Monkey bread with canned biscuits
Easy monkey bread made with canned biscuits rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked in a gooey brown sugar caramel. Pull-apart and sticky, no doughy middle.
25% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 35 min
- Resting
- 10 min
- Serves
- 12
- Calories
- 435
- Protein
- 6 g
- Per serving
- $0.82
Why this recipe works
Monkey bread is the sticky, pull-apart cinnamon bread kids and adults fight over. Using canned biscuits turns it into a 15-minute prep job, which makes it perfect for holiday mornings and brunch.
- Cutting each biscuit into quarters makes small pieces that bake through to the center instead of leaving a raw, doughy middle.
- Pouring the hot butter and brown sugar over the pieces, rather than layering it at the bottom, coats every piece in caramel.
- Baking to 190°F in the center of the ring is the sure test of doneness that a golden top alone can't give you.
Ingredients
For the caramel
You will need
- 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan
- Large zip-top bag or bowl
- Small saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Prep
Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan generously. Scatter the pecans in the bottom of the pan.
Coat the biscuits
Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a large zip-top bag. Cut each biscuit into quarters, drop them into the bag in batches and shake to coat. Layer the pieces evenly in the pan.
Make the caramel
Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and pour it evenly over the biscuit pieces.
Bake
Bake for 30 to 38 minutes, until deep golden brown and the center of the ring reads 190°F. Cover loosely with foil if it darkens before it's done.
Rest and flip
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, no longer, so the caramel stays runny. Set a large plate on top and flip it over. Scrape any caramel left in the pan over the top and serve warm.
Techniques in this recipe
Crowded: steams and turns grey Spaced out: browns and crisps Don't crowd the pan
Give food space in the pan or on the sheet pan so moisture can escape. Crowded food steams and turns grey; spaced-out food browns and crisps.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- A dark nonstick pan browns faster; start checking at 28 minutes and tent with foil if needed.
- Waiting much longer than 10 minutes before flipping lets the caramel set and glue the bread to the pan.
- Use regular-size (not flaky layers) biscuits; layered biscuits separate as they bake.
Nutrition per serving
435 calories
$0.82 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 5% of calories | 6 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 56% of calories | 62 g |
| Fat | 39% of calories | 19 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 820 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Why is my monkey bread doughy in the middle?
The pieces were too big or it came out too soon. Quarter each biscuit and bake until the center reads 190°F, covering the top with foil if it browns first.
Can you make monkey bread the night before?
Yes. Assemble it in the pan, cover and refrigerate overnight, then let it sit out 30 minutes and add about 5 minutes to the bake.
Can I make monkey bread without a Bundt pan?
Use a 9x13-inch pan or two loaf pans. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the center pieces are cooked through.
