Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread
Here’s a fun recipe from our good friend Nik Manojlovich from Weekend at the Cottage. He’s creatively used not one, not two, but THREE different kinds of cinnamon sugar for this pull-apart bread: Golden Yellow, Dark Brown, and Demerara Style. Enjoy a different sweet sensation in every delicious bite — it’s perfect for a party, or take one to work for a shareable breakroom treat.
1 hour rising time
30 minutes proofing time
For the dough:
- ½ cup (125 ml) water, warm (100 to 110°F / 38 to 43°C) ½ cup (125 ml) water, warm (100 to 110°F / 38 to 43°C)
- ½ cup + ½ tsp (102 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar, divided ½ cup + ½ tsp (102 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar, divided
- 1 tbsp (11 g / 1 packet) active dry yeast 1 tbsp (11 g / 1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk (preferably whole milk) 1 cup (250 ml) milk (preferably whole milk)
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt (or 1 tsp / 3 g kosher salt) ½ tsp (3 g) salt (or 1 tsp / 3 g kosher salt)
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed ½ cup (113 g) butter, cubed
- 5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached), divided 5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached), divided
- 2 eggs 2 eggs
For the coating:
- ¾ cup (170 g) butter ¾ cup (170 g) butter
- 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 recipe “Cinnamon Sugar 3 Ways” 1 recipe “Cinnamon Sugar 3 Ways”
For the glaze:
- 2½ cups (300 g) Redpath® Icing Sugar 2½ cups (300 g) Redpath® Icing Sugar
- 2 tbsp (28 g) butter 2 tbsp (28 g) butter
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) milk 3 tbsp (45 ml) milk
Equipment:
- Liquid measuring cup Liquid measuring cup
- Thermometer (optional) Thermometer (optional)
- Scale OR dry measuring cups Scale OR dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons Measuring spoons
- Small bowl x 5 Small bowl x 5
- Small saucepan Small saucepan
- Heatproof rubber spatula OR wooden spoon Heatproof rubber spatula OR wooden spoon
- Stand mixer fitted with hook attachment OR large bowl and wooden spoon Stand mixer fitted with hook attachment OR large bowl and wooden spoon
- Whisk Whisk
- Large bowl Large bowl
- Plastic wrap OR lint-free tea towel Plastic wrap OR lint-free tea towel
- Bundt pan (12-cup) Bundt pan (12-cup)
- Oven mitts Oven mitts
- Decorative plate/platter OR cake stand Decorative plate/platter OR cake stand
- Medium bowl Medium bowl
- Hand mixer OR whisk Hand mixer OR whisk
- Piping bag OR resealable bag OR spoon Piping bag OR resealable bag OR spoon
Instructions
For the dough:
Pour warm water into a small bowl. Stir in ½ teaspoon (2 grams) of the Redpath® Granulated Sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle and stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy; 5 to 10 minutes.
Add milk to a small saucepan. Place onto medium heat; heat until just warm. Stir in salt and the remaining Redpath® Granulated Sugar (½ cup / 100 grams) until dissolved. Add butter; stir until melted.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix the yeast and milk mixture together. Add in 2 cups (250 grams) of the flour and stir to combine. Place bowl onto the stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Mix on low speed (see Chef’s Tips).
Whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Add the beaten eggs into the bowl and mix until combined. Slowly add the remaining flour, about ½ cup (63 grams) at a time, until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth and elastic; about 5 minutes. Place dough in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a clean, lint-free tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in size; about 1 hour.
Lightly grease a 12-cup bundt pan.
For the coating:
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Make the cinnamon sugar as instructed in the recipe “Cinnamon Sugar 3 Ways”. Use ¾ cup (approximately 210 grams) of each cinnamon sugar and place into 3 separate bowls (see Chef’s Tips).
For assembly:
Adjust oven rack to the lower third position. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently punch down dough to release the gasses and deflate the dough.
Take small sections of dough about the size of a golf ball, and roll into rounds. Dip each ball into the melted butter, allowing excess to drip off, and then roll in one of the bowls of cinnamon-sugar.
Place the coated ball of dough into the prepared bundt pan. Repeat process, alternating the sugars used for each ball. Stagger the balls of dough when doing the next layer (seams should not line up). This helps fill in any gaps and make the finished bread more visually appealing when unmolded.
When all the dough is in the bundt pan, cover pan with the plastic wrap or the tea towel previously used for the bowl. Place into a warm, draft-free location to proof; about 30 minutes.
Stir any remaining melted butter and sugar mixtures together. Drizzle the sugar mixture evenly over the top of the proofed bread.
Place the bundt pan into the preheated oven and bake until top is a rich golden brown colour; 40 to 45 minutes.
Remove the monkey bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes (see Chef’s Tips). Carefully, with the help of oven mitts, if the pan is still too hot to handle, invert the bundt pan onto desired plate or cake stand. Allow bread to cool further; 15 minutes.
For the glaze:
In a medium bowl, combine the Redpath® Icing Sugar and butter using a hand mixer on low speed. Add milk, and beat mixture until glaze is smooth and glossy. Thin with additional milk, if needed.
Transfer glaze to a piping bag (see Chef’s Tips). Drizzle glaze over the top of the bread, allowing glaze to drip down the sides. Best served warm.
Chef's Tips
*Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
*Ensure water temperature is not above 120°F (53°C), or the yeast may die. If a thermometer is not available, ensure water is just warm enough that you can submerge your hand without needing to pull it out. Water should not be as comfortable as bathwater. If uncertain, err on the side of caution and use cooler water; the dough may take longer to rise, but at least the yeast has not been killed off.
*Monkey bread can be made without a stand mixer; however, note that the process will take longer and require some arm strength. Instead of a stand mixer bowl, use a large bowl. After the initial flour is added, add in the beaten eggs and stir until combined. Keep stirring in the remaining flour (½ cup at a time) until a shaggy dough develops. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the shagginess gets incorporated and becomes a smooth elastic dough; about 10 minutes.
*For a caramel cinnamon-brown sugar monkey bread, use all Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar or Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, or a mixture of brown sugars for the cinnamon sugar mixtures. For a more robust caramel flavour, use Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar.
*Do not cool finished monkey bread in the pan for more than 10 minutes as it may become too sticky to release easily from the pan.
*If a piping bag is not available, place icing into a resealable bag and snip off the tip of one corner. Alternatively, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the top of the monkey bread.
*To serve: slice into portions or allow guests to pull portions off from the main bread on the plate or cake stand as they wish.
*For a caramel cinnamon-brown sugar monkey bread, use all Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar or Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, or a mixture of brown sugars for the cinnamon sugar mixtures. For a more robust caramel flavour, use Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar.
*Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or, wrap portions of the leftovers tightly in plastic wrap or foil and place into a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge overnight. Place into a preheated oven (250 to 300°F (121 to 149°C)) for 5 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.
