Cinnamon Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting – Gooey Pull-Apart Dessert

No ratings yet

Cinnamon Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting – Gooey Pull-Apart Dessert

Learn how to make the best homemade monkey bread with cream cheese frosting— a soft, gooey pull-apart cinnamon bread coated in rich butter and brown sugar caramel. This easy brunch recipe is perfect for holidays, breakfast, or weekend baking. Simple ingredients, amazing flavor!

Prep Time40

Cook Time45

Rise Time1 30

Total Time2 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings or more

Calories: 728kcal

Author: Love Keil

Equipment

bundt pan

Ingredients

For the Dough

1 ½ cups whole milk about 360 ml, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
2 ¼ teaspoon dry active yeast
¼ cup granulated sugar 50 g
2 large eggs room temperature
⅓ cup butter melted, 5 Tbsp, 71 g
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups all purpose flour spooned & leveled, 625 g

For Coating

¾ cup butter divided = ½ cup + ¼ cup, 12 Tbsp, 170 g
1 ½ cups granulated sugar 250 g
1 tablespoon cinnamon
⅔ cup brown sugar 130 g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz cream cheese softened, 113 g
2 tablepoons butter softened, 28 g
1 cup powdered sugar 120 g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk to thin the icing

Instructions

Make the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
Add eggs, melted butter, salt, vanilla extract, and 1 cup flour. Mix on low.
Add remaining flour and mix until dough comes together. Knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
First Rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place for 1–2 hours or until doubles in size.

Prepare the Coating

Melt ½ cup (115 g) butter. In another bowl, mix granulated sugar + cinnamon. Grease Bundt pan.
Butter and Sugar Sauce: Melt remaining ¼ cup (60 g) butter. Stir in brown sugar + vanilla. This is the mixture you will be pouring over dough balls in the pan.

Shape the Dough Balls

Punch down dough, divide into 60 balls.
Dip each ball in melted butter, roll in cinnamon-sugar, and arrange in greased bundt pan. As you layer the dough in your pan, pour part of the butter and brown sugar mixture halfway through and the rest on top.
Cover and rest 20 minutes while oven preheats to 350°F (177°C).

Bake

Bake 35–45 minutes until golden brown. Tent with foil if browning too quickly. To prevent spills, make sure you’re using a standard 10–12 cup bundt pan and only fill it about two-thirds full. If your pan is smaller or you’ve added extra mix-ins (like nuts, apples, or chocolate chips), place a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips.
Great tip: melt your butter and brown sugar just until combined — not boiling — before pouring over the dough. If it’s too hot, the mixture can thin out and bubble over more easily.
Another great tip: during baking, if the butter and sugar syrup starts going over the edges of the pan, using a wooden spoon gently push the dough away from the edges to minimize any spills.
Cool 5–10 minutes, then invert onto serving plate.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese + butter until smooth.
Add powdered sugar + vanilla. Thin with milk until pourable.
Drizzle cream cheese frosting over warm monkey bread. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Start by using a well-greased bundt pan or tube pan — this helps the pull-apart bread bake evenly and lets that rich brown sugar sauce coat every piece.
Keep your dough slightly chilled before rolling. Cold yeast dough is easier to cut, shape, and toss in cinnamon sugar without sticking to your hands. Make sure each piece is evenly coated for that golden, caramelized crust that makes gooey monkey bread so addictive.
If you love make-ahead recipes, you can assemble monkey bread the night before. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, then bake fresh in the morning for an effortless brunch dessert or holiday breakfast treat. Add chopped pecans, walnuts, diced apples, or mini chocolate chips between the layers for a fun flavor twist.
Always use real butter for the best texture and taste — it gives the sauce that rich, silky finish. Drizzle warm cream cheese frosting over the top just before serving. Every pull-apart piece will be sticky, sweet, and totally irresistible.

Nutrition