Apple Monkey Bread

Monkey bread’s pull-apart design makes it a fun treat for kids and adults alike. So fun, in fact, that even when bakers change the recipe’s flavor, the overly familiar self-service and resulting sticky fingers endure.

One of our favorite flavor innovations is the fruity twist found in this autumnal apple monkey bread recipe. Each roll is stuffed with homemade cinnamon-apple filling, before being stacked and baked in a tube pan and drizzled with vanilla icing. It’s sticky-sweet, bursting with apples and perfumed with warm spices, making it the perfect fall breakfast idea for a cozy morning. Of course, it’s also shareable, just as monkey bread should be.

Ingredients for Apple Monkey Bread

• Yeast: Be sure you’re buying active-dry yeast, not instant yeast. Also, double-check the expiration date on the yeast. Expired yeast won’t proof!
• Milk: Warm the milk until the temperature reaches 105° to 110°F. This will help the yeast proof. Too-cold milk won’t proof the yeast, but too-hot milk will kill it.
• Butter: You’ll need a 1/2 cup (one stick) of butter. I always like to splurge on a European butter like Plugra or Kerrygold since they have a higher butterfat percentage, but any unsalted butter will do just fine here.
• Egg: Take the egg out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so it can come to room temperature.
• Sugar: This apple monkey bread recipe uses the sugar in two parts: 2 tablespoons in the dough and 1 cup in the apple filling.
• All-purpose flour: You’ll need 3 to 3-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour to make the bread, plus a bit extra to flour the work surface while kneading.
• Apples: The best apples for this apple monkey bread recipe are the same as the best apples for apple pie: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady apples. Always peel the apples before chopping them.
• Pecans: This is completely optional, but I like to toast the nuts beforehand to remove their raw edge and bring out their nutty sweetness.
• Cinnamon: Did you know there are several types of cinnamon? Each one has its own nuanced flavor profile. The most common cinnamon is cassia, which would work just fine here. But if you want to turn the cinnamon flavor up a notch, try Ceylon, Saigon or Korintje cinnamon.
• Icing: We’ll whip up a quick icing made from confectioners’ sugar, hot water and vanilla extract to drizzle on top.

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough

In a large bowl, dissolve the active-dry yeast in the warm milk until the mixture is frothy and proofed.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter, the egg, 2 tablespoons of sugar, the salt and 3 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Beat them until they’re smooth. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a stiff dough.

Editor’s Tip: If your yeast mixture does not become frothy, do not move on! The yeast was not proofed correctly, which means your dough won’t rise, and the monkey bread will be way too dense and doughy to eat. Check your yeast’s expiration date and make sure the milk is warmed to 105° to 110°. Use a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment for easiest mixing of the dough.

Step 2: Knead and let it rise

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it until it’s smooth and elastic, six to eight minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top of the dough. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about one hour.

Editor’s Tip: To check if the bread dough is kneaded enough, press it with a finger. If it springs back, the dough is kneaded enough. If the indentation stays, keep kneading.

Step 3: Mix the apple filling

In a large bowl, stir together the finely chopped apples, pecans, cinnamon and remaining 1 cup of sugar until thoroughly combined. Set the apple filling aside.

Step 4: Divide the dough

Punch down the proofed dough and turn it out onto a work surface. Using a bench knife, butter knife or chef’s knife, divide the dough into 32 pieces.

Editor’s Tip: Once the dough is cut into pieces, cover them with one big sheet of storage wrap so they don’t dry out while you shape and fill them in the next step.

Step 5: Shape and fill

On a lightly floured surface, pat or roll out each piece into a 2-1/2-inch circle. Place 1 teaspoon of the apple mixture in the center of each circle.

Pinch the edges together and seal the dough, forming a ball.

Step 6: Assemble the monkey bread

Place the remaining 6 tablespoons of melted butter in a bowl, and dip each ball into the butter. In a greased 10-inch tube pan, place 16 balls, seam side down, evenly along the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle the tops with the remaining apple filling mixture. Layer the remaining balls on top.

Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise until it has nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Step 7: Bake and invert

Bake the apple monkey bread at 350º for 35 to 40 minutes until it’s golden brown.

Cool the monkey bread in its pan at room temperature for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a serving dish.

Step 8: Finish with icing

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, hot water and vanilla extract.

Drizzle the icing all over the warm bread. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

• Swap pears for apples: Enjoyed a few too many apple desserts recently? Sub in pears, which have a similar texture but a different taste. The best types of pears for baking are Anjou, Asian Pear, Bosc and Concorde.
• Play with baking spices: Dig around your spice cabinet for additional fall spices that would pair with cinnamon and apples. Ginger, cardamom, cloves, allspice, apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice would make this apple monkey bread even warmer and cozier.
• Finish with another topping: Instead of the icing, finish apple monkey bread with cinnamon sugar or salted caramel sauce.

How to Store Apple Monkey Bread

Apple monkey bread is best eaten warm from the oven, but if you have leftovers to save, allow the bread to cool completely to room temperature. Then, cover it tightly with storage wrap and transfer it to the fridge. It can be kept in the fridge for up to four days. I love to reheat servings in the oven or microwave to reawaken the cinnamon-apple filling.

Can you freeze apple monkey bread?

Yes, you can freeze apple monkey bread. Once the bread has baked and cooled completely to room temperature, cover it with two layers of storage wrap and stash it in the freezer. Or transfer leftovers to a freezer-safe airtight container. The bread can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and rewarm servings in the oven or microwave.

Apple Monkey Bread Tips

Can you use frozen bread dough to make apple monkey bread?

Yes, you can make monkey bread with frozen bread dough. Purchase two loaves (1 pound each) of frozen bread dough and let them thaw. Proceed with the recipe, starting at the point where you make the apple filling and cut the bread dough into 32 pieces.

Can you bake apple monkey bread in a different-sized pan?

Yes, you can bake apple monkey bread in a different-sized pan. Assemble apple monkey bread in a 13×9-inch pan or two 9×5 loaf pans. For individual servings, assemble and bake the monkey bread in two 12-cup muffin tins. You’ll most likely have to change the baking time based on the new pan size. If you’re unsure whether your monkey bread is done baking, use a digital thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is at least 190°.

How do you serve apple monkey bread?

Serve apple monkey bread while it’s warm (not hot!) from the oven, inverted on a large circular plate or platter. That way everyone can serve themselves by tearing off a roll right from the loaf.

Make sure there’s a lot of coffee or tea available to guests, too. Since this dish is sugary and carb-heavy, offset it with savory breakfast recipes like a veggie frittata, a mountain of breakfast sausages or bacon, or a lovely hash brown breakfast casserole.