Try this homemade monkey bread from scratch and give cinnamon rolls a run for their money! Little bubbles of bread are coated in butter, cinnamon and sugar. Crisp and caramelized on the outside but soft inside, this pull-apart bread is delicious for breakfast or dessert!

Recipe for Monkey Bread from Scratch

When is the last time you had monkey bread? Do you like the crispy outer breads or the gooey middle?

If you’ve never had monkey bread from scratch before then you are in for a treat!

What is Monkey Bread?

Monkey bread is made by dipping balls of yeasted dough in butter and cinnamon sugar.

The dough balls are placed in a Bundt pan to bake and the result is a sticky ring of pull-apart bread. It tastes heavenly when warm from the oven.

Homemade monkey bread is one of my family’s favorite recipes of all time! We call it “bubble bread” due to the round cinna-bubble balls.

From the first time we tried it, we were all hooked. We enjoy making the dough and dipping the balls in butter and cinnamon sugar together as a family, and we definitely all enjoy eating it!

This is a great recipe to get kids involved in the kitchen, or to serve for breakfast on special occasions (like Mother’s Day…).

Most times this is something we whip up when we’re all hanging out and have a hankering for something sweet to eat. Does your family have any favorite “midnight snacks”?

Chips and salsa never fails (try my smoky Guajillo Chile Salsa). Or quick and easy Bacon Fried Rice if we want something more substantial.

How to Make Monkey Bread

Step One: Prepare Dough

This recipe involves yeast, but it’s simple, so don’t be intimidated if yeast dough is not your friend.

The dough is so soft you don’t even need a stand mixer to mix it up. In fact, be careful not to over-mix the dough or it can become tough and hard.

This recipe also calls for scalded milk. This is when milk is heated to just before the boiling point, about 180°F.

Scalding milk breaks down the proteins for a soft dough and the warmth will also activate the yeast.

Take care to stir the milk often whether using a stove or microwave so it doesn’t burn.

Let the dough rise once, then punch down and form into little balls. They should be very small since they will rise again and expand.

Step Two: Dip Dough Balls in Cinnamon-Sugar

About 1 or 1.5 inch balls is a good size. You’ll end up with about 50-60 pieces.

Dip each ball in melted butter, then in cinnamon-sugar. I usually do several balls at a time.

At this point, you can also add chopped nuts or raisins. They may not stick to the dough, but you can sprinkle them in as you layer the dough in the pan.

Stagger the balls in a bundt pan, and distribute any leftover butter or sugar over the top. Don’t want to waste any of that goodness!

Step Three: Bake

Let rise for a second time until puffy and then bake. Start checking the bread as it nears the end of the cooking time so you don’t over-do it.

Monkey bread should be soft and gooey, but crisp and caramelized on the outside. I usually pull up a few dough bites to see if it’s cooked in the middle.

Let the monkey bread cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a serving plate.

Ta-da! You now have the most delicious monkey bread from scratch. Enjoy!

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This recipe first appeared on Amanda’s Cookin’ as a contribution by Kitchen Gidget.