Go Back
4.71 from 34 votes
Secret Monkey Bread Recipe with Pecans & Caramel
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
proofing time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

My homemade Monkey Bread recipe is made from scratch featuring sweet, cinnamon-dusted dough, toasted pecans, and a rich caramel sauce.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 554 kcal
Author: Gemma Stafford
Ingredients
To Make the Sweet Dough:
  • 3 1/4 cups (1 lb 1oz/461g ) all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon (6g/1/4 oz) active dried yeast
  • 1/4 cup (2oz/57g) sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup (8floz/225ml) milk
  • 1/3 cup (2 1/2floz/71ml) water
  • 2 tablespoons (1oz/28g) butter , divided
  • 1/2 cup (4oz/115g) cream cheese (for stuffing)
  • 1 cup (5oz/142g) toasted pecan , chopped
To Make the Caramel Sauce:
  • 1 cup (8oz/225g) butter
  • 2 cups (12oz/340g) packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (4floz/115ml) heavy cream
  • pinch of salt
To Make the Cinnamon Sugar:
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
To Make the Sweet Dough:
  1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a standing mixer fitted with dough hook.

  2. In a microwavable measuring jug, heat together the milk, water, butter until luke warm and the butter is melted.

  3. Turn the machine on low and slowly add the milk mixture. Mix for 2 minutes to wake up the yeast.
  4. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is shiny and smooth, 6-8 minutes. The dough is supposed to be saggy and on the wet side.

  5. Coat a large bowl with vegetable oil (or any flavorless oil). Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat lightly.

  6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, 1 ½ -2 hours.

To Make the Caramel:
  1. by combining the ingredients in a pot and heating until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. set aside to cool.

  2. To form the bread, gently remove the dough from the bowl and knead lightly on a floured surface knocking out the air.
  3. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into big and small pieces, a nice mix.
  4. For the secret ingredient: Smear some cream cheese in the middle of some dough pieces (do as many as you want).

  5. Wrap the dough around the cream cheese sealing it in a ball. Pinch to secure closed.
  6. In a large bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon and toss in your dough pieces covering each piece generously.

To Assemble the Monkey Bread:
  1. In a Bundt pan, Drizzle in a layer of the caramel sauce and ⅓ of the pecans.

  2. Layer in ½ of the dough pieces.

  3. Repeat the second layer by scatter on another ⅓ of the pecans and go another round with the caramel sauce.

  4. Top off with the remaining dough pieces, pecans and the last of the caramel sauce.

  5. Cover the Bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap and let the monkey bread rise at room temperature for 25-30 minutes or until puffy and they have risen 1-2 inches from the top of the pan (To make the day before refrigerate the bread once assembled, bake the next day)

  6. Heat the oven to 350oF (180oC). Unwrap the pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is beautifully brown and caramel begins to bubble around edges.

  7. Cool the monkey bread in the pan for 5 minutes (any longer and the bread will be too sticky and hard to remove!), then turn out on a platter or large plate and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Enjoy straight away!
  8. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 3 days.

Watch the Recipe Video!

Nutrition Facts
Secret Monkey Bread Recipe with Pecans & Caramel
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 554 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 62mg21%
Sodium 527mg23%
Potassium 91mg3%
Carbohydrates 72g24%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 48g53%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 700IU14%
Vitamin C 0.8mg1%
Calcium 50mg5%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.