Description
This easy monkey bread recipe is a delightful pull-apart treat made with Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits coated in a cinnamon-cardamom sugar mixture, layered with pecans, and smothered in a rich caramel-like sauce. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, it’s simple to prepare and irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Pan Preparation
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter for greasing
Dough
- 2 16 oz. packages refrigerated biscuit dough (Pillsbury Grand's Buttermilk Biscuits, not flaky layers)
Coating
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
Optional
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Caramel Sauce
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (or salted, omit additional salt)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grease the Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heavily grease a 12-cup capacity Bundt pan with softened butter using a pastry brush or a crumpled piece of wax/parchment paper. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with ½ cup pecans and set aside.
- Prep the Biscuits: Cut each biscuit into 4 quarters and roll each quarter into a ball for fluffier texture and appearance.
- Coating and Layering: Mix granulated sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a freezer-size plastic bag. Add about 12 biscuit balls at a time, shake to coat evenly, then layer them in the Bundt pan, adding pecans between layers and offsetting balls to avoid stacking.
- Make the Caramel-Like Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine half a cup of the cinnamon-sugar mixture, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until butter melts and mixture boils. Remove from heat immediately, stir in vanilla, and continue stirring until sugars dissolve.
- Drizzle the Sauce: Pour the caramel sauce evenly over the dough balls in the pan, occasionally shaking and tilting the pan to ensure even distribution and sauce reaches the pan bottom.
- Bake: Bake in the center of the oven at 350°F for 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the dough reads 190°F to 200°F.
- Cool and Invert: Allow monkey bread to cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a large plate. Brush any remaining sauce from the pan over the top. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use Pillsbury Grand's traditional buttermilk biscuits, not the flaky layers version, for best results as flaky biscuits won’t hold together well.
- To make cleanup easier, grease the pan thoroughly, especially the nooks and crannies, to prevent caramel from sticking.
- Rolling biscuit quarters into balls is optional but helps create fluffier and more visually appealing pieces.
- Pecans are optional but add a nice crunch and flavor contrast.
- Serve the monkey bread warm for the best gooey texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
