Monkey Bread – an easy version made with canned biscuits, butter, and brown sugar for a simple breakfast treat.
WHAT IS MONKEY BREAD?
Monkey bread is a pull-apart pastry made from biscuit dough pieces coated in cinnamon sugar and baked in a buttery brown sugar sauce, traditionally in a Bundt pan. If you don’t have a Bundt pan, a 9×13 baking dish works fine—your bread will still be sticky, sweet, and easy to pull apart.
HOW TO MAKE MONKEY BREAD
Start with refrigerated biscuit dough. Separate and quarter each biscuit into bite-sized pieces.
If you want a richer version—often called gorilla bread—place a small cube of cream cheese inside each biscuit piece before sealing it. The cream cheese melts while baking, adding a creamy center to each bite.
Roll each biscuit piece in cinnamon sugar until well coated.
Arrange the coated pieces in a greased Bundt pan, layering evenly. Sprinkle chopped nuts in the bottom of the pan if you like a crunchy layer.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter with packed brown sugar and a portion of the reserved cinnamon sugar, stirring until the sugar just dissolves. Pour this syrup evenly over the arranged biscuit pieces.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Let the pan cool for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a plate so the sticky glaze covers the top. Serve warm for best pull-apart texture.
MONKEY BREAD WITH CREAM CHEESE
Gorilla bread is a beloved variation of monkey bread where each biscuit piece is stuffed with cream cheese before being coated and baked. That creamy center creates an indulgent contrast with the sweet, cinnamon-butter glaze.
I first made gorilla bread during a time when I was staying with family and we were experimenting with new recipes every Thursday. The memory of opening biscuit cans—once with an unexpected burst and biscuits flying—still makes me laugh. These shared kitchen moments are part of what makes this simple, comforting recipe so memorable.
GORILLA BREAD
Gorilla bread amps up monkey bread by stuffing cream cheese into each biscuit piece, then coating them in butter, cinnamon sugar, and optional nuts for extra texture and flavor.
OTHER BREAKFAST RECIPES:
- French Toast Roll-Ups
- Jelly Roll Pancakes
- Fluffy Pancakes
- Cheesy Baked Eggs
- French Toast
- Confetti Bacon Hash Brown Casserole
- Martha’s Breakfast Casserole
- Blueberry Croissant Puff
- Banana Muffins
- Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Bake
Monkey Bread
Christy Denney
Ingredients
- 3 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits, quartered
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, (optional for gorilla bread)
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, (optional)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
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If making gorilla bread: cut cream cheese into 24 equal cubes. Gently press each biscuit piece flat, add a cube of cream cheese, then wrap and seal the dough around it.
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Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of the pan if using. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll each biscuit piece in the cinnamon sugar (or place them in a bag with the sugar and shake). Arrange the coated pieces in the Bundt pan and reserve a little of the cinnamon sugar for the sauce.
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In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter with brown sugar and 1/2 cup of the reserved cinnamon sugar, stirring until the sugar barely dissolves. Pour the mixture over the biscuits in the pan.
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Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm.
