The Perfect Monkey Bread: Getting It Out Intact

Monkey bread is a sweet, gooey, tear-and-share treat that is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a snack. It is made by baking individual balls of dough together in a pan and then pulling it apart with your fingers or a fork to eat. The dough can be homemade or store-bought, and the bread can be customised with add-ins like dried fruits, nuts, and spices. While a Bundt pan is the most traditional, monkey bread can also be made in a tube pan, loaf pan, or muffin cups.

Using a bundt pan

Step 1: Prepare the Bundt Pan

Before you start making your monkey bread, it's important to grease your bundt pan well. You can use butter or non-stick spray to ensure the bread doesn't stick to the pan. Some recipes suggest that greasing isn't necessary, but it's always better to be safe than sorry!

Step 2: Assemble the Monkey Bread

Follow your chosen monkey bread recipe to prepare the dough and coating. Then, arrange the coated dough balls in the bundt pan. You can create one or two layers of dough balls, depending on the size of your pan. Just make sure not to overcrowd the pan, as the dough needs room to rise and bake evenly.

Step 3: Bake the Monkey Bread

Preheat your oven to the temperature specified in your recipe. Place the bundt pan on a lower rack in the oven to prevent the top of the monkey bread from burning. Bake for the recommended time, usually around 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover the pan with foil.

Step 4: Cool and Invert the Monkey Bread

Once the monkey bread is baked, let it cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Then, place a large serving plate or cake stand over the bundt pan and carefully invert the pan, releasing the monkey bread onto the plate. This step is important, as it gives monkey bread its distinctive shape and allows for the pull-apart serving style.

Step 5: Drizzle with Icing or Sauce (Optional)

If you want to add a sweet glaze or sauce to your monkey bread, now is the time to do it. Whisk together a simple icing of confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, and drizzle it over the warm monkey bread. Alternatively, you could make a caramel sauce or use store-bought caramel sauce to pour over the bread.

Step 6: Serve and Store

Monkey bread is best served warm, straight out of the oven. It's meant to be pulled apart with your fingers or a fork, so there's no need for slicing. If you have any leftovers, cover them tightly and store them at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also freeze monkey bread for up to three months.

Using a loaf pan

Monkey bread can be made in a loaf pan, a bundt pan, a cake pan, or a tube pan. If you are using a loaf pan, you can follow the below steps:

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

First, prepare the dough. Monkey bread dough can be made with a mixer or by hand. If using a mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Add instant yeast, flour, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk until blended. Then, add milk, water, and butter to a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup and heat in the microwave until the butter has melted and the mixture is very warm but not hot to the touch (about 120-130°F). Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until the dough is soft, loose, and cohesive. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it forms a ball that springs back when you press it. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Make the Coating

Next, make the coating for the dough. Melt some butter and place it in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Step 3: Cut and Coat the Dough

Cut the dough into small pieces (about 36 pieces for two loaf pans). Dip each piece of dough into the melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the coated dough pieces into your loaf pan, which has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 4: Make the Topping

Make the topping by melting the remaining butter and stirring in brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour this mixture over the dough pieces in the loaf pan.

Step 5: Let the Dough Rise

Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, which should take about 45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Step 6: Bake the Monkey Bread

Bake the monkey bread for about 20 minutes, or until it is golden and cooked through. If you plan to remove the monkey bread from the pan for serving, let it cool for 5 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a serving plate.

Storage

Monkey bread is best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Using a tube pan

To get monkey bread out of a tube pan, first, let the bread sit in the pan on a cooking rack for 10 to 15 minutes after baking. Protect your hands with oven mitts as the pan will be hot, then slowly lift the pan, letting gravity coax the bread out in one piece. Turn the pan over onto a plate and let everyone pull it apart.

If you are making a monkey bread with a sweet sauce, do not use a two-piece tube pan with a removable bottom, as the sauce will leak out.

Using a muffin tin

Monkey bread muffins are a fun and easy alternative to traditional monkey bread. They are perfect for portion control and can be made with minimal effort. Here is a step-by-step guide to making monkey bread using a muffin tin:

Ingredients:

• 2 (7.5-ounce) packages of refrigerated biscuit dough (Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers Original Biscuits are often recommended)
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon (adjust to preference)

Optional Ingredients:

• Confectioner's sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Milk
• Pecan pieces

Method:

• Preheat your oven to between 350°F and 400°F.
• Grease a muffin tin with non-stick spray, butter, or shortening. Be sure to coat the bottoms and sides of each muffin cup.
• In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar.
• In a separate bowl, combine the white sugar and cinnamon. If you are adding extra spices, such as pumpkin pie spice, add them to this mixture.
• Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces. You can tear them by hand or use a knife to cut them.
• Take each piece of biscuit dough and roll it into a ball.
• Dip each ball of dough into the melted butter and brown sugar mixture, ensuring each piece is well coated.
• Roll the butter-coated dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Be generous, and use more sugar if needed.
• Place 8-10 pieces of the coated dough into each muffin cup, filling them evenly.
• If desired, sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture on top of the muffins.
• Bake for 14 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
• Allow the muffins to cool for about 1 minute, then turn the pan upside down to remove them. They should slide out easily.
• If desired, make a simple glaze by whisking together confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Drizzle this glaze over the warm muffins before serving.

Tips:

• Monkey bread muffins are best served warm, but they do not need to be refrigerated. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• You can also freeze the muffins for up to 3 months and thaw them to room temperature before serving.
• If you want to add a sticky caramel glaze, heat the butter, brown sugar, and a little water in a saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Drizzle this over the muffins before serving.

Using a cake pan

Monkey bread is typically made in a Bundt pan, but it can also be made in a loaf pan. Here are some tips for getting monkey bread out of a cake pan:

Preparing the Pan

Before you start making your monkey bread, grease your cake pan with butter or non-stick spray. This will make it easier to remove the bread from the pan after baking.

Baking the Monkey Bread

As monkey bread typically expands while baking, use a large enough cake pan to allow for this expansion. You may need to adjust your baking time to ensure the centre of the monkey bread is fully baked. Keep an eye on the bread while it's in the oven, and cover the pan loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly.

Removing the Monkey Bread from the Pan

Allow the monkey bread to cool for about 15 to 30 minutes before turning it out onto a plate. If it doesn't slide out of the pan easily, give it a few gentle taps until it comes out.

Frequently asked questions