Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (2024)

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Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (1)There’s nothing quite like sticky gooey Monkey BreadRecipe to give you that early morning sugar rush and sense of satisfaction.

Christmas morning: the true story of Christmas has been read, presents are unwrapped, the kids have stars in their eyes as they flutter around trying to decide what to play with first. Dad is tenaciously assembling toys with a million pieces each, and you…

You, in your robe and new Christmas jammies, have picked up the wrapping paper and are now working on a brilliant holiday breakfast to keep the Christmas magic alive.

In planning for meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I like to incorporate dishes that can be made ahead.

That way, during all the excitement, I’m not tucked away in the kitchen, missing out on memory-making moments.

Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (4)

My Drunken Monkey Bread Recipeis a dish I make only on very special occasions.

It’s rich, loaded with flavor, and ultra sweet. So much so, I’d feel bad serving it to my kids on regular mornings, then sending them off for teachers to manage.

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Christmas morning is different, though.

The little nippers are so hyped-up on Christmas magic, a bit of sugar isn’t going to make much of a difference.

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I first remember eating Monkey Bread at my Aunt Millie’s house, as a little girl.

Aunt Millie had a strong personality, an infectious laugh, and whole lot of spunk. I could count on her to have sticky-sweet Monkey Bread, hot and ready for the holidays, and a big smile and joke for her nieces and nephews.

This Drunken Monkey Bread Recipeis in honor of Aunt Millie, who I’m certain did not liquor-up her version, but would have loved it all the same.

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Adding a little booze to your monkey bread recipe, is strictly about flavor.

Along with the butter, sugar, and orange zest, a nip of your favorite liquor will saturate the dough, and leave a rich undertone that makes monkey bread just as exciting for the grownups as the kids.

Most of the alcohol evaporates while the bread is baking, so I’m comfortable serving it to the entire family.

This particular monkey bread recipe is a quickie version, incorporating frozen bread dough, to decrease your time in the kitchen.

You can make it “ahead” in two different ways.

1. One day ahead, let the dough rise according to package instructions. Then cut and sugar the dough, place it in a bundt pan, and pop it in the fridge. On Christmas morning simply whisk together the syrup, pour over the top, and bake.

2. Christmas Eve night, place the dough out to thaw and rise over night, covered in plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Christmas morning, cut and sugar the dough, place it in a bundt pan, immediately pour the syrup over the the top, and bake.

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The differences in the two methods:

Method 1 needs to bake a little longer (approximately 1 hour) and creates a tender uniform loaf that you slice, but takes less of your time on Christmas morning.

Method 2 takes a little more time to put together in the morning, yet bakes faster (approximately 40 minutes) and comes out of the pan as more of a segmented pull-apart bread.

Both methods bake up a ridiculously moist and flavorful breakfast bread with a crusty exterior, that will be a hit Christmas morning.

I plan to serve Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe with spinach artichoke breakfast bake and fresh berries, a meal my family will certainly remember.

Other Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas:

Corned Beef Hash with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheee Frittata
Boston Cream Pie Pancakes ~ Country Clever
Egg Nog French Toast Bake ~ Domestic Fits

Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (11)

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Our easy Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe is a show-stopper for the holidays. This monkey bread recipe offers sticky goodness and a unique boozy sweetness!

Servings: 12

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

  • 3 pounds frozen bread dough or rolls, not the partially baked varieties (Rhodes)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice spice
  • 2 1/2 sticks melted butter (1 1/4 cups)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup bourbon, amaretto, cognac, or brandy
  • Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

  • Place the frozen dough on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Spray a large sheet of plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray and cover the dough. Allow the dough to thaw and rise for 3-5 hours, according to package instructions.

  • Once the dough has doubled or tripled in size, butter (or spray with cooking spray) a large 12-15 cup capacity bundt pan. Mix the granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. Then use kitchen shears to snip the dough into 1- to 1 1/2-inch chunks. Dust the dough chunks with the sugar mixture and place in the bundt pan. *At this point, you can cover the top and refrigerate overnight.

  • Move the oven rack to the bottom position and take out the other racks to give the monkey bread room to rise. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, liquor, and orange zest together in a large microwave safe bowl. Bring the mixture to a boil in the microwave, about 2 minutes. Then pour over the monkey bread dough and place in the oven.

  • Bake for 40-60 minutes, until the top is brown, crusty, and rising over the top of the pan. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then flip out onto a platter and serve warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 6ounces, Calories: 299kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 173mg, Potassium: 27mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 30g, Vitamin A: 590IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

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Drunken Monkey Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to know when monkey bread is done? ›

Bake the Monkey Bread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap the pan and bake until the top is deep brown and caramel begins to bubble around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes.

What is monkey bread and why is it called monkey bread? ›

The origin of the term "monkey bread" is unknown. Some food historians suggest that it comes from the pastry being a finger food, and that those eating it pick apart the bread with their hands as a monkey might. Others suggest that it comes from the pastry's resemblance to the monkey puzzle tree Araucaria araucana.

What American president made monkey bread popular by serving the dessert at the White House during Christmas? ›

Nancy Reagan's influence made monkey bread's popularity soar in the '80s. Even though the name suggests an abundance of bananas, monkey bread is actually more tuned in to the flavors of coffee and cinnamon.

What culture is monkey bread from? ›

Fazekas traced the dessert back to the 1880s, claiming that it was Hungarian immigrants who introduced it to the United States. Fazekas named Hungarian Jewish bakers as the heroes of the story. In the middle of the twentieth century, it was they who made aranygaluska popular with American society.

Why is my monkey bread still doughy? ›

Recipe Tip

To be entirely sure that the monkey bread is fully cooked and not doughy in the center, use a thermometer to verify that the middle has reached 190°F. If the top is browning too much and the center is still not at 190°F, lower the monkey bread in your oven and/or cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.

How do I make sure my bread is done? ›

Bread is typically done when it has an internal temperature of 190°F. Testing your bread with a food thermometer a few minutes before the recipe suggests it will be done can help ensure that it is baked to your desired doneness and ready to be made into a delicious Pulled Pork Sandwich or dipped in a warm cup of soup.

Is monkey bread a southern thing? ›

to get right. Chef Thomas nailed it on the first try for. Gayle King!

Where did pull apart bread originate? ›

Pull-apart bread is accepted as having originated in Hungary. You may have heard of it referred to as ``monkey bread.'' Funny story, since it is considered finger food, it is eaten by picking apart, similar to how monkeys eat their food.

Where does the president eat in the White House? ›

The President's Dining Room is a dining room located in the northwest corner of the second floor of the White House. It is located directly above the Family Dining Room on the State Floor and looks out upon the North Lawn.

What is a fun fact about monkey bread? ›

Recipes for the bread first appeared in American women's magazines and community cookbooks in the 1950s. During the 1980s, Nancy Reagan popularized serving monkey bread during Christmas by making it a staple of the Reagan White House Christmas.

What fruit is called monkey bread? ›

Baobab is a fruit grown in Africa. Pronounced as “bau-bab,” this fruit grows on trees that can be over 1,000 years old. A baobab tree may also be called a monkey bread tree, Ethiopian sour gourd, cream of tartar tree and even upside-down tree.

What is another name for the monkey bread tree? ›

Common names for the baobab include monkey-bread tree, upside-down tree, and cream of tartar tree.

How do you know when stuffed bread is done? ›

To see if your bread is done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf. (If you go at an angle and through the side or bottom, you can minimize the visual evidence!) Most breads are finished baking at about 190°.

How do you know when bread is done rising? ›

If you're checking on shaped dough for the second rise/proof, then it should also be about double in size. Feel: Bread dough that has successfully risen/proofed will spring back slowly when poked and leave an indent. If it snaps back too quickly, it needs more time.

How do you know when bread is done mixing? ›

The Dough Passes the Windowpane Test

To do this, tear off a chunk of dough and stretch it between your fingers. If the dough tears, you haven't developed enough gluten and it needs more kneading. If it stretches without breaking, making a windowpane of sorts, you're done and you can let the dough rest.

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