Sweet

Monkey Bread Minis

The fellows from Baked warned me in Baked Explorations about how good this bread is and how it’s easy to eat a lot of it. So, I’ve been waiting to make monkey bread for when a group of people would be over. Our annual Valentine’s brunch party was the perfect occasion!

I decided to make minis because I’ve noticed that when people come over they don’t want to work for their food. They don’t want to slice coffee cake or cut a quiche, they just want something they can grab easily and chomp away.

I made these in those cute little nut cups  you can get at Party City or a crafty store even. And it was awesome because cinnamon sugary goodness stays is in the bottom and it ensures every bite is a super dreamy one.

I used a fork to dunk the dough in the butter and then in the sugar. That way they are the cinnamon-sugariest! And if you want, you can do what I did and assemble them the day before and refrigerate them over night to bake in the morning!

Monkey Bread Minis (Makes about 18 minis)
Recipe adapted from Baked Explorations

Ingredients:

monkey bread –

  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk
  • 2 t yeast
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 5 T sugar + a pinch sugar separated
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 egg
  • 5 T unsalted butter, melted

cinnamon sugar coating –

  • 1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 t cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

  1. Line 18 muffin cups with liners and spray the muffin tin to be safe or set up 18 little paper nut cups on a baking sheet. In a small saucepan, heat the milk until warm NOT HOT. Remove from heat and add the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Whisk to dissolve.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar and salt until combined. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined.
  3. Keeping the mixer on low, slowly stream in the milk until combined. Add the melted butter and mix until the dough comes together. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment. Continue to mix on medium speed until the dough becomes silky and tacky, but not sticky, 8-10 minutes. The dough should mound together and not stick to the bottom of the mixing bowl. If it’s too dry add a teeny bit of water, or if it’s too sticky add a little bit of flour. Transfer the dough to a bowl sprayed with cooking spray, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until double in size, about an hour.
  4. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and deflate the dough. Pinch of 1 to 1 1/2 inch rounds of dough (about 1/2 ounce each, but they don’t have to be perfect) and roll into a ball and set on the parchment lined baking sheet. You should end up with about 60 balls of dough. Cover lightly with plastic wrap.
  5. Make the cinnamon sugar coating. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon with a fork. Place the melted butter in a separate bowl.
  6. One by one dip the balls of dough in the melted butter and then roll through the cinnamon sugar. Place 4 of these sugary dough balls into the prepared muffin tins/nut cups. Place the cups on a baking sheet and wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to rise until double in size and appear puffy, about an hour. (At this point you an place them in the fridge over night to bake in the morning like I did. Simply take them out in the morning and allow them to come to room temperature to proof before baking.)
  7. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F. remove the plastic and bake until the top is deep brown and the caramel coating begins to bubble, about 15-20 minutes for minis or 30 minutes for a bundt.

TIP: Re-warm in a 300 degree oven.

Pre-brunch decor. I hung the pom poms up as I made them!

3 thoughts on “Monkey Bread Minis”

  1. Aww, I love how they look in the little cups! I’ve heard so much about monkey bread but never tried it. It seems to be the kind of thing you make and can never find to buy. What is the texture like?

  2. Thanks Beckie! You should totally make it. The texture is like cinnamon rolls, so a sweet yeast bread, remix. So good!

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