Introduction: Monkey Bread

About: Here's a glimpse into my background: I have been a full time Electronics Technician for the last 23 years, and am now a Quality Engineering Technician I am an amateur photographer (yeah, I need to practice/lea…

Monkey Bread is like a bunch of "cinnamon rolls" baked together. It can be easily torn apart into small bite sized pieces of cinnamon sugary sweetness! It is great anytime of day, but we usually eat it for dessert and/or breakfast!

I found this recipe on the web, and wanted to make it for dessert and/or breakfast (if it lasts til morning with my kids)! I do not know the source of this recipe, but found about 10 copies of it on different websites, with different people posting it. Therefore I will not post direct links to a specific recipe. But it can be found easily by using Google, one recipe I followed claimed to be adapted from a Betty Crocker Recipe.

One of the best things about Monkey Bread, is that anything can be added, such as nuts (walnuts, peanuts, pecans, etc.), fruit (apple pieces, raisins, cherries, etc.), and even a splash of powdered sugar or white sugar glaze (although that may lead to a sugar coma)! It is one of those recipes that allows you to experiment without destroying the end product!

Step 1: Gather Ingredients and Supplies.

Ingredients:

3 - 16.3 oz. packages Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk Biscuits ($2.30 each)

2 - cups (2 sticks) Butter, room temperature ($1.50 for 5 stick pkg)

3/4 cup sugar ($3.00 for 5 lb bag)

1/2 cup Light brown sugar ($1.75 for 2 lb bag)

2 teaspoons cinnamon ($1.00 for 2.37 oz container)

1 gallon resealable plastic bag ($4.75 for 40 ct box)

bundt pan (Free from family when my wife and I moved into our first place)

Not Pictured:

1 can Butter Spray (Generic Pam) ($1.25 for can)

1 Oven (price unknown, came with the house)

1 Microwave (free from family after my kids decided to use metal in my old one)

1 set of Oven Mits ($9.99 for pair)

1 Metal Bowl (free from family)

1 Microwave Safe Bowl (free from family)

1 set Measuring Cups (free from family)

1 set Measuring Spoons (free from family)

Step 2: Prepare Oven and Cookware.

Warning: Ovens get hot. Use precautions when the oven is on, hot, and functioning. You can receive severe burns, start a fire, burn down a house, etc. if misused!

Preheat oven to 350º F, I have an electric oven, so for me I have to push the bake button, set the temp by pushing the up button, then press start. Please read the owners manual for your oven if you do not know how to operate it.

Grease a bundt pan with butter or non-stick spray. I used the generic Pam, so remove the lid, point the nozzle at the bundt pan, and press down. The can will spray a stream of butter flavored stuff, move the can around until the pan is covered.

Step 3: Prep the Dough

Open the packages of Pillsbury Grand Buttermilk Biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. These are fun to open, they are under pressure and "blow" apart, if you've never used them before it can be a little surprising.

I stored the cut pieces in a metal bowl until I needed them in a later step.

Step 4: Make Cinnamon Sugar

Now you need to combine 3/4 cup sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon in plastic bag, then seal it and shake to mix the two.

Make sure you seal the bag, otherwise you may have a big mess on your hands.

Step 5: Coat the Dough Balls

Open bag and put all of your dough inside.

Seal bag, then vigorously shake until cinnamon sugar evenly coats all the pieces of dough.

Again, make sure you seal the bag, otherwise you may have a big mess on your hands.

Once your dough is evenly sugared, put all the pieces in to bundt pan, making it even all the way around.

Step 6: Make the Sugary Buttery Coating!

Warning: Melted butter can be HOT, be careful removing and inserting the bowl into the microwave!

In a microwaveable bowl, melt 2 cups (2 sticks) butter and 1/2 cup (packed tight) brown sugar together for 1 minute (stop the microwave, remove the bowl, and stir at intervals of 20 seconds).

When done, stir mixture until dark brown, then pour over the dough in your bundt pan.

Squish the pieces down in to the butter mixture so they’re all coated and submerged.

Step 7: Cook and Serve

Place the bundt pan into your preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until dough is cooked through to your liking.

Warning: Again ovens are HOT! The bundt pan has been in the oven, it is HOT! So are the contents of the bundt pan. Be Extremely Careful With This Next Part!

Wearing oven mits, remove from oven, place a plate that is bigger than the bundt pan on top of the pan. Carefully and quickly invert (flip over) the plate/bundt pan combo, so the plate is on the bottom.

Warning: HOT buttery glaze juice may run out and all over during the flipping process!

Set on counter and remove the bundt pan.

Serve hot or cold, it's awesome either way!

Baking Contest

Third Prize in the
Baking Contest

Halloween Food Contest 2015

Participated in the
Halloween Food Contest 2015