This monkey bread with ice cream is one of the reasons why I enjoy baking. I simply love this recipe and I like to treat my dear ones once in a while by serving this monkey bread with caramel ice cream topping on a Sunday morning. 

From where I stand, ice cream is a blessing in any dessert, and adding it to this sweet pull-apart bread is totally amazing.

I usually like to use vanilla ice cream as I am a big fan of this flavor and I feel like it adds a unique aroma to the bread in combination with sugar and cinnamon. 

This recipe for ice cream bread is an absolute hit and a must-do if you are a fan of ice cream and monkey bread! Keep reading to find out some good tips for baking and the secrets behind this delicious dish! 

This post contains affiliate links. See our disclosure policy here.

What is Monkey Bread?

• 

• 

Almost every time I decide to make a recipe, I like to do some digging and research on the background of the dish. Most times I am surprised to find many interesting facts and information that I decided to share here. 

One day, while gathering my ingredients to bake this dessert, I began to wonder why is monkey bread called monkey bread? What could be the link between a monkey and bread?

Surprisingly, I found out that the name comes from the fact that this dessert is usually pulled apart and eaten with your hands, just like a monkey would do. Moreover, the origins of this dish can be traced back to Europe – specifically Hungary. It was first documented by the name of arany galuska – “the golden dumpling”- and was brought to America by Jewish Hungarian immigrants who opened traditional bakeries. 

This dish’s popularity increased when Nancy Reagan served it at the White House for Christmas and from then on it could be found in any cooking book or guide as an American staple dessert. 

Things You’ll Need for Monkey Bread with Ice Cream

• 

• 

Baking caramel pull-aparts with ice cream may sound like a difficult task, but in reality, it’s a piece of cake. Here is a list of ingredients and recommendations:

Ingredients

For the monkey bread dough:

• 4 cups of all-purpose flour (480 grams)
• ½ cups of white granulated sugar for the dough + 4 tablespoons for the cinnamon and sugar filling (100 grams + about 60 grams)
• ½ cup of warm milk (125 grams)
• 3 eggs 
• ⅓ cups of melted butter ( about 70 grams)
• 1 package of instant yeast
• A pinch of salt 
• Nuts or dried fruits (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon for the cinnamon and sugar filling(about 30 grams)

For the caramel coating: 

• ½ cups of brown sugar ( 100 grams)
• ½ cups of melted butter ( 100 grams)
• 5 tablespoons of ice cream – any ice cream of your choice ( about 50 grams)

How to make Monkey Bread with Ice Cream – Step by Step Guide

• 

• 

Firstly, we will begin with the dough. If you want to skip this step, scroll down to find information about ingredient replacement and alternatives. I tried many doughs for monkey bread, including using bread dough for monkey bread, but the one that I enjoyed the most, was this sweet dough with milk, eggs, and butter. 

I like to keep things simple and avoid any over complicated techniques so I listed a step-by-step guide for this tasty monkey bread with ice cream:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, which includes the instant dry yeast, sugar, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Keep the remaining flour nearby as you will need it!
2. Melt the butter – I usually do it in the microwave, but you can do it on the stove too. Also, avoid using cold milk or eggs, as cold ingredients will alter the properties of the yeast. I recommend you to warm up the milk and use room-temperature eggs. 
3. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ones. That includes eggs, milk, melted butter. If you use a mixer with a hook, set it on high speed and let the ingredients mix. If you don’t have a mixer with a hook, simply mix all the ingredients with a spatula until you have a homogenous mixture. By now, the consistency of the dough may seem sticky and not at all ready to be molded into bite-size balls. 
4. It’s time to add the rest of the flour. Add it slowly and continue mixing until the dough has a non-sticky texture. The best way to test this is to try to clean your mixing tool and see how the dough sticks to it. The quantity of flout may vary depending on the quality of the flour and how the ingredients are mixed together. Tip: if you added all the flour quantity and the dough still has a sticky texture, try adding more melted butter ( grease helps reduce the stickiness of a dough).

Tip: If you knead the dough by hand, use a stretch and fold technique.

5. After you are pleased with your dough, it’s time to let it sit and grow for about 30 minutes in a warm place. I like to set the oven on low and put my bowl inside. If I feel like the temperature is too high, I leave the door of the oven slightly open. 

In my spare time, while the dough is resting, I like to do a quick clean-up of my working space and prepare for the next steps (and also have a few sips of coffee). 

6. Mix the 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of white granulated sugar in a bowl. 
7. Coat a bundt pan with cooking spray or grease. I usually use butter to keep the dough from sticking to the pan. If you don’t have a bundt pan, a regular baking pan works just as well. 
8. Preheat the oven at 350℉ (180℃).
9. After the resting time has passed, mold the dough into small squares and sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar mix on each one of them. 
10. Mold them into balls and arrange the pieces into the pan. Now you can add nuts or dried fruits of your choice.
11. Let the monkey bread sit for about 15 minutes in the pan. 
12. Meanwhile, put the brown sugar and butter in a pot on the stove. Mix continuously until the sugar melts. Pour the caramel sauce into the pan and cover the monkey bread. 
13. Melt the ice cream. Usually, I put it for about 30 seconds in the microwave and it’s done. 
14. Also, pour the melted ice cream into the pan.
15. Put the monkey bread into the oven and let it sit for about 45 minutes until it has a golden-brownish color. 
16. Take the dessert out and let it cool for about 10 minutes. 

Enjoy while warm! 

Substitution of ingredients

• 

• 

Monkey bread is a really versatile dish and I am sure that there are still many recipes with this pull-apart bread that I haven’t tried yet.  I’m really interested to spice things up in the future and try out banana monkey bread.

 All in all, these ice cream sticky buns are some of my favorite recipes with monkey bread. 

If you want to save some time when making these monkey ice cream sticky rolls, skip making the dough at home and buy pre-made frozen dough.

You can use Pillsbury™ Biscuits frozen dough for an easy monkey bread recipe with 1 can of biscuits. Some other good options for dough replacement are monkey bread with crescent rolls or monkey bread with Rhodes rolls dough. 

For gluten-free monkey bread simply replace all the gluten ingredients with gluten-free alternatives. It’s that simple!

For vegan monkey bread, it’s best to use plain bread or a sweetened one to avoid the use of eggs or milk. 

Tips on Serving Monkey Bread with Ice Cream

• 

• 

When and how is it eaten?

Monkey bread can be served on any occasion. It’s a good dessert idea for a guest night and it also makes a great snack in front of the TV. 

I like to bake monkey bread as a Sunday breakfast sometimes.

How to store Monkey Bread with Ice Cream

Monkey bread is best when warm. You can always reheat leftovers in the microwave or oven. I recommend you keep this dessert covered as it starts to harden and dry over time.  

Recipe Card: Monkey Bread with Ice Cream