I love Overnight Monkey Bread. It’s like getting just the best part of a cinnamon roll, the ooey, gooey middle in every bite.
You might have also heard Monkey Bread called Bubble Bread or Pull Apart Bread-same thing different name! This makes a great food for holidays because you can prep it the night before. Perfect for Christmas morning or Easter.
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Overnight Monkey Bread
Monkey bread, also known as pull-apart bread, is a sweet, sticky, and gooey pastry that is often served as a dessert or breakfast treat. It consists of small balls of dough, which are coated in a mixture of melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon, then baked in a bundt.
The dough balls are typically made from a yeast-based dough, but recipes can also use refrigerated biscuit dough or homemade dough without yeast. We opted for a homemade version of dough for this overnight recipe.
Get it ready in the evening, let it rest in the fridge overnight, and then bake it in the morning. The prep time in the morning is short and you’ll have a real treat for breakfast. We make this for birthdays and holidays often.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Milk
- Sugar
- Salt
- Active dry yeast
- All-purpose flour plus
- Light brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Confectioners’ sugar
Recipe Instructions
- Whip up the simple dough and let it rest for about an hour.
- Cut the dough into small pieces and dip them in butter and then roll the buttered pieces in cinnamon and sugar. Place the coated dough balls in a bundt pan. Repeat with all the dough.
- Wrap up the pan and place it in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning let the dough rest for about an hour at room temperature (or while the oven preheats).
- Bake up your monkey bread.
- Mix up a little frosting drizzle.
- When the monkey bread comes out of the oven flip it out onto a platter and drizzle it with the frosting.
- Serve hot and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
You eat monkey bread by pulling off chunks with your fingers and eating it. It is loosely tied to the way monkeys groom each other. Kind of weird, but it’s so delicious you won’t think twice about it.
Monkey Bread is also known as Bubble bread, bubble loaf, sticky bread or pull-apart bread.
This is a loaded question because my monkey bread is always devoured within minutes. However, it will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
If you don’t have a bundt pan that you can use for Monkey Bread, you can bake it in a tube pan or 2 loaf pan as well.
More Recipes
- Overnight Lemon Monkey Bread
- Overnight Pumpkin Monkey Bread with Maple Icing
- Overnight Apple Fritter Monkey Bread
- Easy Pizza Monkey Bread
If you’ve tried this Overnight Monkey Bread or any other recipe on Barbara Bakes, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
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Overnight Monkey Bread
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup milk warm (about 120 degrees)
- ⅓ cup water warm (about 120 degrees)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons 1 package active dry yeast
- 3 ¼ 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
Instructions
- 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 ½ 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.
Nutrition
Overnight Monkey Bread is a recipe that you are going to make over and over again. It is quick, easy and tastes yummy.
anncoo
I just saw a blogger made this and yours looks so delicious. Wish that you can share some with me 🙂
girlichef
Oh my gosh, yum! This is a tradition I’d love to start in my own family. 😀
BethieofVA
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.
deeba
Happy New Year GF…love love love the bread, and dig the overnight idea! This is my kinda bread!! YUM!
Debbie
Yum, yum and yummy!
Rosa
It looks perfect! That is a treat I still have to try. A very interesting speciality.
Cheers,
Rosa
kristy
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
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
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
holly
This looks absolutely fabulous!!!! What neat tradition your mom started:)
Jessica
Num! Will definitely have to try this, though I don’t think I can wait for Christmas to roll around again…
Gera@SweetsFoodsBlog
I desperately have an urge to have a bite in this bread coated with sweet bliss 🙂
Have a Great 2011! 🙂
Gera
Tracy
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!
FOODESSA
A tradition…a loving memory and a cherished dessert…great combo Barbara ;o)
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
tiffany ~food finery
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.
Katie Rose
“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.
Holly
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.
April
This looks delish! I know your mom is smiling down on you!
Renata
I LOVE monkey bread! What a wonderful one you’ve made! Makes me want to grab a piece!
Bonnie
I bet your Mom is so proud of you for carrying on her tradition. And the bread looks fabulous.
Faith
Monkey bread is always a favorite! Yours looks wonderful, Barbara!