Sticky Cinnamon Pull-apart Monkey Bread
I made this out in Tofino over spring break. I meant to tell you immediately, but then didn’t… and even though it’s far from the weekend now, I’m thinking about it and don’t want to forget again. This is like cinnamon buns for those intimidated by the thought of making cinnamon buns… you start with balls of dough, dip them in melted butter and cinnamon sugar, then pile them in a Bundt pan to bake, then pull apart and eat by the bite. It’s like a pile of Timbits, amalgamated with butter and sugar.
You upend it onto a plate, letting any excess stickiness contribute to its gilded sides, then splatter it with a quick icing sugar drizzle and a fork. If you’re not so much into making dough, you could start with the kind of frozen dough they sell at the grocery store to bake your own loaves and buns, but it’s worth giving this smooth, sweet dough a go.
Sticky Cinnamon Pull-apart Monkey Bread
AuthorJulie
To make the dough, put the warm water in a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and sprinkle with the yeast and a pinch of the sugar. Let stand 5 minutes, or until foamy. (If it doesn’t foam, toss it and buy fresh yeast.)
In a small bowl, mix the warm milk and eggs together with a fork. Add to the yeast mixture along with 3 cups of the flour and the remaining sugar; mix until well blended and sticky. Add the butter and remaining flour and stir or beat with the dough hook attachment of your stand mixer until you have a soft, sticky dough; knead for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. It will still be slightly tacky. Place back in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for an hour, or until doubled in bulk.
Melt the butter in one bowl, and in another stir together the sugars and cinnamon. Pull the dough apart into balls the size of a small plum. Dip each ball of dough into the melted butter, then douse in the sugar mixture, rolling to coat completely. Place in a greased Bundt pan, piling them on top of each other.
Cover and let rise for an hour while you preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch.
Invert onto a plate, then whisk together the icing sugar, milk and vanilla and drizzle overtop. Serve warm.
Ingredients
Directions
To make the dough, put the warm water in a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and sprinkle with the yeast and a pinch of the sugar. Let stand 5 minutes, or until foamy. (If it doesn’t foam, toss it and buy fresh yeast.)
In a small bowl, mix the warm milk and eggs together with a fork. Add to the yeast mixture along with 3 cups of the flour and the remaining sugar; mix until well blended and sticky. Add the butter and remaining flour and stir or beat with the dough hook attachment of your stand mixer until you have a soft, sticky dough; knead for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. It will still be slightly tacky. Place back in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for an hour, or until doubled in bulk.
Melt the butter in one bowl, and in another stir together the sugars and cinnamon. Pull the dough apart into balls the size of a small plum. Dip each ball of dough into the melted butter, then douse in the sugar mixture, rolling to coat completely. Place in a greased Bundt pan, piling them on top of each other.
Cover and let rise for an hour while you preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch.
Invert onto a plate, then whisk together the icing sugar, milk and vanilla and drizzle overtop. Serve warm.
Although I hate to admit it I have made this recipe with Pilsbury Biscuits. There’s so much sugar and butter you can’t really tell it’s from a can. I’m sure Julie’s are divine but these are quick and were devoured!
Absolutely awesome, I wouldn’t be able to stop eating this!
First time I eat monkey bread was at my american friend’s house, I feel in love with it and I have made her version lots and lots of times.Absolutely perfect!
Your monkey bread looks fantastic! One of the things on my list 🙂
Hey Julie do we really have to wait another hour for the balls to prove again?
-sincerely want my cinnamon balls NOW
I’ve made something similar with regular bread dough, melted butter, then rolled in gomashio (ground up sesame seeds and salt) – it was really good!