active dry yeast that needs to be dissolved in some liquid before it can be used. In this instance, we will sprinkle it on top of milk. Instant yeast can be used, but it will make a slight difference. Your rolls may rise slightly faster depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Milk I use 2% milk, but any milk will do. Oat or almond milk will also work. The milk should be warmed up in the microwave. I usually heat it for 20 seconds.

Eggs This is an extra-rich dough that has eggs in it. This monkey bread recipe has eggs. This dough has an extra layer of flavor and texture that eggs add to it.

Bread flour This is an important one. While you might be tempted to use all-purpose flour, it is possible. However, monkey bread made with bread flour will be fluffy and soft with the right chew. Bread flour is a better choice than all-purpose because it has more protein. The dough also contains more gluten, which makes the monkey bread balls soft and chewy.

Cinnamon Fresh cinnamon is the best! So that each bite is full of cinnamon goodness, we’re going with a high cinnamon-to-sugar ratio.

Butter I love how to brown butter enhances the flavor of baked goods. This monkey bread is made even more delicious with brown butter!

What is brown butter?

Brown butter, also known in French as beurre noisette (hazelnut butter in French), is a delicious and unique concoction originally used in savory French dishes but is now used wherever butter is used. It is deep golden brown, flecked in brown bits, nutty, and highly aromatic. Brown butter is the perfect flavor.

Browned butter adds flavor to baked goods with just a little effort. Browned butter adds a caramel-like roundness to this monkey bread and highlights the cinnamon sugar, making it delicious.

monkey Bread Recipe

Serves

Five of 4 votes

Prep Time1 hourCook Time35 minutesTotal Time1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

Monkey Bread

• 3/4 cup warm milk 110oF
• 2 1/4 tsp active yeast, one envelope
• 1/4 cup sugar
• One egg room temp
• One egg yolk additional, room temp
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 cups bread flour, 360g all-purpose flour + 3.57g vital yeast gluten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Brown Butter Cinnamon Sugar

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1.5 tbsp cinnamon

Vanilla Icing

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Special Equipment

• 6-cup bundt pan

 Instructions

• Add the milk to the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow the yeast to foam for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the sugar, egg yolk, and butter. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon to form a ball of dough.
• For 8 minutes, knead the dough hook at medium speed. Alternately, you can knead the dough by hand for 8-10 mins on a floured work surface. Place the dough in a large bowl with oil.
• Place plastic wrap on top of the towel. Let rise for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until it doubles.
• Brown the butter by adding 1/2 cup butter to a saucepan. Stir until butter foams turn brown and smell nutty. Set aside the butter to cool off from the heat. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
• Form the balls. Divide the dough into small balls about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Each ball should weigh approximately 15 grams if you are trying to be exact.
• Roll the cinnamon sugar mixture in the brown butter, then dip the balls. Each coated ball should be placed in a lightly buttered bundt pan. Continue this process until all the dough is used up. Let the bundt pan rise for 20 minutes by covering it with plastic wrap.
• Turn the oven on to 350°F. Optional: Mix the brown butter leftovers with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2-4 tablespoons extra butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla while the oven heats up. Before you bake the monkey bread, make sure to pour the brown butter syrup into the bundt pan evenly.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. If the top begins to brown too fast, cover it with foil. Cool for about 5-10 minutes before carefully inverting onto a large plate.
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl to make the icing. Apply generously. Keep warm