Welcome to the delightful world of **Monkey Bread Muffins**, a charming twist on the classic pull-apart bread that promises a taste sensation in every bite. Imagine small, fluffy balls of sweet bread dough, each lovingly coated in a rich, caramelized cinnamon sugar mixture, baked to golden perfection. These individual portions of sticky, sweet goodness are an absolute delight, creating a truly irresistible delicacy that’s perfect for any occasion.

Whether you’re planning a special breakfast, a leisurely brunch, or simply craving a comforting sweet treat, these monkey bread muffins are guaranteed to be a hit with everyone. Their unique pull-apart nature makes them incredibly fun to eat, encouraging communal sharing and joyful moments. What’s even better? This recipe is surprisingly easy to make, especially with the convenience of a bread maker to handle the dough. Get ready to impress your family and guests with this scrumptious, golden-brown bake!

So Good: Why You’ll Love This Delicious Monkey Bread Muffins Recipe

These Monkey Bread Muffins are more than just a pastry; they’re an experience. Each individual muffin is a collection of airy, soft dough balls that have been thoroughly drenched in a luscious butter-cinnamon-sugar mixture before being baked until perfectly crispy on the outside and wonderfully tender on the inside. With every pull-apart piece, you’ll savor the light structure of the bread, the creamy hint of butter, and the irresistible warmth of cinnamon sugar. It’s a symphony of textures and flavors that creates a truly harmonious and unforgettable treat.

Perhaps you’ve never heard of monkey bread before? You’re not alone! While it’s a staple in American baking, its fame hasn’t quite spread worldwide. This beloved American recipe first gained popularity in the early 1950s, appearing in various magazines and quickly becoming a hit at fairs and family gatherings across the United States. It’s often enjoyed as a sweet snack or a decadent dessert, thanks to its sweet, sticky nature. The name “monkey bread” comes from the way it’s traditionally eaten – people pull off individual pieces with their fingers, just like a monkey.

It’s truly a shame that this delicious concoction isn’t more widely known, because it’s incredibly simple to make and universally loved. That’s why I’m thrilled to share this straightforward and incredibly tasty recipe for monkey bread muffins with you. To make the process even easier, we’ll be using a bread baking machine for the dough, simplifying the kneading and rising stages. Even if you don’t have a bread maker, don’t worry – I’ll provide instructions for making the dough by hand or with an electric mixer. Get ready to discover your new favorite sweet bread!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread Muffins

To embark on your journey to creating these mouthwatering Monkey Bread Muffins, you’ll need a selection of common baking ingredients. The precise quantities can be found in the detailed recipe card conveniently located at the bottom of this blog post. Let’s break down each component and its role in achieving that perfect, sticky, sweet result:

For the Monkey Bread Dough:

• Flour: For these light and airy muffins, standard **all-purpose flour** is your best bet. It provides the ideal structure and tenderness. While other flours might work, all-purpose ensures a consistent and reliable outcome for this sweet bread.
• Sugar: A crucial component for any sweet bread, the sugar in the dough not only provides a lovely sweetness but also contributes to the bread’s golden-brown crust and helps activate the yeast, leading to a beautifully risen dough.
• Yeast: This recipe primarily calls for ⅓ oz. (8 grams or 2 teaspoons) of **instant yeast**. Instant yeast is fantastic because it can be mixed directly with the dry ingredients and doesn’t require prior activation. If you prefer to use fresh yeast, you’ll need ⅔ oz. (16 grams). For dry yeast (active dry yeast), you’ll also need ⅓ oz. (8 grams), but remember that both fresh and active dry yeast should first be dissolved in lukewarm milk (or water) with a pinch of sugar to activate them before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
• Salt: Often underestimated, salt is vital in baking. It balances the sweetness, enhances the overall flavor profile of the bread, and also helps regulate the yeast activity, ensuring a controlled and flavorful rise.
• Milk: Adding milk to the dough contributes to a richer flavor and a softer, more tender crumb. It also helps in achieving a lighter and firmer texture compared to using just water. Ensure it’s lukewarm to aid yeast activation.
• Water: Lukewarm water (around 99 °F / 37 °C) is essential for hydrating the flour and activating the yeast. It ensures the dough reaches the right consistency – smooth, elastic, and easy to work with.

For the Irresistible Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

• Butter: Melted butter is the magic adhesive that makes these muffins so incredibly sticky and delicious. Each dough ball is dipped in it, creating a rich, creamy coating that locks in moisture and helps the cinnamon sugar adhere. It’s key to the amazing caramelization during baking.
• Cinnamon: The star spice of this dish! Ground cinnamon imparts its signature warm, sweet, and slightly woody flavor with a delightful hint of lemon. It’s what gives monkey bread its characteristic aroma and taste, making it utterly comforting and inviting.
• Sugar: By combining granulated sugar with ground cinnamon, you create the classic cinnamon sugar mixture. This sweet coating caramelizes beautifully in the oven, forming that desirable sticky, golden-brown crust that defines monkey bread.

Gathering these simple ingredients is the first step towards creating a batch of homemade monkey bread muffins that will disappear as quickly as they’re made!

Crafting Your Monkey Bread Muffins: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating these delightful monkey bread muffins from scratch is a rewarding process, made even simpler with the right approach. Below, you’ll find a detailed step-by-step guide, with a printable version including exact measurements available in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog. Let’s get baking!

1. Prepare the Dough (Bread Maker Method): Begin by adding the liquid ingredients to your bread maker pan. This means pouring in the lukewarm milk, melted butter, and lukewarm water first. Then, gently sprinkle the all-purpose flour and sugar over the liquids. Create a small well in one corner for the instant yeast and, in the diagonally opposite corner, add the salt. This separation prevents the salt from directly interacting with the yeast before kneading begins, which can inhibit its activity. Set your bread maker to the dough setting (usually involving kneading and a first rise). If you’re using an electric mixer or kneading by hand, combine the dry ingredients first, then gradually add the wet ingredients, kneading until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, typically for about an hour.
2. Portion and Shape the Dough: Once your dough has completed its first rise and is beautifully light and airy, gently remove it from the bread maker pan or bowl onto a lightly floured surface. The goal is to divide the dough into approximately 60 equal-sized pieces. You can achieve this by rolling the dough into a log and then cutting it, or by eye-balling smaller portions. For the most uniform muffins, aim for pieces roughly the size of a small walnut. Roll each piece between your palms to form smooth, round balls. Even sizing ensures consistent baking.
3. Coat and Assemble the Muffins: Now for the fun, sticky part! In one shallow bowl, have your melted butter ready, and in another, your cinnamon sugar mixture (made by combining granulated sugar and ground cinnamon). First, take each dough ball and dip it thoroughly into the melted butter, ensuring it’s completely coated. Then, immediately roll the buttered ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until it’s generously covered. As you coat them, arrange five of these delightful balls into each cup of a greased standard muffin tin. This quantity ensures a perfectly sized, pull-apart muffin. Continue this process until all 12 muffin cups are filled.
4. Second Rise and Bake: Once your muffin tin is filled, loosely cover the entire tin with plastic wrap. For best results, lightly grease the underside of the plastic wrap with a little cooking spray to prevent it from sticking to the rising dough. Place the covered muffin tin in a warm, draft-free spot and let the dough rise again for approximately one hour, or until the balls have puffed up noticeably and are nearly doubled in size. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Once risen, bake the muffins in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes to allow the caramel to set slightly, then carefully invert them onto a wire rack to cool further. Enjoy them warm for the ultimate sticky treat!

Expert Tips, Smart Substitutions, and Delicious Variations

Elevate your monkey bread muffins with these handy tips and creative variations:

• For Chocoholics: If you adore chocolate, consider adding four tablespoons of finely chopped dark chocolate chips or chunks directly into the dough during the last few minutes of kneading. The melted chocolate will create pockets of gooey goodness within the sweet bread.
• Caramel Sensation: For an extra layer of decadence, drizzle a warm caramel sauce over the freshly baked monkey bread muffins as soon as they come out of the oven. You can use your favorite store-bought caramel or whip up a quick homemade version.
• Prepare the Night Before: Save time on busy mornings by preparing the muffins ahead! Fill your muffin tin with the dough balls, cover it tightly with greased plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove the tin from the fridge about 15-30 minutes before baking to allow them to come closer to room temperature and complete their final slight rise. Then, proceed with baking as directed.
• Checking for Doneness: To ensure your monkey bread muffins are perfectly baked, insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, with no wet dough attached, your muffins are ready! The tops should also be beautifully golden brown and the sticky caramel bubbling slightly.
• Nutty Crunch: For added texture and flavor, finely chop some pecans or walnuts and sprinkle them into the cinnamon sugar mixture before rolling the dough balls. The nuts will toast slightly during baking, adding a wonderful crunch.
• Citrus Zest: A hint of citrus can brighten the flavors beautifully. Add a teaspoon of finely grated orange or lemon zest to your dough mixture or even to the cinnamon sugar for a fresh twist.

I hope you thoroughly enjoy baking and devouring these wonderfully sticky and sweet monkey bread muffins! They truly bring a smile to every face and are a fantastic addition to any breakfast or brunch spread. Their pull-apart nature makes them incredibly engaging and perfect for sharing.

Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.

Need more inspiration?

• You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
• And don’t forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!

Monkey Bread Muffins Recipe

Andréa

Notes

Nutrition

More Muffin Magic: Discover Other Delicious Muffin Recipes

If you’ve fallen in love with these monkey bread muffins, you’ll be delighted to explore more of our fantastic muffin recipes! From fruity delights to savory twists, there’s a muffin for every craving. Expand your baking repertoire and find your next favorite treat among these irresistible options.