Level up your monkey bread with this extra easy Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread.
We’ll use Pillsbury Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls to simplify the process. You’ll never make monkey bread the same way again!
– Ashton
Sometimes you’re just rushed for time — it happens to literally all of us! This easy cinnamon roll monkey bread is my super-quick shortcut for when you don’t have hours to spare. We’re talking simple ingredients, canned cinnamon rolls from the refrigerator section, and a result so gooey and delicious that your family will think you worked all morning. It’s the perfect breakfast for a special occasion OR just a random Tuesday, honestly. This pull-apart cinnamon roll monkey bread is also a great holiday morning treat — think Christmas morning breakfast while the kids open gifts in their pajamas. Be still my heart! 🎄
What You Need to Make This Easy Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
You’ll need three cans of cinnamon rolls — I love using Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls or the Cinnabon cinnamon roll dough for extra cinnamon flavor. Both are ah-mazing! You can also grab canned orange rolls if you want to mix things up. Beyond that, the exact measurements are all in the recipe card below, but the basics are: melted butter, dark brown sugar, honey, and a tablespoon of cinnamon mixed with a cup of sugar for coating. That cinnamon sugar combo is everything. Oh, and don’t skip the baking spray — nobody wants their beautiful ooey, gooey sticky bread welded to the pan, lol. Room temperature butter melts faster in the microwave, just FYI!
How to Make Pull-Apart Bread Step by Step
Okay, here’s where the magic happens! Cut each of the canned cinnamon roll dough pieces in half and roll each half into dough balls. Toss about half of them into a zip-top freezer bag filled with your cinnamon sugar mixture and shake to coat — so fun, honestly. Layer them into a greased bundt pan (also called a fluted tube pan). Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Then microwave your stick of butter with the dark brown sugar and honey, and pour that gorgeous caramel sauce right over the top of the monkey bread. The cooking time is around 20 minutes — keep a close eye on it toward the end so the tops go golden brown without burning. Then drizzle the packaged glaze — or a homemade glaze if you’re feeling fancy — all over. Voila! Classic monkey bread, done!
Making Monkey Bread from Scratch
I love a good shortcut recipe when I don’t have the time or energy, but for those times you want truly homemade monkey bread, I got you covered! You can follow the same basic outline here — just swap the Pillsbury cinnamon rolls for homemade biscuit dough or a quick yeast dough, cut it into small pieces, and coat in the cinnamon sugar. You’ll want a little rise time for that soft, fluffy sweet bread texture. Same kind of pan, same standard directions, same lots of glaze at the end. 😍 If you love this cinnamon roll version, you’ll also want to check out this Cranberry Bliss Pull-Apart Bundt — it’s another one of my favorite versions of pull-apart bread for the holiday season!
How Do You Know When Monkey Bread is Done?
Good question — it can be a little tricky! You don’t want the middle doughy and you definitely don’t want the outside burned. Gently press the top of the entire monkey bread. Very little resistance means the center is still raw — keep baking and re-test in 5-minute increments. If you’re reheating leftover monkey bread, pop it in the microwave in 15-second increments until warmed through. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Pro tip: this recipe also works in a loaf pan or even a jumbo muffin tin for cinnamon roll monkey bread muffins — prettiest presentation ever for a fun family dessert! Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or alongside fresh fruit and your favorite French toast for a perfect dish.
More Monkey Bread and Cinnamon Rolls Recipes
Can we talk about how this type of recipe is just the entire universe’s gift to breakfast lovers?! 🙌 Whether you’re after a delicious snack, a holiday tradition treat, or just one of those delicious recipes that makes everyone at the table go quiet (you know the ones), this bubble bread delivers every single time. Pair it with some cinnamon hot chocolate and you’ve got the most perfect Christmas morning breakfast situation ever. Also obsessed with this Holiday Breakfast Ultimate Guide for even more excellent ways to wow your crew. And if you’ve spotted the pizza monkey bread recipe or baklava monkey bread floating around my Instagram stories — yes, those are real and yes, you absolutely have to make them. Check the recipe card below for the entire recipe with exact measurements!
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Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
Yield:
12
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Additional Time:
5 minutes
Total Time:
55 minutes
Level up your monkey bread with this Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread. This recipe is extra easy because you don’t have to start from scratch. Instead we’ll use Pillsbury Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls to simplify the process. You’ll never make monkey bread the same way again!
Ingredients
- 3 cans Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls dough
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º. Grease a bundt pan well, and set aside.
- Combine cinnamon and sugar in a large zip to bag.
- Open the cans of cinnamon roll dough. Cut each cinnamon roll in 2 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place about half of them into the zip top bag. Shake to coat the dough.
- Place the coated dough balls in the bundt pan. Place the remaining dough balls into the bag and repeat coating. Place all of the dough in the bundt pan.
- In a small bowl, microwave the butter, brown sugar, and honey for 1 minute. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the dough balls in the bundt pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until dough on the outside is brown and the center feels “set” when you lightly push on it.
- Allow to stand for 5 minutes and then invert onto a plate. Drizzle Cinnabon frosting over top before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 305