Christmas Morning Monkey Bread is the cozy, pull-apart breakfast you want on the table when everyone stumbles into the kitchen in pajamas. Bite-sized biscuit pieces get coated in cinnamon sugar, layered in a bundt pan with pecans and soaked in a brown sugar butter sauce. Bake it until golden, drizzle with a simple glaze if you like, and serve warm with coffee for the full smells-like-Christmas-morning vibe.
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Ingredients for Christmas Morning Monkey Bread
- 2 cans (16 oz) refrigerated biscuit dough (like Pillsbury Grands)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
For the glaze (optional)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make Christmas Morning Monkey Bread
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prep the dough: Cut each biscuit into smaller pieces. I went with about 6 pieces per biscuit. Place the pieces in a large zip-top bag or a big bowl.
3. Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon, then shake or toss until all the biscuit pieces are evenly coated.
4. Grease a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly so the bread releases easily.
5. Layer it: Arrange some of the coated biscuit pieces in the bundt pan in one layer. Sprinkle some of the chopped pecans. Keep layering the remaining biscuit pieces and pecans until your pan is full.
6. Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the sauce evenly over the layered biscuit pieces, making sure it seeps through. I gave my pan a gentle tap on the table to ensure the sauce sunk down a bit. It looks like it won’t all sink in, but it really does in the end!
7. Bake: Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is golden and you see the sauce bubbling between pieces. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.
8. Cool & glaze: Let the bundt pan rest for about 10 minutes, then invert gently onto a serving plate. If using the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and drizzle over the warm bread. Serve warm with coffee.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip greasing the bundt pan well. In fact, most recipes tell you to grease the pan as a preliminary step when you pre-heat your oven, but I definitely greased mine right before adding all the ingredients to the pan. You want the pan to be nice and greased so everything comes out. If you’re worried about things not coming out cleanly in the end still, you can grease your pan and add a sprinkle of some flour to really help things along.
- If you want extra crunch, toast the pecans lightly before adding.
- Make-ahead: Assemble in the pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature while the oven preheats, then bake as directed (you may need an extra 5–10 minutes).
- Reheating: Warm a few pieces on a plate in the microwave for 15–20 seconds. You can reheat it in the oven, but I would be really careful. Your monkey bread most likely won’t fit back in the bundt pan, but you could sit it in an oven-safe pan and reheat at 325°F for about 10-ish minutes. Just be careful you don’t leave it in the oven too long, as the edge pieces may dry out.
FAQs
Can I use a different pan?
Yes. You can bake this in an angel food cake pan or a well-greased 9-inch springform, but baking time may vary. Keep an eye for bubbling sauce and a golden top just like you would for a bundt pan.
Can I make this without nuts?
Definitely! You can skip pecans for a nut-free version. You can even add chocolate chips for a sweeter twist.
What kind of dough should I use?
I went with Pillsbury Grands. I even found some that were labeled as “Hawaiian Sweet” rolls and figured those would be good, and they really were! If you can’t find those specific Hawaiian ones, though, 2 tubes of the regular Pillsbury Grands (or a grocery store brand equivalent that’s 16 oz) will work too.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions to bring back the warm, gooey texture.
This Christmas Morning Monkey Bread is one of those holiday recipes that feels special but takes almost no effort. It’s cozy, shareable, and smells exactly like cinnamon and brown sugar on a slow holiday morning. Serve it warm in pajamas with coffee and watch everyone come for seconds.
Christmas Morning Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cans (16 oz.) refrigerated biscuit dough like Pillsbury Grands
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Glaze (Optional)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanillaPreheat the oven to 350°F.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut each biscuit into smaller pieces. I went with about 6 pieces per biscuit. Place the pieces in a large zip-top bag or a big bowl.
- Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon, then shake or toss until all the biscuit pieces are evenly coated.
- Grease a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly so the bread releases easily.
- Arrange some of the coated biscuit pieces in the bundt pan in one layer. Sprinkle some of the chopped pecans. Keep layering the remaining biscuit pieces and pecans until your pan is full.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the sauce evenly over the layered biscuit pieces, making sure it seeps through. I gave my pan a gentle tap on the table to ensure the sauce sunk down a bit. It looks like it won’t all sink in, but it really does in the end!
- Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is golden and you see the sauce bubbling between pieces. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.
- Let the bundt pan rest for about 10 minutes, then invert gently onto a serving plate. If using the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and drizzle over the warm bread. Serve warm with coffee.
