Here is the best monkey bread recipe! I love a good dessert, but I always struggle with time. When it comes to baking something for my loved ones, my favorite go-to is this easy monkey bread recipe.

I’ve tried many monkey bread recipes, from the classic one to many different reinterpretations such as pizza monkey bread. What makes this monkey bread recipe with frozen bread dough so special is how easy it is to bake. 

Your taste buds will thank you for this sweet, yummy dessert. My mouth is already watering at the thought of it! 

Keep reading to find out how to make this frozen bread dough monkey bread.

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What is Monkey Bread?

Firstly, what exactly is monkey bread, and what does its name stand for? 

Even though monkey bread is an American dish, you can trace its origins back to Europe. 

It comes from the Hungarian dish called Arany Galuska or “the golden dumpling”. It was brought to America by Hungarian Jewish immigrants in the twentieth century. 

Monkey bread became popular in the United States after Nancy Reagan served it for Christmas in the ’80s. The recipe was mentioned before in magazines or newspapers, but it didn’t appear in the spotlight until the White House Christmas. 

The name comes from the fact that you usually eat it with your fingers, just like a monkey. It is a pull-apart bread, difficult to cut, so the best option is to get your fingers dirty! 

Things You’ll Need for Monkey Bread Recipe with Frozen Bread Dough

This monkey bread with frozen bread dough will allow you to bake a flavorful dessert with accessible ingredients and save some time!

Making monkey bread with bread dough will help you speed up the cooking process without interfering with the taste or the overall look of the dessert.

Buy frozen bread dough here

Here is what you will need for monkey bread with frozen dough:

Ingredients

• 3lb of frozen bread dough ( you can use Rhodes Bake-N-Serv® White Bread) (1300g)
• 2 cups of sugar (white or brown) (400 g)
• 5 tablespoons of cinnamon powder (75 g)
• 2 sticks of butter (225 g)
• Vanilla extract (optional)
• Nuts and dried fruits  (optional)

How to make Monkey Bread with Frozen Bread Dough – Step by Step Guide

1. To make this monkey bread from frozen dough, you need to prepare a tube pan for baking. 
2. Prepare the pan to keep the dough from sticking. Use a baking spray or coat it in butter.  
3. Prepare your working space. I usually use a piece of baking paper to protect my counter and make the clean-up easier. 
4. Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ (180℃).
5. Cut the pre-made bread dough into small pieces. The size of a dough piece should be about the size of a walnut (the dough will increase in size). Consider that monkey bread is a sweet pull-apart dish, and the pieces should be the size of a bite. A good tip to keep your hands clean is to use oil. The dough doesn’t stick to oily or greasy hands.

After the dough is cut into small pieces, it’s time to assembly the monkey bread dough. For the next steps, you’ll need butter, sugar, and cinnamon.

6. Melt the butter until it is liquid. You can do this on the stove or in the microwave. I find it easier to melt the butter in the microwave. You can add the vanilla extract to the melted butter to enhance the flavor.
7. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together. The quantities provided are approximative, as it really depends on your taste. Keep in mind that cinnamon is very flavored and a little goes a long way.
8. You can make the mixture as you like it by changing the quantities of sugar and cinnamon. If you prefer a sweeter dish, add more sugar or less cinnamon. On the other hand, if you want a more flavored dessert, add more cinnamon. 
9. Keep the melted butter, cinnamon-sugar mixture, and the tube pan at hand. 
10. Take each piece of bread dough and dip it in melted butter. After that, roll it in the cinnamon and sugar mixture and put it into the pan. If you run out of melted butter or cinnamon and sugar, you can always add more during the process and continue coating the pieces.
11. When assembling the dough into the pan apply small amounts of pressure to stick the pieces together. This will assure that your monkey bread won’t fall apart when you take it out of the pan. 
12. You can add nuts and dried fruits while placing the pieces into the pan. I like to use raisins and walnuts, but there are numerous options to choose from. 
13. If there is any melted butter left in the end, you can add it to the pan. Pour it on top of the dough and put the monkey bread in the oven. If your oven has a fan, it’s best to use it to avoid burning!
14. Let it sit in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until it has a golden color. 
15. Take the monkey bread out of the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Substitution of ingredients

This gooey monkey bread with frozen bread dough is a simple monkey bread recipe. However, its simplicity allows you to let your imagination run wild.

This is what I love the most about monkey bread. 

Buy frozen bread dough here

Are you thinking about what ingredients you can replace? Here are some ideas to what you can do:

Even when it comes to dough you have many possibilities.

I sometimes replace the monkey bread recipe with frozen bread dough with an easy Monkey Bread with pre-made Pillsbury dough. It’s almost the same process with this easy monkey bread recipe with 1 can of biscuits. 

 When I have time, I make a monkey bread recipe from scratch. It’s easy to make the dough, but it requires some time. Although the monkey bread frozen dough requires little to no effort, sometimes I enjoy preparing the dough myself.

Take a look at how to make the monkey bread dough recipe! 

You need white flour (choose a good quality one), milk, dry yeast, and butter.

• Mix 1 ½ cups of flour with 2 teaspoons of dry yeast. Dissolve 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a pinch of vanilla extract in 1 cup of milk. 
• Add the milk to the flour and yeast (the milk must not be hot because it will reduce the effectiveness of the yeast). Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes.
• Mix them until you have a non-sticky dough. You can add more flour if needed. Add melted butter until the dough has an elastic texture. Knead the dough (use a stretch and fold technique) and let it sit in a warm place for 30 minutes or until it doubles its size.
• After the dough is ready, follow the steps for the monkey bread with biscuits.

Don’t be shy and spice things up! Other replaceable ingredients are nuts and dried fruits. Try different kinds of flavors by adding different types of nuts or fruits every time.

To transform this “frozen” monkey bread into a gluten-free monkey bread, choose a gluten-free pre-made dough or make it yourself using gluten-free ingredients. 

Some other options worth trying are vegan monkey bread, monkey bread with Rhodes rolls, Banana monkey bread, or monkey bread with crescent rolls.

Depending on your preferences, this classic recipe can transform from a dessert into a snack or main course.

Tips on Serving Monkey Bread with Frozen Bread Dough

Bring the Holidays’ spirit into your home with monkey bread! This dessert is usually a festive one, but there is no rule in when or where to serve it. 

You can use it as a festive dish, share it with your dear ones or have a snack while binge-watching your favorite show. 

How to store Monkey Bread with Frozen Bread Dough

Monkey bread is best served warm, but you can still enjoy the flavors the next day. You can deposit the left-overs for about 3-4 days. 

It’s best to keep left-overs covered. Otherwise, the monkey bread will harden over time. You can refrigerate them in a casserole or simply keep them in your kitchen.

Recipe Card: Monkey Bread Recipe with Frozen Bread Dough