Easy Caramel Apple Monkey Bread

from 13 votes

Easy Caramel Apple Monkey Bread is the ultimate breakfast indulgence starring tangy Granny Smith apples, sticky-sweet caramel sauce and buttery canned biscuits. This fall favorite requires only six simple ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time!

A hand pulls at a piece of caramel apple monkey bread that's on a white serving plate.

Caramel apple monkey bread is a delicious twist on the classic breakfast treat that’s perfect for fall. With its warm, sticky caramel sauce and chunks of tart Granny Smith apples, this monkey bread is sure to become your new favorite.

What sets this recipe apart is the quick-fix caramel sauce, which adds a rich, buttery sweetness to the bread and complements the tangy apples perfectly. The bread itself is soft and fluffy, with just the right amount of pull and chewiness.

It’s sticky, it’s sweet and it’s easily shareable with two or 20 of your fellow pull-apart bread buffs. So grab the store-bought biscuit dough and start slicing those apples for my new go-to breakfast indulgence perfect for hectic weekday mornings and lazy weekend brunches alike.

Caramel apple monkey bread with diced Granny Smith apples on a white serving plate.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Incredibly easy to make. With just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of prep time, you can have a warm, gooey loaf of apple monkey bread on your table in no time.
  • A taste of fall in every bite. I’ve added a touch of autumn to the beloved and irresistible sticky pull-apart bread that tantalizes our taste buds and keeps us coming back for more.
  • Irresistibly gooey. The gooey, sweet and sticky nature of monkey bread makes it a truly indulgent breakfast (or dessert!) choice. Each pull-apart piece is a delicious, satisfying treat.
  • Perfect for sharing. Its fun, pull-apart design makes it an ideal treat for sharing with friends and family.

Pro Tip: Experiment with toppings! Get creative and experiment with additional toppings like chopped nuts, raisins or a drizzle of butterscotch sauce.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits next to Granny Smith apples and clear bowls containing brown sugar, ground cinnamon, sugar and butter.
  • Sugar: In this recipe, sugar is used, along with cinnamon, to coat each piece of canned biscuit dough.
  • Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon provides warm, spicy notes to complement the apples and caramel.
  • Refrigerated biscuits: Canned biscuits are the key to a quick and easy monkey bread. They’re also my secret shortcut to quick-fix air fryer doughnuts!
  • Apples: Just like my recipes for Caramel Apple Bread Pudding and Crescent Roll Apple Dumplings, Granny Smith apples are ideal, you can also use other tart apple varieties such as Braeburn or Honeycrisp. Just be sure to choose apples that hold their shape when baked.
  • Light brown sugar: When combined with melted butter, creates the caramel sauce. You can use dark brown sugar if you prefer a deeper caramel flavor.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter is a key component of the caramel glaze, providing richness and flavor.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

  • Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze: It’s like a gigantic cinnamon roll with nooks and crannies loaded with cinnamon butter and topped off with cream cheese frosting.
  • Easy Pecan Monkey Bread: This quick-fix recipe turns store-bought biscuits into a breakfast winner by layering sticky-sweet caramel and crunchy pecans in every bite.

How to Make Monkey Bread with Biscuits

  1. Preheat your oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a bundt pan.
  2. Prepare the sugar-cinnamon mixture. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of sugar with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
  3. Cut and coat the biscuits. Separate the dough into 16 biscuits then cut each biscuit into quarters. Add each piece of dough to the bowl with the cinnamon and sugar, tossing it to coat it on all sides.
Canned biscuit dough cut into pieces on a wood cutting board with a chef knife.
  1. Layer in the bundt pan. Layer the coated dough pieces with the diced apples in the prepared bundt pan.
A bundt pan containing diced Granny Smith apples and pieces of canned biscuit dough.
  1. Make the caramel sauce. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar and melted butter. Pour the mixture evenly on top of the dough in the bundt pan.
Caramel sauce being poured over biscuit dough pieces and diced green apples in a bundt pan.
  1. Bake, cool and enjoy! Bake the monkey bread for 28 to 32 minutes until it is no longer doughy in the center. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before placing a serving plate on top of the pan and flipping it upside down. Serve the homemade monkey bread immediately.

Kelly’s Recipe Tips

  • Use a Non-Stick Bundt Pan: Make sure to thoroughly grease your bundt pan to prevent the monkey bread from sticking. A non-stick pan is a great choice for easy removal.
  • Serve Warm: Monkey bread is best enjoyed while still warm, so try to serve it shortly after it’s done baking for the most gooey and delightful experience.
  • Store Leftovers Properly: If you need to store any leftovers, keep them in an airtight container at room temp for a day or two. You can reheat individual servings in the microwave or place the whole monkey bread back in a warm oven. Preheat your oven to 300°F and place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until it is warm and soft again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is monkey bread and why is it called monkey bread?

Monkey bread is a popular sweet dish made of bite-sized pieces of dough coated with sugar, cinnamon and butter. It’s served with a sweet glaze and known for its gooey texture. The dough pieces are arranged in a bundt pan and create a pull-apart effect when baked.

What if I don’t have refrigerated biscuit dough?

You can try using store-bought or homemade pizza dough. The texture will be slightly different, but it should still work!

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

If you don’t have a bundt pan, don’t worry! There are several alternatives you can use to bake monkey bread. A tube pan, with its similar shape and removable bottom, is a great choice. A springform pan, designed for cheesecakes, also works well due to its removable sides. Just ensure to adequately grease your pan and adjust the baking time accordingly.

More Fall Favorites

Caramel apple monkey bread with diced apples on a white serving plate.
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Breakfast

Easy Caramel Apple Monkey Bread

Transform store-bought biscuits into a quick and easy recipe for monkey bread layered with caramel and fresh apples!
Author: Kelly Senyei
4.77 from 13 votes
Caramel apple monkey bread with diced Granny Smith apples on a white serving plate.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 (16.3-oz.) cans refrigerated biscuits
  • 1 1/2 cups small diced (peeled) Granny Smith apples
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup fluted bundt pan with cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Set the mixture aside.
  • Separate the dough into 16 biscuits then cut each biscuit into quarters. Add each piece of dough to the bowl with the cinnamon and sugar, tossing it to coat it on all sides. Layer the coated dough pieces with the diced apples in the prepared bundt pan.
  • In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix together the brown sugar and melted butter. Pour the mixture evenly on top of the dough. Bake the monkey bread for 28 to 32 minutes until it is no longer doughy in the center. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before placing a serving plate on top of the pan and flipping it upside down. Serve the bread immediately.

Kelly’s Notes

  • Make sure to thoroughly grease your bundt pan to prevent the monkey bread from sticking. A non-stick pan is a great choice for easy removal.
  • Monkey bread is best enjoyed while still warm, so try to serve it shortly after it’s done baking for the most gooey and delightful experience. 
  • If you need to store any leftovers, keep them in an airtight container at room temp for a day or two. You can reheat individual servings in the microwave or place the whole monkey bread back in a warm oven. Preheat your oven to 300°F and place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until it is warm and soft again.
  • ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 49mg, Potassium: 54mg, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 365IU, Vitamin C: 0.7mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 0.3mg

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Recipe adapted from Pillsbury.


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4.77 from 13 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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  1. Nancy says:

    4 stars
    I will add more apples next time but VERY good and VERY easy.

    1. Kelly Senyei says:

      I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Nancy!

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