Maple Pecan Monkey Bread Recipe (2024)

By Genevieve Ko

Maple Pecan Monkey Bread Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour, plus rising
Rating
4(357)
Notes
Read community notes

Maple syrup gives an autumnal feel and subtler sweetness to traditionally sugary monkey bread. Any grade of maple syrup works: B and C will give you a more robust maple flavor, while Grade A will deliver a more delicate, refined sweetness. Here, the syrup is mixed with brown butter and used to glaze extra-rich brioche dough rounds and toasted pecans. It all caramelizes together into a fluffy yet chewy pull-apart bread punctuated with the crunch of nuts. If you prefer a rustic look, you don’t have to roll the pieces of dough into balls. Just cut them into even pieces and coat with the cinnamon sugar. This recipe is at its soft and gooey best the day it’s made, but it can be kept at room temperature overnight and reheated in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

  • cups/450 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1tablespoon instant yeast
  • teaspoons fine salt
  • 4large eggs, at room temperature
  • ½cup/120 milliliters plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • cups/285 grams unsalted butter (2½ sticks), cut up and softened, plus more for the bowl and pan
  • ¼cup/50 grams sugar
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1cup/100 grams pecan halves, toasted

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

450 calories; 27 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 251 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Maple Pecan Monkey Bread Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix flour, yeast and 1½ teaspoons salt on low speed to blend. Add eggs, 2 tablespoons syrup and 3 tablespoons warm water, and beat on low speed until the mixture comes together. Switch to the dough hook and beat on low speed. While beating, add ¾ cup/1½ sticks softened butter, a few pieces at a time, until fully incorporated. Continue beating, scraping bowl and hook occasionally, until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (If the dough doesn't come together easily after a few minutes and remains shaggy, dry, or tough, add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a smooth, soft ball.)

  2. Lightly butter a large bowl. Turn dough into bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours. Gently press the dough down. If it feels very soft or greasy, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until slightly firmer, about 15 minutes and up to 1 day.

  3. Step

    3

    When ready to assemble, melt remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until dairy solids turn golden brown and butter smells nutty. While stirring, add remaining ½ cup maple syrup and 1 teaspoon salt in a steady stream. Bring to a boil, stirring, then remove from the heat.

  4. Step

    4

    Mix sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Butter a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan. Turn dough out onto a clean work surface and roll into a 2-inch thick rope. Cut into 8 even pieces, then cut each of those pieces into 8 pieces for 64 pieces total.

  5. Step

    5

    Gently roll a piece into a ball and drop in cinnamon sugar. Repeat until you have a single layer of balls at the bottom of the bowl. Shake the bowl to evenly coat the balls with the cinnamon sugar. Put the sugared balls in the pan and repeat until you have a single layer in the pan. Scatter some pecans all around. Repeat until all the balls and pecans are in the pan. Drizzle the brown butter syrup all along the sides of the pan and over the top of the balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until puffed and an inch away from the top of the pan, 30 to 45 minutes.

  6. Step

    6

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover pan and bake until golden brown on top, 35 to 40 minutes. Put pan on a wire rack and let stand for 5 minutes. Center a large plate over the pan, grip the plate and pan together, and quickly and carefully flip both together. Carefully lift off the pan. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Tip

  • After the first rise, the dough can be deflated, covered tightly, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. The assembled monkey bread can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 12 hours. Bring to room temperature before baking. The brown butter syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Warm to room temperature, whisking to emulsify, before using.

Ratings

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357

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Tini

This is wonderful. But great shortcut..... use frozen bread dough that has been thawed. Cut into appropriate sized peevesEasier yet use Grands biscuits. Cut up.

Jonathan

It may be a shortcut, but biscuits are not brioche. -- heck, biscuits are not even bread, technically speaking. (The key to biscuits is to minimize gluten production, the opposite of bread.) You would be much wiser to use frozen bread dough if you want to create a shortcut. But be aware, as mentioned in the intro, this dough as prepared is a brioche -- more eggs and butter than a standard bread dough -- so the favor your final product will differ *significantly* from the original.

Georgette

Recipe says “While beating, add 3/4 cup/1 1/2 sticks softened butter”. Are we using 3/4 cup of the butter?

SURA

Sorry, but I do not think that store-bought biscuit dough can ever substitute for extra-rich brioche dough. It truly will not be the same.

QTPie

I like the idea of the Grands biscuits as a real time and effort saver. However, having never bought those, how many packages should I use for this recipe? And, do I just go to step 3 and skip the raising or do they need raising?Sorry if this seems intuitive to you, but I'm not a baker!!! : )

ERS

We made this recipe this weekend and it didn't come out well - the dough took a long time to come together so then it was tough and dry. I would go with the Grands biscuit suggestion and keep the maple and pecan components.

Ann

This is insanely delicious and easy too. Rises further in the oven to make a very pretty and very full Bundt pan. Freezes nicely if there's any left. Making ahead and refrigerating does work very nicely.

LRD

This is wonderful. But great shortcut..... use frozen bread dough that has been thawed. Cut into appropriate sized peeves Easier yet use Grands biscuits. Cut up.

nary contrary

Dry, too salty, threw it away before guests arrived :(

Ann

This did not turn out well for me, despite all the butter it was dry and had no maple flavour at all. Only change I made was to use walnuts instead of pecans, because I was out. It rose fine though, I will say that. I found it not sweet enough and actually a bit too salty.

Jon H

I wanted to love this recipe! I always run into an issue with brioche-type bread where after I add the butter, the butter does not fully incorporate into the flour mixture & the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl while kneading. I tried adding more flour to have the sticky/wet dough mixture come together. This helped bring the mixture together, but the result was a dough that didn't rise at all after an hour+. Any suggestions for how to remedy this?

Molly C

Lots of discussion and argument over prepackaged grands vs homemade brioche. I made homemade brioche, but I’m sure grands would be just fine. The real thing to discuss here is the flavor. And wow, what a magnificent one at that! It was a comfort that felt nothing short of true joy. It was the embodiment of that indescribable fuzziness that you feel around the holidays. A warm moment by the fireplace while snow falls gracefully outdoors. To be less poetic, the flavors are delicious!

mayely

Welp, just threw away the second failed batch of brioche dough. All my ingredients were fresh from the store. Both batches developed chunks and would not come together. Added water incrementally as directed and both batches became lumpy gluey messes that never came together. What a waste of good ingredients.

LAS

Made following recipe and it was good as is. The “top” which became the “bottom” when flipped, was a bit dry - will easily remedy next time w a few less minutes in the oven OR a double batch of butter/maple mix - but probably both! Quite good and fun for family to participate in the ball rolling!

Jeanne

3/4 c. butter IS 1 1/2 sticks butter.And pop-n-fresh biscuits are NOT brioche. That is not a shortcut; it’s an inferior recipe meant for someone who cannot bake.

TriciaPDX

Someone who can't bake has to start somewhere. If they use store-bought biscuits (sigh) to try an interesting recipe that could easily be an inspiration to try something harder next time!

phillycook

This was good but not gooey enough. My husband also found it a tad salty. If making again, would reduce/eliminate salt in the butter syrup combo, and would pour some syrup in with each layer of the balls.

m

If you are using salted butter, you can eliminate the salt.

Lorelei

Note on the pan: if you use a tube pan make sure it does not have a removable bottom. Most of the maple butter leaked out and the end result wasn’t monkey bread gooey. Also, kneaded the dough by hand after the dough hook wasn’t picking up much. It was sticky but got to the right consistency after several minutes.

TA Nelson

Note that recent grading recalibration has transformed the formerly Grade B maple syrup into Grade A - Dark Robust. Just a nomenclature change. I'm in Kansas City and have had no luck finding Grade C locally, which is frustrating, as it's my favorite for nearly every use (I like the deep, slightly bitter flavors).

Diane

This is so good my family of 4 ate half of it in a night. It turned out like more of a cake for me--you could pull it apart but you could also slice it. The brioche is really different than bread or biscuit dough so sub at your own risk it'll be good but different. I let it rise longer than recommended (lazy/distracted) so that could have something to do with its cakiness. The glaze is amazing and I would use more next time cause there is no such thing as too sweet/gooey for me.

Alice

I used the sticky bun monkey bread dough recipe because I didn’t want a brioche texture. I also think that the butter and syrup shouldnt be mixed since that much butter won’t incorporate into syrup. If making again I will roll dough balls in brown butter then dip into cinnamon sugar, drizzling maple syrup at each layer.

annalise

dough did not rise very well, so i was a bit worried, although i may have been using old yeast. ultimately it turned out fine, but it was not as fluffy as i would have expected. also slighty salty for my taste

Jenny

Don't be like me and misread the recipe-- I put all the salt in the dough. Not a good result! Doh!

Jess

The dough was tough and dry for me as well.

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Maple Pecan Monkey Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is pull apart bread called monkey bread? ›

Some food historians suggest that it comes from the pastry being a finger food, and that those eating it pick apart the bread with their hands as a monkey might. Others suggest that it comes from the pastry's resemblance to the monkey puzzle tree Araucaria araucana.

Should monkey bread be refrigerated? ›

If you somehow end up with leftovers, save them for later! This Grands!™ Monkey Bread can be stored, tightly covered, on the counter for 1–2 days. To keep it fresh for 3–4 days, pop it into the fridge. And if you want to put a treat aside for future you, you can freeze monkey bread for up to two months.

What is another name for monkey bread? ›

Also known as Hungarian Coffee Cake, Bubble Loaf, and, my favorite, Pinch Me Cake, the term Monkey Bread didn't start popping up until the 1950's in various women's magazines.

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 do Southern people call the end of bread? ›

Heel: In many parts of the United States, the end piece is called the "heel" of the bread.

What is a fun fact about monkey bread? ›

It is often served at fairs and festivals. The origin of this bread can be tracked to many centuries back when sweet yeast rolls were prepared and eaten during special occasions. The Middle Eastern cooks were the first ones to prepare sweet, buttery rolls with sugar and cinnamon.

Can monkey bread go bad? ›

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

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

If you have 9" cake pans (you will need 2 for one bundt)- just stick a pair (ETA: one in each) of ramekins in the center and place the dough around it (seriously- it will work great). I make pull apart bread in loaf pans and muffin pans all the time, but if presentation matters- just go with the DIY tube pans.

What to eat with monkey bread? ›

Vary the amount of cloves you use depending on how garlicky you want your monkey bread. Serve it with a classic Italian dish such as creamy carbonara or dip it into melted cheese and tomato sauce atop a chicken Parmesan.

What fruit is called monkey bread? ›

The Baobab is one of the most majestic trees of Africa, very present in Senegal. Its fruit, which is called “monkey bread”, has multiple virtues. It is 2.5 times richer in vitamin C than an orange, contains 2.5 times more calcium than milk and six times more potassium than a banana.

Which tree fruit is 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 country is monkey bread from? ›

Monkey bread facts for kids
Alternative namesPull-apart bread, bubble bread, Christmas morning delights
CourseBreakfast
Place of originHungary
Main ingredientsbread flour
Food energy (per serving)352 kcal (1474 kJ)
3 more rows
Oct 16, 2023

What is the meaning of monkey bread? ›

Meaning of monkey bread in English

a sweet food made from small balls of bread dough (= a mixture made of flour and water) that have been covered in butter and baked together: Monkey bread is easy to separate once it is cooked. lenazap/iStock/Getty Images Plus/GettyImages. Fewer examples.

Which tree is monkey bread? ›

The African Monkey Bread Tree (Adansonia digitata) is the typical tree of tropical South Africa. The local name Baobab originates from the Arabic word bu-hubub. In Senegal the Baobab is very important and characteristic for the country, hence it is even displayed in the coat of arms.

Is monkey bread made from bananas? ›

Bread Ingredients

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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