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The traditional Monkey Bread recipe gets a cozy twist with this cinnamon apple pull apart bread. Baked with warm, gooey layers of tender biscuit dough and caramelized apples, every bite is rich with butter and brown sugar.
For a savoury pull apart bread, try my Cheesy Garlic Butter Stuffed Pull-Apart Bread next. If you’re looking for another sweet breakfast treat, check out this classic Banana Bread recipe.
When monkey bread comes out of the oven, the smell alone makes it hard to wait before digging in. The sweet apples mixed with that sticky brown sugar butter sauce create the best kind of comfort food.
I love how easy and foolproof this recipe is, especially since the biscuit dough always bakes up soft and golden. Each layer is filled with flavour, and the fun part is getting to pull it apart piece by piece. It’s the perfect dessert for sharing, and I especially enjoy serving it on holiday mornings.
What is Monkey Bread and why is it called that?
Monkey bread is a type of pull-apart bread made from small pieces of biscuit dough coated in butter, sugar, and spices, then baked together until sticky and golden. The name comes from the way it is eaten, as the bread is pulled apart by hand in small pieces rather than sliced.
Ingredients
- Refrigerated Biscuit Dough: I use store-bought biscuit dough to keep this recipe quick and easy. It bakes up soft and fluffy, making the perfect base for pull apart bread.
- Apples: Peeled, cored, and diced apples add a fresh, fruity layer that pairs so well with the cinnamon and brown sugar. They soften as they bake, giving this monkey bread recipe a sweet, juicy bite.
- Salted Butter: Butter is what makes everything sticky, gooey, and rich. The salted kind balances the sweetness of the sugar and apples.
- Brown Sugar: Packed brown sugar melts into the butter to create that caramel-like sauce. It gives the bread a warm sweetness and glossy finish.
- Apple Pie Spice: This spice blend adds the cinnamon flavour we all expect, along with other cozy spices that bring depth to the recipe.
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice: A little lemon juice brightens the apple mixture and keeps the flavours balanced so it’s not overly sweet.
How to Make Monkey Bread
Prepare the Pan and Oven
I start by preheating my oven to 350°F (175°C) and greasing a medium loaf pan with butter so nothing sticks. This gives the bread a nice golden crust and makes it easy to release once it’s baked.
Cook the Apple Mixture
Next, I melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. I add in the diced apples, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and a splash of lemon juice, then sauté everything for about 10 to 12 minutes. The apples should be soft, and the mixture will thicken into a sweet, gooey sauce. I take it off the heat and let it cool slightly before layering.
Assemble the Bread
For the fun part, I cut each biscuit into quarters. I spoon a layer of the apple mixture into the prepared pan, then add the biscuit pieces, leaving small gaps between them so they bake evenly. Layer the apples and biscuits until the pan is filled, finishing with apples on top. This is the part where it really comes together as monkey bread with biscuits, full of cozy apple-cinnamon flavour.
Bake and Serve
I bake the loaf for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the biscuit pieces reach a golden brown colour. If the top starts browning too quickly, I cover it loosely with foil. Once done, I let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes, run a knife along the edges, and gently remove it from the pan. This apple cinnamon pull-apart bread is best served warm, when the sticky layers are easy to pull apart and enjoy.
Recipe Tip
Make sure the apples are cooked down until soft and the mixture is thickened. If the apples are still firm or too watery, the bread won’t bake up with those gooey, caramel-like layers that make monkey bread so irresistible.
Monkey Bread Recipe Variations
- Nuts: Add chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch and a toasty flavour that balances the sweet, sticky layers.
- Dried Fruit: Mix in raisins or dried cranberries to give the bread a chewy bite and a little tartness alongside the apples.
- Glaze: Drizzle a simple vanilla glaze made with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract over the top for a bakery-style finish.
Storage
Store leftover monkey bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it’ll keep for up to four days. When you’re ready to reheat, microwave individual pieces for 15–20 seconds or warm the loaf in a low oven until it’s gooey again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, monkey bread can be made without a Bundt pan. This recipe uses a standard loaf pan, but you could also use a square or round baking dish as long as it’s deep enough to hold the layers. The result is the same sweet, sticky pull-apart bread, just in a different shape.
You can absolutely use Grands Biscuits for monkey bread. Since they’re larger, I like cutting each one into smaller pieces so they bake through evenly and layer nicely with the apple mixture.
Yes, peeling the apples gives the bread a softer texture and helps the apples blend into the gooey layers. If you leave the skins on, they may feel a little chewy in the finished bread.
You can cook the apple mixture a day in advance and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble. Once baked, the bread is best enjoyed warm and fresh, but leftovers reheat well.
More Dessert Recipes
- Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
- Easy Instant Pot Apple Butter
- Tiramisu Recipe (with Cream Cheese)
- Cookies and Cream Pudding Pops
- Cornmeal Pudding
- Bulla Cake
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The Best Monkey Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Medium loaf pan 8×4-inch or similar
- Large non-stick skillet for cooking apples
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring
- Sharp Knife and Cutting Board for dicing apples
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Cooling Rack optional, but helpful for airflow after baking
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cans Store-Bought Refrigerated Biscuit Dough, Pillsbury, or any brand
- 4 lrg Apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter
- 1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp Apple Pie Spice
- 1 tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a medium loaf pan with butter.
- In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add apples, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and lemon juice. Sauté for 10–12 minutes, or until apples are soft and mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Cut each biscuit into quarters. Spoon a layer of apple mixture into the prepared pan. Top with biscuit pieces, leaving small gaps between them. Repeat with remaining apple mixture and biscuit pieces, finishing with apples on top.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges, carefully remove from the pan, and serve warm.
Notes
Optional Toppings
- Drizzle with vanilla glaze (powdered sugar + milk + vanilla).
- Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts for a nice crunch.
