![Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread drizzled with cream cheese glaze.](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 2048 1365"></svg>)
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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: A completely indulgent breakfast recipe treat of super-soft, stretchy yeasted monkey bread dough, perfect for making ahead.
This pull-apart homemade cinnamon roll monkey bread is simply the best of what a cinnamon roll has to offer. The dough itself is incredibly soft and stretchy, and the flavors are incredible! The dough is layered in a bundt pan, along with a buttery caramel sauce, and baked until all the cinnamon sugar has become deeply caramelized. After the bread is finished baking, I top it all off with a finish of cream cheese glaze. It hits all the right notes! It’s gooey, flavorful, and so addicting you’ll keep going in for another piece of the pull-apart bread.
Don’t just save it for breakfast, either. Feel free to serve this monkey bread warm, topped with vanilla ice cream, for a show-stopping dessert too!
If you’d like cinnamon rolls but aren’t too keen on using yeast yet, try my 1-Hour No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls.
![Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread after being pulled out of the oven.](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1365 2048"></svg> "Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread is baked in a bundt pan, but can really be made in any pan you have with walls.")
What Is Monkey Bread?
Monkey bread, which can also be called pull-apart bread or bubble bread, is a soft, sticky bread that got its name from the way you eat it — pulling it apart from the way a monkey might. It’s a popular treat around the holidays or for special breakfasts. It is a Hungarian Jewish dessert, originally, that was brought to America by immigrants around the 1880s. It’s been a fan favorite ever since.
The dough is yeasted, making it incredibly soft and stretchy, giving you the ideal “pull-apart” texture. This may be an upgraded version of typical cinnamon roll monkey bread you’ve had in the past, as I also include a caramel sauce that really amps it up!
I do have other recipes for monkey bread, like my Stuffed Monkey Bread with Pecans & Caramel and Pizza Monkey Bread (Pull Apart Bread).
Can I Make Monkey Bread Overnight?
Yes! This recipe is perfect for making the night before and baking off in the morning. Simply assemble the bread in the bundt pan, wrap it well in plastic wrap, and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, be sure to let it proof for a bit longer (around 1 1/2 hours) outside of the fridge before you bake!
Does Monkey Bread Have To Be In A Bundt Pan?
Monkey bread is for the people — so don’t click out of the recipe if you don’t have a bundt pan. You can also make this recipe in a 9×13 inch (23x33cm) baking dish. To make monkey bread in a baking dish instead of a bundt pan, pour 1/2 of the caramel sauce in the bottom of the dish, arrange the cinnamon rolls in the pan, and then top with the remaining caramel sauce and bake.
Tools You Need To Make Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Mixing bowls
- Small pot
- Bundt pan or baking dish
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
- You can add 1 cup (6oz/170g) of toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts to your cinnamon filling if you wish!
- This is very sweet and rich, and it will feed a lot of people. It is also best served the day it is made. If this is for a smaller crowd, you can halve the recipe and bake it in a smaller pan, like a 9-inch (23cm) casserole dish.
- Make this for dessert instead and serve it hot, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
- This is a great make-ahead recipe — see my notes on that above.
Make More Cinnamon Rolls
If you love the idea of cinnamon rolls, I have plenty of cinnamon roll recipes for you to try!
Learn new skills and level up your baking in the Bold Baking Academy — now open for subscription, featuring the Bold Baking Concierge for direct access to Gemma & her team for all your baking help.