Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread is a delicious, sweet, treat that everyone will love! Made with store-bought canned buttermilk biscuit dough this buttery, brown sugar covered, morsels make every bite just as good as the last!
Also known as Monkey Bread, this recipe has been made for decades in my family! Growing up my mom would make this for Thanksgiving Morning, Christmas Morning, New Years, Easter, and even a birthday or two!
Why this recipe is the best:
Easy to make: With only a few ingredients you can make this in no time. You can even prep this the night before then pop it in the oven to bake the next day!
Store-bought biscuit dough: I love using store bought mixes and premade items to help make my time in the kitchen easier, whether its easy sticky buns, Easter bunny cinnamon rolls, or doctored cake mixes and frozen pie crusts. This recipe similarly uses pre-made canned biscuit dough! The hardest part is just opening the cans!
What you need for cinnamon pull apart?
- Brown Sugar: I tend to use dark for the extra molasses flavor, but light will work fine too.
- Butter
- Cinnamon
- Buttermilk Canned Biscuits- you can use the grand buttermilk biscuits or regular size
- Chopped Walnuts (optional)
- Bundt Pan- 10 inch/12 cup size bundt pan
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray
This dish is also frequently known as monkey bread or monkey brains, but I grew up with it called Cinnamon Pull Apart. They are all the same delicious recipe though!
How to make cinnamon pull apart bread?
- Preheat oven and spray your bundt pan thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cut each biscuit into quarters.
- Microwave your butter, sugar, and cinnamon, until fully melted.
- Layer the bundt pan with walnuts (if using), ¼ cup of butter brown sugar mixture, 16 pieces of cut grand biscuit pieces and then repeat, ending with remaining walnuts and butter mixture. If using regular sized biscuits it will be 40 pieces per layer.
- Bake until golden brown and cooked throughout.
- Once cooked remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then flip onto a large plate.
Pro Tip: Spray the bundt pan thoroughly (more than you’d think!) with non-stick cooking spray. This will help it come out smoothly after baking.
What to serve with cinnamon pull apart?
A cold glass of orange juice and some hot bacon is my go too. But serve this along with some egg burritos and coffee sounds delicious too!
Brand of Biscuits?
I’ve used both name brand Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits and cheap non-name brand and they both taste great!
Should I coat the dough with sugar first?
This is optional. The times I've tried it I find it doesn't really add anything that is crucial to the taste or flavor.
We’ve been making this monkey bread recipe for years without coating each piece and it always comes out tasty.
How do I know when the cinnamon pull apart is done?
Typically, the top (which will be the bottom once you flip it) will be golden brown and it will take 30-40 minutes to bake. Since living at altitude, I’ve come to just check the internal temperature of everything since baking times can vary so much up here.
If you have a food thermometer (I use this one often!) check to make sure the internal temperature is 190°F. The biscuit pieces will be cooked through at that temperature!
Pro Tip: Sometimes if the oven temp is a little wacky the top of the pull apart (later to be the bottom) will start to get a little too dark before it is finished baking. If that start to happen place a sheet of foil over the dish to help stop that from burning.
Cinnamon Pull Apart Fell Apart?
If your cinnamon pull apart falls apart after flipping, this is typically because the pan wasn’t greased well enough or it wasn't baked all the way through.
Variations of Cinnamon Pull Apart:
Chocolate, Caramel, Butterscotch: Add a few chocolate, caramel, or butterscotch chips in with the layers of nuts, butter mixture, and dough for variety!
Cream Cheese Frosting: Mix together some cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a little milk then drizzling over this pull apart is a delicious addition!
Cinnamon Rolls: Cut up cinnamon rolls instead of biscuit dough for an extra sweet pull apart!
Coffee: Although this monkey bread pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee, you can also add in instant coffee or espresso powder into the butter mixture for some subtle coffee flavor- yum!
No bundt pan? No problem!
If you don’t have a bundt pan you can make this recipe in a baking dish or loaf pan, just make sure to adjust the baking time.
Depending on the dish it might need a little longer or a little less time baking and keep in mind the size of the pan needs to be big enough to hold all the pieces and then double in size once its baked!
This dish is best served and eaten warm, the same day you bake it, but if you have leftovers, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Simply microwave a slice for 15-20 second intervals until it’s heated through.
Yes! The day before you can prep the entire dish, all the way through layering the all the dough into the pan with the butter mixture. Then cover and refrigerate.
The next morning, bake the pull apart in a preheated oven until cooked through. You might have to add a few minutes of baking time but it will come out just as delicious!
Whether you are making this for a fun breakfast or a delicious dessert, this cinnamon pull apart bread will become a new family favorite!
If you like this recipe check out my other family favorite recipes- they include mandarin orange salad, salmon croquettes, fried spaghetti, and the best tri tip!
Want more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
Equipment
- Bundt Pan- 12 cups/10 inch in diameter
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup butter
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Cans Grand Buttermilk Biscuits 16 oz with 8 biscuits in each (or four 7.5 oz cans with 10 biscuits in each regular sized buttermilk biscuits)
- ¾ cup walnuts chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray (like Pam). Make sure to spray thoroughly so monkey bread doesn’t stick.
- Cut each grand biscuit into quarters, giving you 32 pieces to a can. If using 7.5 oz cans cut each biscuit into quarters too, giving you 40 pieces to a can.2 Cans Grand Buttermilk Biscuits
- Optional: While cutting you can to toss the cut biscuit pieces into a bag with some extra brown sugar. This step is optional and I recommend it only if you have the time.
- In a microwave safe measuring cup, add butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat heating until melted. Stir mixture until combined- you might need to restir if it separates. *1.5 cup dark brown sugar, ¾ cup butter, 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- If using walnuts spread ¼ cup along the bottom of the bundt pan. Pour ~¼ cup of the butter sugar mixture along the bottom of the pan.¾ cup walnuts
- Layer 16 of the grand biscuit pieces into the bundt pan (or 40 of the regular sized biscuit pieces) . Then drizzle with ¼ cup of the sugar butter mixture (stirring to redistribute brown sugar if needed), and another ¼ cup of chopped walnuts (if using nuts).
- Repeat two more times using all the cut biscuits, walnuts (if using), and cinnamon butter sugar mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. * The top of the pull apart will be golden brown and if you have a thermometer, check to make sure the internal temperature is 195-200°F at minimum. If the top (which will be the bottom once you flip it) is getting too dark just cover it with foil and continue baking.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 2-5 minutes. Then cover with a large plate and carefully flip and enjoy!
Notes
- *I like to use a hand blender to really mix the sugar and butter together. (amazon affiliate link)
- *Baking times will vary depending on the size/thickness of your pan.
- Nutrition Info is estimated and includes walnuts.
Lisa
What a great family recipe!