A few years ago I made monkey bread for my friend Jen and her boyfriend and while I thought that it would be the guy in the room who devoured the majority of it, that wasn’t exactly what happened.
Instead, Kevin looked on with amusement, making little to no attempt o mask his apparent disgust, while Jen and I polished off approximately 3/4 of the bread.
Yes, that happened.
You’ve probably heard of monkey bread before but this recipe is one that your family will go nuts over.
Made with creamy cinnamon sugar butter and a variety of your favorite nuts, this decadent bread is the perfect treat to wake up to on a Sunday morning, snack on with your afternoon coffee, or dive into for dessert after a busy weeknight.
Earlier this month, our friends at General Mills invited several bloggers to create a delicious recipe for Land O’Lakes with its newest product: Cinnamon Sugar Butter Spread.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I try to keep my butter consumption to a minimum, but let me tell you, it isn’t easy to do when you have this creamy, sweet spread on hand.
- ½ cup turbinado sugar (also known as Sugar in the Raw)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 7 tablespoons Land O’Lakes Cinnamon Sugar Butter, melted over a double boiler or in the microwave (substitute regular unsalted butter)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, (optional)
- ½ cup chopped peanuts (optional)
- ½ cup slivered almonds (optional)
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan with cooking spray, butter or shortening.
- Mix turbinado sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl until spices are evenly combined. Picking up one biscuit at a time, cut each piece of dough into quarters with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Toss lightly to coat until all pieces of dough are dusted with the sugar mixture.
- Arrange the pieces of dough in the pan so that they overlap. There may be gaps between the dough pieces, which is fine. Fill in the holes with the nuts, as desired.
- In small bowl, mix brown sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract. Pour over biscuit pieces. The mixture will be thick, like applesauce, so be sure to pour slowly and evenly to cover the circle of dough as best as you can.
- Bake bread for 30 minutes or until dough has turned golden brown. Some of the dough pieces will be puffy and slightly raised over the top of the pan. Let stand in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing. Place a plate or platter on top of the pan and invert, so the cake is upside down and slides out of the pan. Pull pieces apart by hand or slice into 12 pieces for serving.
67 Comments
Martyna @ Wholesome Cook
August 2, 2011 at 2:04 amI’ve been hearing about monkey bread for a while now, and looking at your picture I would love to make some… I guess I could use normal butter + cinnamon? You also get cookie dough in a can… Perhaps I could substitute with a refigerated cookie dough we get here in logs, or maybe use my LSA cookie dough… I really want to make this. Adding to my list of “recipes to brainstorm”.
Sukaina
July 28, 2011 at 2:49 pmWow, this bread has everytHing I love, cinnamon, nuts, butter and carbs. LOVE!!!
The Harried Cook
July 22, 2011 at 10:05 pmYummy! I really love the addition of the different nuts in this recipe… Makes sense for a ‘monkey’ bread, right? 😀 Sounds and looks really yummy, Maris! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray
July 22, 2011 at 2:51 pmOh yum! This looks amazing!
Alana D
July 22, 2011 at 10:38 amBread scares me but this sounds yummy
brandi
July 22, 2011 at 8:29 amdelicious! my grandmother always makes monkey bread for Christmas morning. Good memories 🙂
Linda
July 22, 2011 at 7:17 amMaris, this brought back so many memories! I’ve made this in the past and absolutely know how addicting this is! I too have to totally control myself from eating it all! I love that you added in all those nuts, really puts it over the top!
Aparna E.
July 22, 2011 at 7:07 amI LOVE Monkey Bread!! It’s probably one of the most genius breads. Pull it apart? Cinnamon-sugar deliciousness? What’s not to love. Your take on it is even better!! Texture is important to me when eating anything, so great idea on the nuts! Thanks for sharing, Maris! Have a great weekend! <3 🙂
Kitchen Belleicious
July 22, 2011 at 7:02 amOh its my fav. Now your bringing me back to the good old days. My aunt used to make this for us seriously every weekend. She is an awesome baker and between this and her famous cookies let’s just say that is how i became addicted to sweets. I love your slightly different version. It looks fantastic!
Rosa
July 22, 2011 at 6:41 amOh, it looks incredibly tempting and so beautiful! A treat I have never made, but can’t wait to try.
Cheers,
Rosa
Blond Duck
July 22, 2011 at 6:20 amThis would be the perfect gift for the holidays!
Joanne
July 22, 2011 at 6:04 amI always think the men in my life will polish off the desserts I bake for me. And somehow that never happens. And more important, somehow I never learn.
I would have SO been there devouring this with you!
And what is this I hear about you joining us in Boston. Is this TRUE?!?!?!?
In Katrina's Kitchen
July 22, 2011 at 6:02 amOh Maris this is a beauty! A dangerous dangerous beauty. I hardly have any willpower in the morning because of how hungry I usually am. Dangerous I tell you!
rebecca
July 21, 2011 at 10:35 pmlooks tasty thats why I don’t bake too much he he thanks for the feedback on twitter idea but folks charge for email support also often a free medium and what about sponsored tweets and folks who pay folks to do their social media ??
maybe you know more than me respect your expertise
Lisa from Lisas Yarns
July 21, 2011 at 9:36 pmOh yum! I miss the gooey deliciousness of monkey bread. I don’t think that you can accomplish that with GF products. At least not as easily.. Maybe some day there will be a GF product available so I can return to eating monkey bread. My family puts peanut butter on them. Mmmmm
Tessa
July 21, 2011 at 9:24 pmYes please! My mom and I used to make a savory monkey bread for Thanksgiving. I’ll have to try this cinnamony one 🙂
melissa@IWasBornToCook
July 21, 2011 at 8:21 pmI’d do just about anything for a piece of this right now. Or two.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
July 21, 2011 at 7:51 pmThis looks amazing Maris! I love the addition of nuts to this, gives it a sticky, crunchy streuselly aspect! 😀
Tanvi@SinfullySpicy
July 21, 2011 at 7:20 pmThis looks so perfect and gooey! Wish I could have a BIG bite especially when I suck at bread making 🙁 Looks so good!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.
July 21, 2011 at 5:49 pmwow looks so good! I have actually never made monkey bread. I’m going to try this
EA-The Spicy RD
July 21, 2011 at 5:24 pmI’m thinking very hard right now about how I can easily convert this to gluten-free because it looks SO good! CInnamon sugar butter? Yum!
The Food Hunter
July 21, 2011 at 5:07 pmOh Monkey Bread…how I try to stay away from you…but just can’t. And now you go and add nuts to it.
sarah
July 21, 2011 at 5:02 pmI remember the first time I ever tried monkey bread. It was the best day of work ever. I’ve still never made it. I would love it even more with all of these nuts. YUMMY
Junia @ Mis Pensamientos
July 21, 2011 at 4:38 pmi love monkey bread! this looks soooo yummy…. perfect with a glass of almond milk 🙂
Aggie
July 21, 2011 at 3:54 pmI’ve only made monkey bread…once…and it was actually the frozen kind so I guess that doesn’t really count right, lol?
my kids would love making this with me. And I’m with you…I don’t go through a ton of butter, so when I indulge I really really enjoy it!! This looks heavenly!!
Tiff @ Love Sweat and Beers
July 21, 2011 at 3:14 pmI’ve never had monkey bread, but I already know I’d like it!
Tami@nutmegnotebook
July 21, 2011 at 2:57 pmOh my goodness that does look good! I haven’t made something like that in a very long time!
Greg
July 21, 2011 at 2:22 pmMaybe the guys were too busy scarfing salt and fat. I can assure you I would’ve eaten a disgustingly large piece!
Angela
July 21, 2011 at 2:15 pmI love monkey bread:)
sheila @ Elements
July 21, 2011 at 2:01 pmIt looks and sounds so melt-in-your-mouth delicious, Maris! 🙂 But do you believe that I’ve never had monkey bread before? Crazy but true. I’ve got to make it one of these days! That cinnamon sugar butter spread sounds amazing by the way! 🙂 My favorite food is butter so you know I’d be all over that! 🙂
Caroline
July 21, 2011 at 1:40 pmOMG, I’ve been dying to make monkey bread, as I’ve never made it. Well, and my roommate has been requesting that I make it for months! This looks absolutely amazing. I’m definitely bookmarking this recipe. 🙂
Rachel W.
July 21, 2011 at 1:12 pmRemember when you whipped these out at the bar?
Roz
July 21, 2011 at 12:21 pmYou know how you commented on my post about the blueberry cornbread, and said you couldn’t stop at one piece??? I echo your comment on this post…holy smokes, that looks soooo good, I’m sure I could mow down a huge chunk o’ monkey bread in one sitting. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe Maris. Have a good Thursday.
Angie@Angiesrecipes
July 21, 2011 at 12:05 pmFrom the listed ingredients, I can easily tell how delicious your monkey bread would have tasted!
natalie (the sweets life)
July 21, 2011 at 11:44 ami haven’t had monkey bread in YEARS…mostly bc i know i’ll eat the entire thing if i make it 🙂 this looks fabulous!
5 Star Foodie
July 21, 2011 at 11:06 amSounds wonderfully delicious, awesome with the three kinds of nuts!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective
July 21, 2011 at 10:30 amMy aunt used to make this every time we visited! Great memories. 🙂
Nicole@HeatOvenTo350
July 21, 2011 at 10:16 amI’ve found that I can always out-eat a guy when it comes to sweets. Sad, but true. I’m positive I could do it with this monkey bread. It looks wonderful.
yummychunklet
July 21, 2011 at 10:09 amHmm…the cinnamon sugar butter spread sounds great. And your monkey bread looks tasty!
shelly (cookies and cups)
July 21, 2011 at 10:05 amThis looks amazing! We love Monkey bread in this house and have it pretty regularly! I’m gonna have to try this 🙂
sweetlife
July 21, 2011 at 10:05 amI love monkey bread, happy to find a new recipe!! thanks for sharing!!
Heather @girlichef
July 21, 2011 at 9:54 amYUM!! I love monkey bread in any size, shape or form 😀
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen
July 21, 2011 at 9:41 amOh wow that looks AMAZING! One of my best college friends used to love making monkey bread, but, after having met some of the Land O’Lakes PR people recently, I have to plug that the addition of that delicious buttery spread is a wonderful one. 🙂
Shari @ Chicago Cuisine Critique
July 21, 2011 at 9:35 amI just pinned this on Pinterest. Looks great! You were right it is addicting. 🙂
chopinandmysaucepan
July 21, 2011 at 9:27 amAmazing how you can combine biscuit and bread? Looks like a real treat!
Alexa
July 21, 2011 at 9:15 amOh dear that looks absolutely amazing. My mouth is watering!
xo
Alexa
Wendy
July 21, 2011 at 9:11 amGo Maris! Great way to incorporate the product!
Cait's Plate
July 21, 2011 at 8:58 amI was JUST saying the other day that I had never had monkey bread! This looks absolutely amazing and I am definitely going to be using this recipe as soon as I possibly can 🙂
Megan'sCookin'
July 21, 2011 at 8:50 amNow that’s a new product that I haven’t seen yet. I’ll have to look for it, The bread looks dangerous, but in a good way! 😉
Anne @ Baking Me
July 21, 2011 at 8:38 amWow this bread looks and sounds amazing! I have never made monkey bread, I will have to give it a try!
Taylor
July 21, 2011 at 8:23 amI’ve never had monkey bread like this…it looks addicting!!!
designchic
July 21, 2011 at 8:20 amAlways a favorite in my family. Especially love making on our family beach trip(17 of us). Great for a crowd!!
Lynne @ 365 Days of Baking
July 21, 2011 at 7:54 amCinnamon Sugar Butter Spread???!!!! Where IS it?? Oh my goodness!!!
I know, they probably haven’t released it yet, right? Oh, man.
You used it perfectly, Maris. The bread looks delicious!
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray
July 21, 2011 at 7:45 amCan I just say that I have been reading “turbinado sugar” in recipes for months now, and I had NO idea what it was until you finally just clued me in?? My deepest thanks.
Also, I could definitely, definitely polish off far more of that monkey bread than is societally acceptable. I’m totally cool with that. Yup.
chris
July 21, 2011 at 7:32 amI can’t believe I am about to admit this. I have never made or eaten monkey bread. However, this bread looks seriously irresistible and I may have to venture out of my comfort zone.
Vivienne
July 21, 2011 at 7:27 amu know the first time i heard about monkey bread was on Oprah 😛
must be an American thing?! can’t get the buttermilk biscuits or sugar butter here…but hopefully ill get a taste of this delicious looking treat sooooon!
Emma
July 21, 2011 at 7:27 amWhat is there about monkey bread to inspire disgust? I don’t get it.
My boyfriend claims to not be too into the sweets, but somehow he’s always been the one who wants to stop for ice cream this summer, after driving long distances or working hard. …Hmmm…. it’s not hopeless yet.
Jennifer @ Raisin Questions
July 21, 2011 at 7:17 amMonkey bread always becomes my Indulgence of the Year. It’s hard for me to find another dessert that can top the calorie intake of one sitting in front of monkey bread. It’s just so easy to pull off bite-size piece after bite-size piece… And with cinnamon butter? Whoa.
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum
July 21, 2011 at 6:56 amPillsbury Grands save me every time. Every time that I’m a little lazy, that is. 🙂 How are they so good !?! This looks so perfectly delicious.
Erica
July 21, 2011 at 6:43 amJosh’s Mom was the first person to ever make monkey bread for me (I hadn’t even heard of it!). It is so amazing…one of those treats I rarely like to pull out because I have zero self control around it 🙂 I actually have a mold and haven’t attempted a loaf myself. Book marking 🙂
A Plum By Any Other Name
July 21, 2011 at 6:42 amHaha. This bread reminds me of the sleepovers I used to have when I was a little lass. Come to think of it, we weren’t very lady-like back then either when it came to polishing off the bread. 😉
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
July 21, 2011 at 5:58 amMaris you did SUCH a good job on this. Wow, I want it!!!
Simply Life
July 21, 2011 at 5:54 amoh gosh, I could easily eat the whole thing!
Gina (The Candid RD)
July 21, 2011 at 5:44 amSounds heavenly!! I wish my own BF wasn’t a sugar-addict. Nick would definitely have joined you and your friend on polishing this off 🙂 We both have to help control each other when it comes to sweets and excess carbs! Every once in a while, you just have to go all out…right?!
Three-Cookies
July 21, 2011 at 3:09 amThis bread has biscuits, wow. I am guessing the bread vanished after the photo was taken:) I always wondered why its called monkey bread?
Daryl (mom)
July 21, 2011 at 2:57 amI can tell from the ingredient list and your photo that this is going to be addictive! You had best plan to make this next time you are home!
Kim
July 28, 2011 at 2:55 pmAnd you best be inviting your cousin over to try it! : ) Looks DELISH!!!