Easy Monkey Bread With Canned Biscuits and Cinnamon

If you’ve been craving a warm, sticky, shareable treat that tastes like pure comfort, this easy monkey bread is about to become one of your favorite bakes. I love making monkey bread with canned biscuits because it gives you all that classic gooey cinnamon pull-apart goodness without the extra work of making dough from scratch. It’s simple, reliable, and honestly one of the best recipes to pull out when you want something homemade that feels extra special.

The best part is how irresistible it looks and tastes straight from the pan. Every piece is coated in cinnamon sugar, baked until fluffy, and covered in a buttery brown sugar glaze that turns glossy and caramel-like in the oven. When you flip it out onto a plate, you get that beautiful golden-brown ring with soft pull-apart layers hiding inside. It’s the kind of treat that disappears fast, whether you serve it for brunch, a holiday morning, or dessert with coffee.

I especially love this recipe because it feels fun and relaxed. You don’t need fancy ingredients, advanced baking skills, or lots of prep time. If you can cut biscuit dough, shake cinnamon sugar, and melt butter, you can absolutely make this. I’m going to walk you through everything so you get tender, gooey monkey bread every single time.

Quick Recipe Info Card

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 8
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love It

• It uses canned biscuits, so it’s quick and beginner-friendly.
• You get soft, fluffy pieces with a gooey cinnamon-sugar coating.
• The brown sugar butter sauce creates that classic sticky caramel finish.
• It looks impressive on the table, but it’s secretly very easy to make.
• Perfect for breakfast, brunch, holidays, dessert, or a cozy weekend bake.
• Kids and adults both love pulling apart the warm pieces.
• You can customize it with nuts, a light glaze, or extra spice.

Nutritional Benefits and Adaptable Variations

• Portion-friendly: Because it’s pull-apart bread, you can easily serve smaller or larger portions depending on the occasion.
• Energy-rich treat: This recipe provides quick energy from carbohydrates and fats, making it a satisfying occasional indulgence.
• Add nuts for texture: Chopped pecans or walnuts can add crunch and a bit of protein.
• Try extra spice: A pinch of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice gives the cinnamon flavor more warmth.
• Make it extra sweet: A simple powdered sugar glaze drizzled on top after baking adds a bakery-style finish.
• Use less sugar if preferred: You can slightly reduce the cinnamon sugar coating for a lighter sweetness.
• Holiday twist: Add a little vanilla to the butter sauce for a deeper, cozy flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously grease a bundt pan with nonstick spray or softened butter, making sure to coat all the creases well so the monkey bread releases easily after baking.
2. Open the biscuit cans and cut each biscuit into quarters. This gives you lots of small pieces that bake up tender and easy to pull apart.
3. In a large zip-top bag or bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Add the biscuit pieces and toss or shake until they are evenly coated.
4. If you’re using nuts, sprinkle a few into the bottom of the pan. Layer about half of the coated biscuit pieces into the bundt pan, then add a few more nuts if desired. Top with the remaining biscuit pieces.
5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture evenly over the biscuit pieces in the pan. Try to cover the top as evenly as possible so the sauce can drip down into the layers.
7. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and the dough is cooked through. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Let the monkey bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. This helps the sticky glaze settle slightly while still keeping the bread warm enough to release.
9. Carefully place a serving plate over the pan and invert the monkey bread onto the plate. Let the glaze drip down naturally, then serve warm for the best gooey texture.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition values are approximate estimates and can vary based on the specific biscuit dough and optional add-ins you use.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

If you have leftovers, let the monkey bread cool completely before storing. Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate it for up to 4 days. For the best texture, warm individual portions in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds before serving.

If you want to make it ahead, you can cut and coat the biscuit pieces, arrange them in the greased pan, and refrigerate them for a few hours. Prepare and pour over the butter-brown sugar mixture just before baking for the freshest result. Because this recipe uses refrigerated dough, keep it chilled and do not leave it sitting out for extended periods before baking.

FAQ

1. Can I make monkey bread without a bundt pan?

Yes, you can use a tube pan or even a deep round baking dish if needed. A bundt pan gives the most classic shape and helps the bread bake evenly, but other well-greased pans can work too.

2. How do I know when monkey bread is fully baked?

The top should be deep golden brown, and the center pieces should look set rather than doughy. If you’re unsure, gently check the middle area with a thin knife to make sure the biscuit dough is cooked through.

3. Can I add icing on top?

Absolutely. A simple icing made from powdered sugar, milk, and a splash of vanilla is delicious on this. I recommend drizzling it lightly after the monkey bread has cooled for a few minutes.

4. Why did my monkey bread stick to the pan?

This usually happens if the pan wasn’t greased enough or the bread sat too long before being inverted. Be generous when greasing the pan, and flip the bread out after about 10 minutes of cooling.

5. Can I use different biscuit flavors or dough types?

Yes, but plain refrigerated biscuits work best for classic easy monkey bread. Buttermilk-style biscuits are especially good because they stay fluffy and balance the sweet coating nicely.

Monkey Bread With Canned Biscuits: Gooey Cinnamon Pull-Apart Recipe!

An easy monkey bread recipe made with canned biscuits, cinnamon sugar, and a buttery brown sugar glaze for a soft, gooey pull-apart treat.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 490

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Monkey Bread

• 2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough 16.3 ounces each
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Brown Sugar Butter Sauce

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional

• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
• 1 nonstick baking spray or softened butter for greasing the pan

Equipment

• 1 bundt pan well greased
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 small saucepan
• 1 knife for cutting biscuit dough
• 1 measuring cups

Method

 

Prepare the pan and dough

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a bundt pan with nonstick spray or softened butter.
2. Open the biscuit cans and cut each biscuit into quarters.
3. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Add the biscuit pieces and toss until evenly coated.

Assemble the monkey bread

1. If using nuts, sprinkle some into the bottom of the pan. Layer half of the coated biscuit pieces into the bundt pan, add more nuts if desired, then top with the remaining biscuit pieces.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture evenly over the biscuit pieces in the pan.

Bake and serve

1. Bake for 35 minutes, or until deep golden brown and cooked through. If needed, loosely tent with foil near the end of baking to prevent overbrowning.
2. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
3. Place a serving plate over the pan and carefully invert the monkey bread onto the plate. Serve warm.

Notes

Grease the pan well to prevent sticking. Serve warm for the best gooey texture. Chopped pecans add great crunch. Tent loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.