Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (2024)

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Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (1)There’s nothing quite like sticky gooey Monkey BreadRecipe to give you that early morning sugar rush and sense of satisfaction.

Christmas morning: the true story of Christmas has been read, presents are unwrapped, the kids have stars in their eyes as they flutter around trying to decide what to play with first. Dad is tenaciously assembling toys with a million pieces each, and you…

You, in your robe and new Christmas jammies, have picked up the wrapping paper and are now working on a brilliant holiday breakfast to keep the Christmas magic alive.

In planning for meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I like to incorporate dishes that can be made ahead.

That way, during all the excitement, I’m not tucked away in the kitchen, missing out on memory-making moments.

Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (4)

My Drunken Monkey Bread Recipeis a dish I make only on very special occasions.

It’s rich, loaded with flavor, and ultra sweet. So much so, I’d feel bad serving it to my kids on regular mornings, then sending them off for teachers to manage.

Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (5)

Christmas morning is different, though.

The little nippers are so hyped-up on Christmas magic, a bit of sugar isn’t going to make much of a difference.

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I first remember eating Monkey Bread at my Aunt Millie’s house, as a little girl.

Aunt Millie had a strong personality, an infectious laugh, and whole lot of spunk. I could count on her to have sticky-sweet Monkey Bread, hot and ready for the holidays, and a big smile and joke for her nieces and nephews.

This Drunken Monkey Bread Recipeis in honor of Aunt Millie, who I’m certain did not liquor-up her version, but would have loved it all the same.

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Adding a little booze to your monkey bread recipe, is strictly about flavor.

Along with the butter, sugar, and orange zest, a nip of your favorite liquor will saturate the dough, and leave a rich undertone that makes monkey bread just as exciting for the grownups as the kids.

Most of the alcohol evaporates while the bread is baking, so I’m comfortable serving it to the entire family.

This particular monkey bread recipe is a quickie version, incorporating frozen bread dough, to decrease your time in the kitchen.

You can make it “ahead” in two different ways.

1. One day ahead, let the dough rise according to package instructions. Then cut and sugar the dough, place it in a bundt pan, and pop it in the fridge. On Christmas morning simply whisk together the syrup, pour over the top, and bake.

2. Christmas Eve night, place the dough out to thaw and rise over night, covered in plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Christmas morning, cut and sugar the dough, place it in a bundt pan, immediately pour the syrup over the the top, and bake.

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The differences in the two methods:

Method 1 needs to bake a little longer (approximately 1 hour) and creates a tender uniform loaf that you slice, but takes less of your time on Christmas morning.

Method 2 takes a little more time to put together in the morning, yet bakes faster (approximately 40 minutes) and comes out of the pan as more of a segmented pull-apart bread.

Both methods bake up a ridiculously moist and flavorful breakfast bread with a crusty exterior, that will be a hit Christmas morning.

I plan to serve Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe with spinach artichoke breakfast bake and fresh berries, a meal my family will certainly remember.

Other Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas:

Corned Beef Hash with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheee Frittata
Boston Cream Pie Pancakes ~ Country Clever
Egg Nog French Toast Bake ~ Domestic Fits

Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (11)

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Our easy Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe is a show-stopper for the holidays. This monkey bread recipe offers sticky goodness and a unique boozy sweetness!

Servings: 12

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

  • 3 pounds frozen bread dough or rolls, not the partially baked varieties (Rhodes)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice spice
  • 2 1/2 sticks melted butter (1 1/4 cups)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup bourbon, amaretto, cognac, or brandy
  • Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

  • Place the frozen dough on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Spray a large sheet of plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray and cover the dough. Allow the dough to thaw and rise for 3-5 hours, according to package instructions.

  • Once the dough has doubled or tripled in size, butter (or spray with cooking spray) a large 12-15 cup capacity bundt pan. Mix the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. Then use kitchen shears to snip the dough into 1- to 1 1/2-inch chunks. Dust the dough chunks with the sugar mixture and place in the bundt pan. *At this point, you can cover the top and refrigerate overnight.

  • Move the oven rack to the bottom position and take out the other racks to give the monkey bread room to rise. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, liquor, and orange zest together in a large microwave safe bowl. Bring the mixture to a boil in the microwave, about 2 minutes. Then pour over the monkey bread dough and place in the oven.

  • Bake for 40-60 minutes, until the top is brown, crusty, and rising over the top of the pan. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then flip out onto a platter and serve warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 6ounces, Calories: 299kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 173mg, Potassium: 27mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 30g, Vitamin A: 590IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

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Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does monkey bread contain? ›

Homemade monkey bread combines several tiny balls of dough coated in butter, cinnamon, and sugar. It's basically a giant Bundt pan of gooey cinnamon rolls! Finish this fun breakfast or dessert treat with vanilla icing and serve pull apart style. This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.

What can I use instead of a bundt pan for monkey bread? ›

While most monkey bread recipes are typically made in a bundt pan, this recipe instructs you to make the monkey bread in a loaf pan. You get a smaller batch of monkey bread, perfect for serving 4 to 6 people! The best part?

What's another name for monkey bread? ›

Monkey bread (also known by other names including plucking cake, pull-apart bread, and bubble bread) is a soft, sweet, sticky pastry served in the United States for breakfast or as a treat. It consists of pieces of soft baked dough sprinkled with cinnamon.

Why was it called monkey bread? ›

Monkey bread gets its name by the method in which it is eaten: picking off chunks of buttery, gooey dough with your fingers not unlike a monkey grooming his buddy (which is actually a weird thing to name a food after, if you really think about it.)

What is a fun fact about monkey bread? ›

Dating back to the 1880s in Hungarian literature, Hungarian immigrants brought this dish with them when they immigrated to America and began introducing it into the country's food landscape when Hungarian and Hungarian Jewish bakeries began selling it in the mid-twentieth century.

Is monkey bread a southern thing? ›

to get right. Chef Thomas nailed it on the first try for.

Does monkey bread need to be refrigerated? ›

Storage Tips. Monkey bread is definitely best served on the same day that it is baked, preferably fresh out of the oven! Any leftover monkey bread should be stored, covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can I use a regular cake pan instead of Bundt? ›

Can you bake a Bundt cake in a 13×9 pan? Yes—but don't overfill the pan. Be sure to leave about 1/2″ to 1/4″ of space at the top to give the cake room to grow. You'll also need to adjust your baking time.

What fruit is called monkey bread? ›

Baobab is a fruit grown in Africa. Pronounced as “bau-bab,” this fruit grows on trees that can be over 1,000 years old. A baobab tree may also be called a monkey bread tree, Ethiopian sour gourd, cream of tartar tree and even upside-down tree.

What are the benefits of monkey bread? ›

Studies have shown the benefits of monkey bread in the field of medicine. This fruit actually has anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which can be beneficial for heart disease and diabetes.

Where do people eat monkey bread? ›

Monkey Bread, aka Puzzle Bread, aka Hungarian Coffee Cake, may not have originated in the United States but in Hungary, where my paternal grandmother was born. And so, in my search for a dish that was previously unknown to me, I am somehow guided to an ancestral tradition.

What does bread in slang mean? ›

The word bread has been used as American slang for money since at least the 1930s. Food is among the most important reasons people need money, and the slang bread likely refers to the fact that bread is one of the most commonly eaten (and purchased) foods.

Can I reheat monkey bread? ›

Although monkey bread is best served fresh and warm, it can be reheated the next day in a 200°F oven or in the microwave. This delicious monkey bread would be great served with fresh fruit for a brunch.

Why do they call it dumb bread? ›

Dumb bread is a traditional bread that originates from the Virgin Islands. The name "dumb bread" comes from the cooking technique called dum pukht, originating from India and brought to the Caribbean when the Indian indentured workers replaced the slaves. This bread does not require any yeast.

What nutrition is in monkey bread? ›

Monkey Bread - 1 piece
  • Calories 441.
  • Total Fat 17g 22%
  • Saturated Fat 7.9g 40%
  • Trans Fat 0.9g.
  • Polyunsaturated Fat 2.7g.
  • Monounsaturated Fat 3.4g.
  • Cholesterol 31mg 10%
  • Sodium 763mg 33%
Apr 14, 2016

Is monkey bread made from bananas? ›

Bananas: You will need 3 ripe bananas for the bread dough and 3 more bananas that will be diced and layered in between the balls of bread dough. Yeast: I used instant yeast in this recipe. It is also called quick rise or fast-rising yeast. Milk: I prefer whole milk in this recipe.

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