If you are looking for a sweet recipe that can be eaten any time of day, you’ll love these 20+ monkey bread recipes!
Monkey bread is one of the most versatile dishes you can make. You can eat it for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a snack. Plus, you can serve it for the holidays or take it to a party—everyone loves it!
What is monkey bread?
If you aren’t familiar with monkey bread, you may know it as pull apart bread, bubble loaf, sticky bread or Hungarian coffee cake. In its most basic form, this treat consists of balls of dough rolled in butter, covered in cinnamon and sugar and then baked as one big loaf or cake.
Why do they call it monkey bread?
Most times you will see it made in a bundt pan and people will eat it by “pulling apart” the dough balls with their hands (like monkeys – hence the name(s)).
Do you have to make monkey bread in a bundt pan?
No! You can make monkey bread in anything that goes in the oven. I’ve used a pie pan, and I’ve seen other bakers use a loaf pan or a casserole dish.
In fact, you don’t even really need to use an oven to make your monkey bread. There are recipes using the air-fryer, Instant Pot, microwave and even a smoker! Basically, if it heats, you can probably make monkey bread in it.
How to make pull apart bread really easy
Like I said, monkey bread starts with balls of dough. You could make the dough from scratch, or make life easier by using a pre-made dough. People use cinnamon roll dough, biscuit dough, and pizza dough from the grocery store and it saves so much time!
As you look through the recipes below, you can choose one that is from scratch and replace it with a premade dough. Or vice versa.
Does monkey bread keep?
If you cover it tightly, you can keep this dessert in your fridge for up to a week. Warm up when you would like to eat it. You can also keep it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before consuming!
Okay, are you ready? Scroll down to see over 20 monkey bread recipes including a few cool variations!
Monkey Bread Recipes
If you are looking for a sweet recipe that can be eaten any time of day, you'll love these 20+ pull apart bread recipes!
Apple Rum
Apple rum monkey bread will steal the show, everytime. In a nutshell, it is a cinnamon bun dough stuffed with apple pie filling and drenched in a glaze of brown sugar and rum. Yes please!
Strawberry Preserves
Strawberries and strawberry preserves with pull apart dough is topped off with a cream cheese glaze. A great combination of sweet and tangy!
Peanut Butter
This unique peanut butter monkey bread is irresistible! This yummy fluffernutter version is a twist on the classic recipe, oozing with marshmallow.
Cinnamon Roll
Indulge in the sweet, gooey goodness of cinnamon roll monkey bread. This recipe blends classic flavors in a twist that's perfect for any occasion.
Pecan Topped
I love good dessert bread recipes, and this easy pecan monkey bread recipe is quick! It's a wonderful pastry treat that can be for breakfast as well as dessert, and it's perfect for beginning bakers.
Bananas Foster
Are you a fan of bananas foster? Then this easy monkey bread recipe is for you! The best part is that you only need six ingredients including canned biscuits.
White Chocolate Raspberry
Fresh raspberries, white chocolate, and raspberry jam make this a beautiful and delicious monkey bread! This is such a delicious variation on a classic, and perfect for spring or Easter.
Pumpkin Spice
Get the recipe for the most delicious pumpkin monkey bread with cream cheese glaze! Such a perfectly simple fall dessert that is easy for anyone to make.
Cranberry Orange
Dried cranberries and orange sugar are the stars of this monkey bread recipe. Perfect for breakfast (or any time of day)!
Parmesan Garlic
Most of the bread recipes we like are sweet, but this savory one is pretty amazing! Need a great appetizer to share with friends? This garlic parm pull apart bread is perfect for parties.
Cookie Dough
This recipe has you stuff biscuit dough with already made chocolate chip cookie dough pieces. How easy is that? This is a truly decadent dessert.
Lemon Tart
This recipe has you make the dough from scratch and let it rise overnight. Every little bite of this luscious lemon bread is coated in a sweet tart lemon sugar.
Cherry Cheesecake
Only four ingredients needed for this monkey bread. Four? Yes, you read that right! This is the ultimate semi-homemade dessert recipe, and everyone is going to love it.
Coated in Caramel
This recipe uses dough made from scratch coated in homemade caramel. When baked, it is drizzled with a sweet sugar glaze.
Walnuts and Sugar
This ooey-gooey, sticky monkey bread with walnuts recipe was a childhood favorite. Made with canned biscuits, it is so simple to prepare.
Chocolate Pretzel
Use up those crushed pretzels from the bottom of the bag in this chocolate pretzel monkey bread recipe. This dessert is both fun to eat and delicious!
Blueberry Pie
Use blueberry pie filling for this monkey bread drizzled with a cream cheese icing. Yum! If you love blueberry like I do, this is going to be a favorite.
Pina Colada
Rum, coconut, pineapple - the perfect combination for this monkey bread that tastes like a tropical drink! This recipe can be easily doubled.
Happy Halloween
This simple monkey bread recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast or even a Halloween treat. We themed ours for Halloween. The whole family will love it!
Brown Sugar Coffee
Cinnamon, brown sugar, and coffee are the main flavors in this monkey bread recipe. It is topped off with crushed coffee cookies!
King Cake
This monkey bread king cake recipe uses cinnamon roll dough for the pieces. It is topped off with icing in the traditional Mardi Gras colors!
Monkey Bread Variations
Super Easy Gluten Free
This recipe for gluten free monkey bread is easy to make, especially for the little hands of little kitchen helpers, and makes the house smell like warm, cinnamon goodness!
French Toast
Slice your monkey bread and make French toast from it. This sounds like a great combination of breakfast foods!
Individual Muffins
Make your monkey bread already portioned into individual servings. The photo above shows the pumpkin version. I also found a great recipe for hot chocolate monkey bread muffins,
Gorilla Bread
This is a low-carb/keto version of stuffed monkey bread (or gorilla bread). The dough is made from cheese and almond flour and it is stuffed with cream cheese!
If you liked these monkey bread recipes, you are going to love these other popular dessert recipes: