Monkey Bread Recipe from Scratch So There Isn’t Palm Oil

There is no need to use premade, refrigerator dough to make monkey bread. Yes, it takes a bit longer to make from scratch but it’s worth it for the taste and because it won’t contain palm oil.

In this recipe, I specify using whole milk because it won’t contain Vitamin A Palmitate (a palm oil derivative) like most other milks do. I also specify using Red Star Yeast because it doesn’t contain palm oil. Lastly, I ask for you to use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla.

Every time I make monkey bread, it looks a little different. The great news is it ALWAYS tastes delicious. Cinnamon, sugar, and butter in a fluffy dough… this is so easy to make at home. 

All-purpose flour or bread flour is best for this recipe. I’ve also used one-for-one gluten-free flour from Bob’s Red Mill and from King Arthur Baking Co. to make it gluten free.

Learn how to make monkey bread. Factor in time for the dough to rise, and get ready to eat the best dessert bread around. 

Monkey Bread Recipe

Monkey bread is a sweet, sticky, and gooey dessert that consists of small balls of dough coated in sugar, cinnamon, and butter and baked until golden brown. The end result is a pull-apart bread that’s crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

One reason why monkey bread tastes so good is due to the combination of butter, sugar, and cinnamon. The sweet, sticky glaze that forms as the bread bakes also adds to the overall deliciousness of this beloved dessert.

Monkey bread is typically served warm, straight out of the oven for its delicious soft and sticky texture. You can also enjoy it at room temperature or even cold. It’s also easy to reheat in the microwave.

Follow these step-by-step directions to make the best monkey bread. This recipe serves 10 – 12. It will help to have a food thermometer so you can make sure the milk is warmed enough.

If you don’t have a bundt pan, that is fine. You can use any baking pan that’s oven-safe. Just be sure to grease the sides well so you can release it from the pan. This is important even if you are using a non-stick pan.

Monkey Bread Ingredients

The dough:

• 1 ½ cups whole milk, warmed to 112 degrees Fahrenheit
• 1 package Red Star Active Dry Yeast (.25 ounce)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon vegetable oil or avocado oil to coat bowl
• ½ cup butter
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

The filling:

• ¼ cup melted butter
• ⅔ cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon vegetable or avocado oil, butter, or non-stick spray to coat pan

Monkey bread icing:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

How to Make Monkey Bread

The dough

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the warmed milk, yeast, and sugar. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes until the yeast becomes frothy.
2. Mix in the eggs, melted butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Mix well then add the rest of the flour. Mix until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl and a ball forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Knead for about 5 – 6 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. When you make an indention in the dough’s surface with your finger it should spring back.
4. Lightly grease a large bowl using avocado oil or vegetable oil. Place dough in the bowl, then turn it so that all sides are coated. Cover, and place it in a warm area to let it rise for 1 to 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
5. Grease a 10 – 12 cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray or butter or vegetable oil but be VERY generous! It needs to be well-greased for this recipe.
6. Make the coating by melting ½ cup of butter in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine the white sugar and cinnamon.
7. When the dough is finished rising, punch it down and return it to the floured board. Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them into balls. You will need to make about 45 balls so keep them on the small side.
8. Dip each ball in ½ cup of the melted butter then roll in the sugar-cinnamon so they are thoroughly coated. If you need more cinnamon and sugar, add it.
9. Arrange the balls in the Bundt pan as you coat them. Once you’ve arranged them all in the Bundt pan, cover the pan with a towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. The dough will rise slightly.
10. As the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and move the oven rack to the medium-low position.

The filling

1. Melt ¼ cup of butter, and whisk in ⅔ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour this mixture over the monkey bread in the pan so that the entire surface is evenly coated.
2. Put in the oven, and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. About halfway through, turn on the oven light and look inside. If you find that the top is browning too fast, cover it with foil.
3. Remove from oven when done, and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Once cool, remove it from the pan by inverting it onto a serving platter and top with the icing glaze.

The icing

1. Combine 1 cup confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoons whole milk, and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
2. You can use it to ice the monkey bread or use it for dipping. To ice it, gently drizzle the icing on top, moving quickly so the top is covered.

Pro Tips

You will see there are several ingredients (milk, vanilla extract, butter) repeated above. This is because this monkey bread recipe has several steps. I find it best to measure each ingredient out as I need it.

It’s important to melt the butter separately each time. The second and third times you add the butter it needs to be warm, in liquid form.

You don’t need a Bundt pan to make monkey bread. You can use most any oven-safe baking pan with sides. If you use a loaf pan, which is usually larger than most Bundt pans, you will want to cover the top halfway through baking. The bread will be a bit thicker so it may take an extra 5 – 10 minutes to bake.

Is It Hard to Make Monkey Bread?

Making monkey bread from scratch requires some basic baking skills, such as measuring ingredients, kneading dough, and working with yeast. The process involves making the dough, letting it rise, shaping it into small balls, coating them in cinnamon, sugar, and butter, and baking. Kids can have fun helping with most all of the steps. 

For me, the most “difficult part” is going through my kitchen getting all the ingredients together. Once I have everything set on the countertop, I find this monkey bread recipe easy to make.

What Flour to Use

If you’re just starting out, you might be wondering which flour is best for bread. Most of the flours on your grocery store shelves will work fine. But there are some differences.

• All-purpose flour is a good, all around flour that works for just about any baked good. Whole wheat flour is good as well but can be a little dense. Some people cut it with all-purpose flour and that works well.
• Bread flour has a little more protein than all-purpose flour and you will get a higher rise with a fluffier crumb.

I don’t recommend using self-rising flour to make this recipe for monkey bread because it requires yeast. When you use self-rising flour, you don’t need baking powder and you need to reduce the amount of salt. Self-rising flour is good for biscuits and quick breads but not this recipe.

Shortcuts to Making Monkey Bread

While you will save time making monkey bread by using pre-made biscuit dough instead of making the dough from scratch, most all refrigerated biscuit dough contains palm oil.

This shortcut method saves time and effort since you don’t have to make the dough and wait for it to rise. However, in households which avoid palm oil (like mine!) or if you want to avoid preservatives and chemical-ingredients, it’s best to make the dough from scratch.

FAQs

What flavor is monkey bread?

Monkey bread is a mixture of butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a sugary dough bread.

What is monkey bread?

Monkey bread is a pull-apart sweet dessert bread, coated in sugar, cinnamon, and butter. It’s made with small balls of dough layered and baked. Monkey bread is sweet, sticky — and when served warm — a gooey dessert. When it’s right out of the oven, it’s a bit crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

Why does monkey bread taste so good?

Butter, sugar, cinnamon baked in a homemade dough… what’s not to love?! The sticky glaze on top is another layer of sweetness. 

When should I eat monkey bread?

Monkey bread is a sweet dessert bread. You can eat monkey bread for breakfast, as a snack, and for dessert.

Should you refrigerate monkey bread?

No, it’s best not to refrigerate monkey bread. Doing so can cause excess moisture. Instead, seal it in an airtight container or plastic bag (being sure to get all the air out), and let it sit out for a maximum of three days. You may want to pop it on the oven or warm it in the microwave before eating to bring out the flavors. 

What can I use instead of a Bundt pan for monkey bread?

Instead of a Bundt pan, you can use any oven-safe baking pan with sides for monkey bread. You can use an 8×8, 9×9, rectangular casserole dish, or bread loaf pan. Check for doneness sooner if you are using a larger pan because the dough balls will be in a thinner layer than if you were using a Bundt pan. Grease the bottom and sides well.

Do you heat up monkey bread?

It’s personal preference if you want to heat up monkey bread; however, warming it creates the flavors to become gooey, and many people think, tastier.

Does monkey bread go bad?

Yes, like all desserts and breads, and most all food, money bread will go bad. It’s freshest within three days of making. You can freeze it up to six months.

Why is my monkey bread doughy?

Your monkey bread may be doughy if it’s not baked all the way through. You can set it in a preheated oven at 350ºF to bake longer. Bake longer the doughier it is. Check for doneness with a fork or toothpick.

What is monkey bread sauce made of?

Monkey bread sauce or glaze, which goes on top of the dessert, is made by mixing together 1 cup of powdered sugar/confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk (whole milk preferred), and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Is monkey bread made from bananas?

Despite it’s name, traditionally, monkey bread is not made from bananas. However, you can add sliced bananas in the recipe by layering them among the dough balls, or putting them on top and covering them with the icing.

Can I make monkey bread without yeast?

Yes, there are recipes for monkey bread that use baking powder instead of yeast. Some of them call for self-rising flour which omits the need for baking powder and salt. This recipe calls for yeast and for time for the dough to rise and rest.

Do I need to use bread flour to make monkey bread?

You do not need to use bread flour to make monkey bread. All-purpose flour also works well. Or you can use a mixture of bread flour and all -purpose flour to maximize the benefits of both.

Can I make monkey bread ahead of time?

Yes, you can make monkey bread ahead of time, and bake it just before you want to serve it. Make the dough ahead of time and form it into balls. Cover them in an airtight container for up to three days. Then proceed with the remainder of the recipe just before baking. You can freeze the dough balls for up to six months.

Can I make monkey bread with gluten-free flour?

It’s easy to make gluten free monkey bread by using one-for-one gluten free flour instead of all-purpose flour. Choose King Arthur Baking Co. Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour or Bob’s Red Mill 1-for-1 Gluten Free Flour. Both of these brands make it easy to make gluten free monkey bread because you substitute the exact amount of regular flour for either of these GF flours.

How do I know when the monkey bread is fully-baked?

Monkey bread is done when it’s golden brown on the outside, and fully cooked on the inside. Remove it from the oven after the baking time, and test it by inserting a fork or toothpick in the center.  can test it by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread; if it comes out clean, it’s done.

Can I make monkey bread without a Bundt pan?

Yes, you can use a regular baking dish, loaf pan, or casserole dish instead of a Bundt pan. Be sure to grease the sides well no matter what type of pan you use.

Can I use a bread machine to make the dough?

Yes, there are many bread machine recipes for making the dough. You can make the dough in a bread maker, and then follow the rest of the instructions to add the sugar, cinnamon, and butter, etc.

Can I add nuts or raisins to monkey bread?

Yes, you can add chopped nuts, raisins, or other dried fruit to the dough or sprinkle them in between the balls of dough. In particular, pecans and walnuts go very well with cinnamon, sugar, and butter. 

Can I use margarine instead of butter in monkey bread?

I do not recommend you use margarine in place of butter when making monkey bread. This is a personal opinion as margarine contains palm oil and is overall considered “inferior” to butter in terms of taste and overall quality. My household avoids palm oil (it makes my son sick and also due to the environmental reasons) so I cannot recommend it.

Can I use a mixer to make monkey bread dough?

Yes, you can use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer to make monkey bread dough or mix and knead it by hand.

Can I make monkey bread without cinnamon?

Yes, you can omit the cinnamon when making monkey bread. You can leave it out completely or replace it with or replace it with another spice, such as nutmeg, or apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice. (Both typically contain cinnamon).

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast in monkey bread?

Yes, you can use instant yeast, but you may need to adjust the rising time accordingly. This recipe requires Red Star Active Dry All Natural Yeast in the packets. 

Can I make monkey bread in a slow cooker?

Yes, there are recipes you can make in a slow cooker. I haven’t tried to do this.

Can I use sourdough starter to make monkey bread?

I haven’t personally tried it but yes, there are recipes for making this sweet bread dessert using sourdough starter instead of yeast.

Can I make monkey bread savory instead of sweet?

Yes, you can make it savory by omitting the cinnamon sugar mixture and using herbs, cheese, and other non-sweet ingredients instead. An example is making it with garlic and parmesan cheese. However, this isn’t traditional monkey bread but uses the pull-apart concept by baking small dough balls in layers. 

Making Homemade Monkey Bread

Yes, there are a lot of steps to making this recipe. However, the results will be worth it. It’s easy to make but not easy in the sense of using canned dough instead of making it from scratch. I bake our desserts because the palm oil in premade desserts contain palm oil most of the time.

One of the many reasons to bake from scratch is because you know what ingredients you are using. Try some of my other dessert bread recipes, including:

• Zucchini Bread
• Coconut bread
• Banana bread
• Gluten free banana bread
• Batter quick bread
• Hawaiian bread
• Pumpkin bread

Here are some lists of other things to bake as well.

If you make this monkey bread recipe, please let me know in the comments how it was. Did you make it in a bundt pan? Did you alter any of the ingredients or add in dried fruit, pecans, or anything else?

Thanks for your interest in baking at home and avoiding palm oil. I appreciate you visiting my site and hope you will bookmark it for additional recipes. (Most of my recipes are very easy!)