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–+ servings
Pull apart monkey bread on a cake pan.

Pull Apart Monkey Bread (From Scratch)

This pull-apart monkey bread features soft, fluffy dough balls coated in cinnamon sugar and drenched in a gooey brown sugar caramel sauce.
5 from 13 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rise time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 515 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 5 cups Flour AP, plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon Instant yeast
  • ¼ cups Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 5 tablespoon Butter melted and cooled, unsalted
  • 1 ½ cups Milk room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar coating

  • 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • ½ cup Butter unsalted, melted and cooled

Brown sugar sauce

  • ½ cup Butter unsalted
  • ½ cup Brown sugar light or dark brown sugar

Instructions
 

Make the Dough & First Rise

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar, and kosher salt.
  • Add the room-temperature eggs, warm milk, vanilla extract, and cooled, melted butter. Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms.
  • Increase speed to medium and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Shape & Layer

  • Generously grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with softened butter. Punch down the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a ¼-inch-thick rectangle.
  • Use a pizza cutter or bench scraper to slice the dough into small, 1-inch squares. Roll each square between your palms into a smooth ball.
  • Melt the coating butter in one bowl and whisk the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a second bowl. Dip each dough ball into the melted butter, roll in cinnamon sugar, and layer evenly into the prepared Bundt pan.
  • Cover the pan loosely with a towel and rest for 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Add Sauce & Bake

  • Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together in a small bowl until smooth. Pour evenly over the layered dough in the pan.
  • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the center is baked through.

Invert & Serve

  • Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes. Place a large serving platter upside down over the bundt pan, carefully invert both, then gently tap the pan to release the bread. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Invert Immediately: Invert the bundt pan onto a serving platter within 5 minutes of coming out of the oven. If left longer, the brown sugar caramel glaze cools and hardens, sticking the bread to the pan.
  • Milk Temperature: Keep the milk warm between 100°F–110°F (38°C–43°C). Milk above 110°F will kill the yeast, resulting in dense, flat dough.
  • Weigh Ingredients: For accurate results, weigh flour and liquids in grams with a digital scale rather than measuring by volume.
  • Overnight Proofing: Assemble dough balls in the greased bundt pan without the brown sugar sauce. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. The next morning, let rest at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes until puffy, pour brown sugar sauce over top, and bake.
  • Storage & Reheating: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat single portions in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds to soften the bread and remelt the caramel sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 515kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 8gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 379mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 2gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 709IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Monkey Bread, Pull Apart Monkey Bread
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