Easy Monkey Bread with Canned Biscuits Recipe

If you’re looking for an easy monkey bread recipe that tastes like pure comfort and takes almost no fuss, you are in exactly the right place. I love making monkey bread with canned biscuits because it gives you that soft, pillowy pull-apart texture without needing to make dough from scratch. The result is everything I want in a cozy sweet bake: buttery, cinnamon-sugar coated, and dripping with a glossy caramel-like glaze.

This is the kind of recipe I pull out when I want something fun for a holiday breakfast, a weekend brunch, or just a treat to share with family and friends. As soon as it comes out of the oven, warm and deep golden brown, everyone wants to grab a piece. It’s messy in the best way, with gooey centers, crisp edges, and that irresistible cinnamon aroma filling the kitchen.

I also love that this recipe feels special even though the ingredients are wonderfully simple. With canned biscuits, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, you can create a bakery-style monkey bread that looks beautiful on the table and disappears fast. If you’ve never made it before, don’t worry—I’ll walk you through every step so you can get that perfect ring of sticky, pull-apart goodness.

Quick Recipe Info Card

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 8
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love It

• It uses canned biscuits, so there’s no homemade yeast dough to worry about.
• You get a soft, airy interior with wonderfully gooey cinnamon-sugar layers.
• The buttery brown sugar glaze bakes into a rich caramel coating.
• It’s perfect for holidays, brunches, potlucks, or cozy weekends at home.
• The ring shape looks impressive, but the method is simple and beginner-friendly.
• Everyone can pull off their own piece, which makes serving fun and casual.
• It tastes amazing warm, right out of the pan after a short rest.

Nutritional Benefits and Adaptable Variations

• Portion-friendly treat: Because it’s pull-apart style, it’s easy to serve smaller portions.
• Energy-rich: This recipe provides carbohydrates and fat for a satisfying breakfast or dessert-style bake.
• Walnut or pecan option: Add chopped nuts between the biscuit layers for crunch and extra richness.
• Apple version: Tuck in tiny pieces of peeled apple for a fall-inspired twist.
• Pumpkin spice variation: Swap part of the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice for a warm seasonal flavor.
• Vanilla glaze finish: Drizzle a simple powdered sugar glaze over the top after baking for extra sweetness.
• Less sweet option: Slightly reduce the brown sugar if you prefer a lighter caramel coating.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously coat a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, making sure to get into all the grooves.
2. Open the biscuit cans and cut each biscuit into quarters. This helps create those perfect bite-sized pull-apart pieces.
3. In a large zip-top bag or mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
4. Add the biscuit pieces and toss until they are evenly coated in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
5. If you’re using nuts, sprinkle a few into the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan.
6. Layer about half of the coated biscuit pieces into the pan. Add some of the remaining nuts if using, then layer in the rest of the biscuit pieces.
7. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and combined. Heat just until the mixture is glossy and beginning to bubble around the edges, then remove it from the heat.
8. Pour the brown sugar butter mixture evenly over the biscuit pieces in the pan.
9. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and the center looks cooked through. If it starts browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 minutes.
10. Let the monkey bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Carefully invert it onto a serving plate while still warm. Do not let it sit too long in the pan or the glaze may stick.
11. Serve warm and let everyone pull apart their own sticky, cinnamon-coated pieces.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition values are approximate estimates per serving and can vary based on the biscuit brand and any optional add-ins used.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

If you have leftovers, let the monkey bread cool completely and store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds to bring back that soft, gooey texture.

If you want to prep ahead, you can cut and coat the biscuit pieces, place them in the pan, and keep the butter-brown sugar mixture separate. Refrigerate both, then pour the warmed sauce over just before baking. Because refrigerated dough is perishable, keep it chilled and bake within a day for best quality and food safety.

FAQ

1. Can I make monkey bread without a Bundt pan?

Yes, you can use a tube pan or a similarly sized baking dish, though the shape and baking time may vary slightly. Keep an eye on the center to make sure it cooks through.

2. Why is my monkey bread doughy in the middle?

This usually means it needs a few more minutes in the oven. Since the biscuit pieces are layered tightly, the center can take longer to bake. If the top is getting dark, tent it loosely with foil.

3. Can I prepare this the night before?

Yes. Assemble the biscuit pieces in the pan, keep them refrigerated, and add the sauce before baking the next day. Make sure everything stays chilled until you’re ready to bake.

4. What kind of canned biscuits work best?

Regular refrigerated biscuits are ideal for this recipe. Buttermilk-style biscuits are especially good because they bake up tender and fluffy.

5. How do I keep monkey bread from sticking to the pan?

Grease the pan very generously and don’t wait too long to invert it after baking. A 10-minute rest usually works well for easy release while keeping the glaze gooey.

Monkey Bread With Canned Biscuits: Gooey Cinnamon Pull-Apart Recipe!

A gooey, buttery monkey bread made with canned biscuits, cinnamon sugar, and a rich brown sugar glaze.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 465 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Bundt pan 10 to 12-cup capacity
• 1 Large mixing bowl or large zip-top bag
• 1 Small saucepan
• 1 Knife or kitchen scissors for cutting biscuits
• 1 measuring cups

Ingredients

  

Monkey Bread

• 2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough 16.3 ounces each
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• nonstick cooking spray for greasing the pan
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts chopped, optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously coat a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Open the biscuit cans and cut each biscuit into quarters.
• Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl or zip-top bag.
• Add the biscuit pieces and toss until evenly coated in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
• If using nuts, sprinkle some into the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan.
• Layer half of the coated biscuit pieces into the pan, add some of the nuts if using, then add the remaining biscuit pieces.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and glossy, heating just until the mixture begins to bubble around the edges.
• Pour the brown sugar butter mixture evenly over the biscuit pieces in the pan.
• Bake for 35 minutes, or until deep golden brown and cooked through in the center. Loosely tent with foil near the end if browning too quickly.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving plate.
• Serve warm.

Notes

Grease the pan very well for easy release. Check that the center is baked through before removing from the oven. Serve warm for the best gooey texture. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat briefly before serving.