Monkey bread is one of those wonderfully nostalgic dishes that sits somewhere between breakfast pastry and dessert. It’s believed to have gained popularity in the United States in the mid-20th century, often associated with Hungarian pull-apart breads and later embraced as a sweet, sticky, shareable treat baked in Bundt pans. This slow cooker version leans on the same concept—small pieces of dough coated in cinnamon sugar and drenched in butter and brown sugar—but simplifies the process and keeps the ingredient list short. Using the dough cut method (literally cutting store-bought biscuit dough into bite-sized pieces) means you can have a warm, pull-apart bread with very little hands-on time. It’s perfect for weekend brunch, holiday mornings, or any time you want something cozy and impressive without fussing over yeast doughs or long rise times.
This slow cooker monkey bread is rich and sweet, so it plays nicely with simple, lighter sides. I like to pair it with a big bowl of fresh fruit or a citrus salad to cut through the caramelized sugar and butter. If you’re serving brunch, scrambled eggs or a veggie frittata add protein and balance out the sugar. A pot of strong coffee or black tea is almost mandatory, but it’s also lovely with cold milk for kids (or adults who like a classic pairing). If you want to turn it into more of a dessert, serve warm wedges with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Monkey Bread (Dough Cut Method)
Servings: 8-10 servings
Ingredients
2 cans (16 oz each) refrigerated biscuit dough
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
Directions
see next page
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