After her kids were grown and starting to have kids of their own my Mom started the tradition of having everyone over for breakfast Christmas morning. She would make Monkey Bread and have it on the table for everyone to snack on while she whipped up eggs and bacon and pancakes. The sweet little puffy balls coated with cinnamon and sugar would disappear one at a time until before you knew it nothing was left.
I was a pretty picky eater growing up and I didn’t love Mom’s Monkey Bread because she always added nuts to it. I’m still not crazy about nuts in baked goods, but I love Monkey Bread. It’s like getting just the best part of a cinnamon roll, the ooey, gooey middle in every bite. (Monkey Bread is also known as Bubble Bread or Pull Apart Bread.)
So this year in memory of my Mom I decided it was time to serve Monkey Bread on Christmas morning. I think Mom made it with frozen Rhodes roll dough the night before, but I wanted to make the dough from scratch. An internet search turned up tons of great recipes. I was especially attracted to the Cook’s Illustrated recipe posted by Kristin, on Picky Cook, because it uses brown sugar.
I adapted the recipe so that you don’t add all of the flour in the beginning, which gives you more control over the consistency of the dough and prevents adding too much flour, which can be a problem in my dry climate. I eliminated letting it rise in the oven because my home is generally pretty warm already. And most importantly I included directions to make it overnight so that it’s ready to bake in the morning.
adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Ingredients
- Dough
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup milk, warm (about 120 degrees)
- 1/3 cup water, warm (about 120 degrees)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 1 package rapid-rise yeast (or instant)
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for work surface*
- Brown Sugar Coating
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
- Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Directions
- Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan generously with softened butter. Set aside.
- In large measuring cup, mix together melted butter, milk, water, sugar, and salt. Stir to dissolve.
- Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast in stand mixer fitted with a beater blade. Turn machine to low and slowly add the milk mixture. After the liquids are incorporated, switch to the dough hook, increase the speed to medium and gradually add the remaining flour (add more or less as necessary*) until dough clings to the hook and almost cleans the sides. Knead until the dough is shiny and smooth, 6 to 7 minutes. You want the dough to be slightly sticky.
- Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form smooth, round ball. Coat large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place dough in bowl and coat surface of dough with cooking spray. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft free place until dough doubles in size, 50 to 60 minutes.
- While dough is rising, mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in bowl. Place melted butter in second bowl. Set aside for the sugar coating.
- Remove dough from bowl, and pat into rough 8-inch square. Using bench scraper or knife, cut dough into 64 pieces.
- Roll each dough piece into a ball. Working one at a time, dip balls in melted butter, allowing excess butter to drip back into bowl. Roll in brown sugar mixture, then layer balls in Bundt pan, staggering seams where dough balls meet as you build layers.
- Cover Bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.
- Approximately one hour before you want to bake your Monkey Bread, remove it from the refrigerator and let the dough come to room temperature and the dough will begin to rise. (It should have risen some in the refrigerator overnight.)
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap pan and bake until top is deep brown and caramel begins to bubble around edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out on platter and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
- For the glaze: While bread cools, whisk confectioners' sugar and milk in small bowl until lumps are gone. Using whisk, drizzle glaze over warm monkey bread, letting it run over top and sides of bread. Serve warm.
- *I used bread flour and used significantly less than 3 1/4 cups flour. You may need to use more or less flour depending on the flour you use and the climate you live in.
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
Monkey bread is always a favorite! Yours looks wonderful, Barbara!
I bet your Mom is so proud of you for carrying on her tradition. And the bread looks fabulous.
I LOVE monkey bread! What a wonderful one you’ve made! Makes me want to grab a piece!
This looks delish! I know your mom is smiling down on you!
So fun! I love traditions like this. I wanted to make monkey bread this year for Christmas, but didn’t get around to it. We ended up going to some friend’s house for a brunch so I just took it easy. Your bread – both versions – look delicious.
“It’s like getting just the best part of a cinnamon roll, the ooey, gooey middle in every bite.”
I’ve thought about making it before but never got around to it. You just sold it to me with the above statement, now I HAVE to make some to see what I have been missing.
my mom made hers with rhode’s too
i love that you did it from scratch! it’s really pretty… so was your sweet mommy. i love you and this post was so sweet.
A tradition…a loving memory and a cherished dessert…great combo Barbara ;o)
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
We have eaten monkey bread (or sticky bread) for about 6 years now. It’s a family favorite at my MIL’s house that I hope to continue. Your recipe looks delicious!
I desperately have an urge to have a bite in this bread coated with sweet bliss
Have a Great 2011!
Gera
Num! Will definitely have to try this, though I don’t think I can wait for Christmas to roll around again…
This looks absolutely fabulous!!!! What neat tradition your mom started:)
Mum what a delicious looking monkey bread! I remember making this and just giggling the whole time. I mean what’s not to love about it?
xxx
Bravo, you’ve doen such a great job here! I’m sure your mom would be so proud of you. It’s her tradition you’re following! Btw, I love the idea of using brown sugar. It’s so delicious! Thanks for sharing & hope you’re having a great day.
Blessings, Kristy
It looks perfect! That is a treat I still have to try. A very interesting speciality.
Cheers,
Rosa
Yum, yum and yummy!
Happy New Year GF…love love love the bread, and dig the overnight idea! This is my kinda bread!! YUM!
Looks great! Growing up my mom’s monkey bread was never sweet. She would make her dough, roll it out, cut diamond shapes, dip in butter and layer in a tube pan. She would then sit it on the hearth by the woodstove to rise. We ate it with dinner and it was a real treat. It was not till years later I see that most recipe are for the sweet version. I eat both, no problem.
Oh my gosh, yum! This is a tradition I’d love to start in my own family.
I just saw a blogger made this and yours looks so delicious. Wish that you can share some with me
what a fabulous tradition! i’m pretty sure i could eat this all up myself!
Monkey bread with homemade rolls. This has to be yummy! I have a fun recipe for Monkey Bread that uses maple syrup and orange peel for flavor. I think I will be trying your recipe soon! Have a great day.
I luv the thought of ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls in bits and chunks within a Monkey bread. I admit, though, that I do like nuts in my baked goods.
This will be my first attempt at monkey bread with your recipe!
Happy New Year to you Barbara!
It looks perfect! and very yummy. Will be trying this out later on, mokey bread is my favorite past time.
This looks fantastic. I love Monkey Bread!
This looks SO good! Can you believe the first time I ever made monkey bread was actually just 2 days ago?! I used the Rhodes dough and butterscotch pudding. It was good, but not what I thought it should be. So I am definitely going to make your recipe ASAP! Your mom would sure be proud
oh my gosh I LOVE monkey bread….haven’t had it in years but I definitely want to try this homemade version! Great post
I’ve always wanted to try monkey bread!
Of course you’re going to be amazed when I say: 1. I’ve never made it and 2. I’ve never eaten it. I mean it’s got everything I love in it. I certainly knew about it….why has this been a forgotten recipe in my life? No longer. I’m copying this right now!
I love getting this recipe. I should have had it years ago for Paul. This was his favorite thing at The Chuckarama. He always ate some as he walked around to get the rest of what he was going to eat for his meal. His motto was, Life is short, eat dessert first.
Love, Linda
I like that description of every bite being like the best bite of a cinnamon roll. Perfect!
Happy New Year Barbara! Monkey Bread is on my to-do list this year, and I love the idea of one that rises overnight, very handy. I love that oozy shot, and brown sugar, oh my! Definitely going to try this Cook’s Illustrated recipe soon, thanks
Such a yummy & lovely family tradition, it looks so tasty.
Barbara, you are a great baker. I envy you for that. Lovely monkey bread!
Thank you for the homemade version. I make it with can biscuit dough and we call it Monkey Brain. I’m making yours this weekend. Susie
Passss….. I love putting sweet dough like this in the fridge and baking it in the morning.
Ooh this does look good. I love the thought of eating the inside bit of the buns!
I’ve never tried Monkey Bread, but this looks amazing! I don’t have a bundt pan, though. I assume it will work well in a loaf pan too?
What a nice tradition to carry on! Gotta love monkey bread.
The name Monkey Bread always makes me smile and the first place I saw it was on Not Quite Nigella. I hope to get around to trying it some day!
I LOVE Monkey Bread but haven’t had it in ages! We used to get it on vacation in FL when I was a kid.
My new year resolutions are going to be tough to keep with this recipe fresh in my mind now!
Looks wonderful!
mmm this monkey bread looks spectacular! what an awesome breakfast treat!
This is so not fair – I want some RIGHT NOW!! ::drool::
Monkey bread for breakfast on Christmas morning sounds like a winning tradition. Your version looks out of this world. I’d love to just grab a piece
This looks so great. What a nice way to start Christmas morning!
What a lovely tradition ~ Something I should give a try.
Hi, Happy new year, Barbara! I really need to catch up with blogging again
It is great to carry on your mom’s tradition… should definitely try this Monkey Bread. The glaze and brown sugar drips just make it so irresistable!
One of Josh’s favorite things:) Great tradition!