Spiced Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Finding a weekend breakfast that feels special but doesn’t require hours in the kitchen can be tricky. You want something that makes the house smell amazing and brings everyone to the table, but you also don’t want to spend your entire Saturday morning cooking when you could be enjoying time with family.

That’s where this apple cinnamon monkey bread comes in perfectly. It’s got all the cozy flavors of fall, comes together with simple ingredients you probably already have, and creates those pull-apart pieces that everyone fights over in the best possible way.

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What Kind of Apples Should I Use?

For monkey bread, you’ll want to pick apples that hold their shape well during baking and won’t turn to mush. Granny Smith apples are a great choice because they’re tart and firm, which balances out all the sweet cinnamon sugar perfectly. Honeycrisp and Gala apples also work well since they stay crisp and add a nice sweetness to complement the cinnamon. Whatever variety you choose, make sure to dice them into small, bite-sized pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the bread and cook at the same rate as the biscuit pieces.

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Options for Substitutions

This monkey bread recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:

• Buttermilk biscuits: If you can’t find buttermilk biscuits, regular refrigerated biscuits work just fine. You can also use homemade biscuit dough if you’re feeling ambitious, but the store-bought tubes make this recipe super easy.
• Apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala apples all work well here. You want something that holds its shape when baked. Pears can also be a nice substitute if you’re looking for something different.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works too – just reduce any added salt in the recipe. You can also substitute with margarine, though butter gives the best flavor.
• Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work fine. In a pinch, you can make your own by mixing 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses.
• Lemon juice: This keeps the apples from browning, but if you don’t have fresh lemons, bottled lemon juice works just as well. You can also skip it if you’re assembling and baking right away.
• Milk for glaze: Heavy cream, half-and-half, or even water can replace the milk in the glaze. Start with less liquid and add more until you get the consistency you want.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making monkey bread is not properly greasing your bundt pan, which can lead to a sticky disaster when you try to flip it out – use plenty of butter or cooking spray, making sure to coat every ridge and crevice.

Another common error is cutting your biscuit pieces too large, as they won’t cook evenly and can result in doughy centers, so aim for quarters or bite-sized pieces that are roughly the same size.

Don’t skip tossing your diced apples with lemon juice and a bit of sugar beforehand, as this prevents browning and helps them release just enough moisture to keep the bread tender without making it soggy.

Finally, resist the urge to flip the monkey bread immediately after baking – let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes so it holds together better, then run a knife around the edges before inverting onto your serving plate.

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What to Serve With Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread?

This sweet, pull-apart bread is perfect for breakfast or brunch alongside a hot cup of coffee or fresh orange juice. I love serving it with crispy bacon or breakfast sausage to balance out all that cinnamon-sugar goodness with something savory. For a cozy weekend morning, pair it with scrambled eggs and maybe some Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries. Since it’s already pretty sweet and filling, you really don’t need much else – just grab some napkins and let everyone dig in with their hands!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Cover your monkey bread with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The apples and cinnamon flavors actually get even better after sitting overnight! If you want to keep it longer, pop it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freeze: This monkey bread freezes really well for up to 3 months. Wrap individual portions in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag, or freeze the whole thing wrapped tightly. I like to freeze it without the glaze and add fresh glaze after reheating.

Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-baked taste, warm individual pieces in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or heat the whole thing in a 300°F oven for about 10-15 minutes. If it’s frozen, let it thaw at room temperature first, then warm it up. The butter and cinnamon will smell amazing all over again!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3800-4100
• Protein: 30-36 g
• Fat: 120-140 g
• Carbohydrates: 630-670 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3 tubes buttermilk biscuits (8 oz each)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the apple mixture:

• 3 apples, peeled, cored, diced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

For the buttery sauce:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Bundt Pan

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for greasing pan)

Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃).

Grease a bundt pan generously with unsalted butter or cooking spray, ensuring all the crevices are coated to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Prepare and Cook the Apples

• 3 apples, peeled, cored, diced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for sautéing)

Peel, core, and dice the apples into 1/4-inch pieces.

Toss the diced apples with lemon juice to prevent browning, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

In a saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter.

Add the prepared apples and cook for 7-10 minutes until softened.

Let the apples cool slightly before using.

Step 3: Prepare Biscuit Dough and Cinnamon Sugar

• 3 tubes buttermilk biscuits (8 oz each)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Open the buttermilk biscuit tubes and cut each biscuit into four bite-sized pieces.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, stirring to blend thoroughly.

Toss the biscuit pieces in the cinnamon sugar mixture until they’re evenly coated.

I find it helps to do this in batches to get a nice even coating.

Step 4: Layer Apples and Dough in Bundt Pan

• Cooked apples (from Step 2)
• Cinnamon sugar-coated biscuit dough (from Step 3)

In the prepared bundt pan, layer the cooked apples from Step 2 and the cinnamon sugar-coated biscuit dough from Step 3, alternating between the two to distribute them evenly throughout the pan.

This creates a lovely mix of flavors and textures in every bite.

Step 5: Make the Brown Sugar Butter Sauce

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar mixture (from Step 3)

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture from Step 3.

Stir the mixture gently over medium heat and bring it to a boil.

Once the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is homogenous, immediately drizzle it evenly over the layered apples and dough in the bundt pan.

This sauce makes the bread extra gooey and delicious.

Step 6: Bake and Invert the Monkey Bread

Place the bundt pan in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through.

Allow the monkey bread to rest for about 5 minutes after baking, then carefully invert it onto a large serving plate while it’s still warm.

Step 7: Make and Drizzle the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

While the monkey bread bakes or cools, prepare the glaze by whisking together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1–2 tablespoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.

Drizzle the glaze generously over the inverted warm monkey bread just before serving.

For an extra touch, I sometimes add a tiny splash of lemon juice to the glaze for brightness.

Spiced Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Delicious Spiced Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 19 minutes mins

Cook Time 38 minutes mins

Total Time 57 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3950 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dough:

• 3 tubes buttermilk biscuits (8 oz each)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the apple mixture:

• 3 apples, peeled, cored, diced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

For the buttery sauce:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃). Grease a bundt pan generously with unsalted butter or cooking spray, ensuring all the crevices are coated to prevent sticking.
• Peel, core, and dice the apples into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss the diced apples with lemon juice to prevent browning, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. In a saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter. Add the prepared apples and cook for 7-10 minutes until softened. Let the apples cool slightly before using.
• Open the buttermilk biscuit tubes and cut each biscuit into four bite-sized pieces. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, stirring to blend thoroughly. Toss the biscuit pieces in the cinnamon sugar mixture until they're evenly coated. I find it helps to do this in batches to get a nice even coating.
• In the prepared bundt pan, layer the cooked apples from Step 2 and the cinnamon sugar-coated biscuit dough from Step 3, alternating between the two to distribute them evenly throughout the pan. This creates a lovely mix of flavors and textures in every bite.
• In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture from Step 3. Stir the mixture gently over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Once the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is homogenous, immediately drizzle it evenly over the layered apples and dough in the bundt pan. This sauce makes the bread extra gooey and delicious.
• Place the bundt pan in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. Allow the monkey bread to rest for about 5 minutes after baking, then carefully invert it onto a large serving plate while it's still warm.
• While the monkey bread bakes or cools, prepare the glaze by whisking together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1–2 tablespoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze generously over the inverted warm monkey bread just before serving. For an extra touch, I sometimes add a tiny splash of lemon juice to the glaze for brightness.