I love the quiet stillness of the early morning when light streams into my kitchen. I also love the smell of freshly baked pull-apart bread – aka monkey bread – that fills the air with a warm, cinnamon-y sweetness that pulls you out of bed in a scent-induced-hypnotic trance.

Monkey bread, which allegedly gets its name from the little balls of sweet dough that you pick apart like a monkey to eat, is like your favorite cinnamon roll on steroids! Since the balls are smaller in size than your typical roll, they soak up more of that sweet buttery coating resulting a stickier, gooier ratio between the rich, pillowy dough and that warm spiced cinnamon deliciousness. Definitely worth waking up early on a Sunday morning to bake and devour!

Monkey Bread – serves 6 to 8

Prep time and cooking time: 2 to 3 hours

Special equipment: a 10 to 12 capacity bundt pan, a handheld or standing mixer

Dough Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups whole milk, lukewarm (warmed to 110°F)
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled + more for buttering your pan
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

Coating Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup + two tablespoons
• 1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

For the Dough:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar. If you’re using a standing mixer, use the bowl with a paddle attachment to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.
2. Add the eggs, butter, salt, and half the flour. Mix until combined. Alternatively, you can do this by hand by hand with a large wooden spoon.
3. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the remaining flour. Keep mixing on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This should take two to four minutes.
4. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for an additional two to three minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Lightly grease a large bowl with vegetable oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, making sure it’s coated with oil.
6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise it a warm draft-free place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk.
7. Generously butter a bundt pan with unsalted butter. Set aside while you get ready to shape and coat the dough balls for the monkey bread.

For the Coating:

1. Melt 1/2 cup (115g; 1 stick) of unsalted butter in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon together. You’ll use the remaining butter, brown sugar, and vanilla later.
2. After the dough has risen, give it a good punch to release the air.
3. Divide the dough into four sections. Tear pieces of dough from each section and roll them into balls – about ten to twelve pieces per section. You’ll need a total of 40-48 balls.
4. Dip each dough ball into the melted butter and then generously roll with the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
5. Arrange the coated dough balls in a circular pattern in the bundt pan.. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel, and let the shaped monkey bread rest for 20 minutes for a slight additional rise.

Time to Bake:

1. Please your oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (177°C).
2. Melt the remaining 1/4 cup + two tablespoons of butter. Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Pour evenly over the shaped monkey bread, making sure to get the coating into any gaps and cracks.
3. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the monkey bread is risen and the top is golden brown and bubbling at the sides. If you find it’s browning too quickly, cover loosely cover with aluminum foil.
4. Allow the monkey bread to cool for 5-10 minutes. Invert it onto a large plate and serve immediately.

The monkey bread is at its best eaten on the same day. Leftovers can be tightly covered and stored at room temperature for one day or in the refrigerator for up to three days. If refrigerated, bring back to room temperature prior to serving.

This deliciously gooey cinnamon pull-apart monkey bread goes beautifully as part of a brunch buffet, or as a stand alone decadent breakfast with nothing but a cup of hot coffee or tea to compliment it’s warm, comforting flavors.

Bon appétit!

Find more delicious brunch recipes here